Purpose/Activities

The German YFU-Committee organises and supervises long-term school exchange programmes together with YFU organisations in almost 50 partner countries worldwide. Every year it sends more than 1,200 pupils from Germany abroad and receives circa 500 young persons from foreign countries in Germany. The scholars aged fifteen to eighteen spend one school year in the host country and participate in the daily life.

As an education organisation YFU is responsible for the intercultural preparation of the young persons and their parents. During the stay abroad voluntary assistants accompany the exchange students and arrange seminars and meetings for pupils and parents.

  YFU services a network of mentoring for the several host families who are concerned with board and lodging of the exchange students. For the host families it is not necessary to have an own child also families with a single parent or working parents can engage in the reception programme.

For erstwhile exchange students and host families YFU maintains a Alumni network. Furthermore alumnae can voluntary work at YFU, become association member or support YFU in another way.

To young people whose parents cannot finance the exchange year themselves YFU awards scholarships.

Periodical Publications:

Zu Hause in der Welt (brochure for a schoolyear abroad), 

Ein Jahr Deutschland (brochure for host families).