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What kind of exchange experience do you want?
I want to spend a all program lengths  studying in Brazil, or maybe all regions. And I'm looking for something with a traditional exchange  and I definitely want to show off my need for  any language skills. Can I go whenever?

  • All around the world.

    all regions
    Africa & Middle East
    Asia & Pacific
    Eastern Europe
    Latin America
    Scandinavian Countries
    Western Europe
    North America

  • Pick a place, any place.

    Say what?

    Any language requirements?

     Any  Yes  No

  • What I'm into.

    a traditional exchange
    a gap year option
    college & university programs
    language classes
    a connection to the Arts
    sports & outdoors
    a volunteer program

  • How long I want to go.

    All program lengths
    Summer
    Short-term
    Semester
    Year-long

    When can I leave?

    whenever
    May to September
    December to March
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Glance

Scholarships Available

385 - Holcomb & Farnell Foreign Stud...
 314 - The YFU Americas Scholarship
 368 - YFU Community Grant
 384 - YFU Financial Aid Fund

Age Requirement

Spring 2019 departure academic programs: January 1, 2001 - January 22, 2004. Fall 2019 departure academic programs: August 1, 2001- July 30, 2004. Students who do not meet this age requirement or will graduate from high school before the start of their program may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.

Language

Portuguese. Previous language study is not required.

Host Family Placement

YFU host families may be anywhere in the country, in small towns, rural, or suburban areas. Students are rarely placed in large urban centers. "Amazon Expedition" summer program does not have a host family homestay.

School

Begins in February and ends in December, with a two-week vacation in July.

Trips

Previous trips have included tours to Pantanal and Bonito, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and southern Brazil, Iguazu Falls, the Amazon, and the Northeast coast of Brazil.

From the samba-filled streets and sun-drenched beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the intricate web of rivers and jungles of the Amazon, there's always something new to explore in beautiful Brazil!
Learn more about Brazil.

Summer Programs

"Discover Brazil" Homestay Immersion

Soccer fan? Imagine playing the game in the country with the most World Cup wins. Foodie? Make sure to taste feijoada, moqueca, vatapá, and of course visit a churrascaria! Music lover? Brazil boasts a multitude of genres from samba to bossa nova that will have you singing and dancing along in no time. The YFU Brazil summer program (which is actually winter time in the Southern Hemisphere) allows you to spend a month getting to know this fascinating and complex multicultural society while living with a host family.  Take the time to make the trip and you will leave with a new perspective and experiences to last a lifetime.   

 

"Amazon Expedition" 

Have you ever fished for piranha or swam with pink dolphins? Join students from around the world next summer as you explore the Amazon with expert local guides and meet with residents living along the Rio Negro. Begin your experience in the city of Manaus and then board the program's riverboat, your home for the next few days as you travel along the river and learn about the environment, culture, and traditions of this unique part of the world.

 

Note to Educators: This program is also available for school and youth groups through YFU's Classroom Excursions program.  Group options are available for fall breaks, January term, spring break, and summer vacation, from late May to late March.  Groups smaller than 15 participants are also welcome to join the programs already running for individual sign-up, July 27 - August 5, 2019 or August 3 - August 12, 2019.   

 

 

Amazon Expedition Tentative Itinerary

Tentative 2019 Program Dates: July 27 to August 5. 

 

Day 1: Departure from U.S., Arrival in Manaus, meet group leaders, and transport to the hotel.
Day 2: Breakfast (included) and Arrival Orientation. Lunch on own at shopping mall and city tour of Manaus (Opera House, Rio Negro Palace, Fish Market, Handicraft Market, and Port). Dinner (included), Stay in hotel.
Day 3: Breakfast and check out. Private bus through the Amazon forest to Presidente Figueiredo village, lunch at lodge. Ecological trek with expert jungle guides to Maraoaga’s Cave. Learn about and observe the regional wildlife species. Dinner and folkloric show, learn choreography and train with a local dance team preparing for one of Brazil’s largest music festivals and parade. Stay at the lodge. 
Day 4: Breakfast, Visit Sanctuary Waterfall and go for a swim. Board the riverboat for beginning of river and rainforest expedition. See the Meeting of the Waters, a natural wonder where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões connect to form the Amazon River. Lunch on the boat while you hear traditional tales of the Amazon. Board motorized canoes to visit an ecological reserve of dry land forests, lowlands, and flooded forest, including a lake of giant water lilies. Dinner and evening on the boat, stay in hammocks on the boat.
Day 5: Traditional breakfast on the boat. Visit a local indigenous community and experience their daily life. Lunch on the boat and motorized canoe ride through a national park. Swimming and boating free time (paddle board, kayak, banana boat). At night, go alligator spotting by motor boat and enjoy dinner and stargazing, games and free time back on the riverboat. Stay in hammocks on the boat.
Day 6: Start your morning with some piranha fishing and have breakfast on the boat. Visit with local residents involved in the manufacturing of flour and tapioca and participate in a demonstration of the milling and preparation process. Learn about and taste unique fruits of the Amazon with lunch. Visit a village on the river to learn about local life and participate in a service project, such as infrastructure and hygiene projects or English education. Visit the school, play soccer and make handicrafts with the students. Dinner and stargazing, games and socializing back on the riverboat. Stay in hammocks on the boat. 
Day 7: Traditional breakfast on the boat. Visit an educational conservation center to learn about and swim with the Amazon’s unique pink river dolphins. Have lunch on the boat and then go on a motorized canoe trip in search of local species, including sloth, anaconda, and monkeys. In the evening, gather for dinner and hear storytelling of regional legends. Stay in hammocks on the boat.
Day 8: Wake up early to watch sunrise. Traditional breakfast on the boat. Venture to a beach to swim or play a game of volleyball. Back on the boat, create handicrafts and beadwork after lunch. Spend the afternoon on a jungle trek, learning survival skills with specialized guides, including how to make fire, find food in the jungle, and make a zarabatana (blowgun.) Dinner and stargazing, games and socializing, stay in hammocks on the boat. 
Day 9: Traditional breakfast on the boat. Canoe with the guides through creeks, flooded forests, and lakes.  Explore the boat’s mini library of Amazon-specific literature, relax in the hammock, journal, play cards or hang out on the sundeck before lunch. Go on a bird watching tour. Dinner and stargazing, games and free time, stay in hammocks on the boat.
Day 10: Traditional breakfast on the boat. Give back to the Amazon by planting a tree and learning about how to reduce your carbon footprint. Lunch and dinner aboard the riverboat as you navigate back to Manaus. Transfer to airport. Depart Brazil on overnight flight.
Day 11: Return to U.S. in AM.

 

 

Academic Year and Semester Programs

YFU students can choose to begin their semester or year-long exchange program in either January or August. During your time in Brazil, you will live with a host family and attend a local high school.  Brazil is a large and diverse country and while YFU students may be placed anywhere in the country, all students are sure to expect warm and welcoming host families. Part of your experience will be:

 

School: You'll find that your school in Brazil will be academically challenging, but also a great place to make friends! Because Brazil is in the southern hemisphere, school begins in February and goes until the following January. Students starting their program in August will begin at the second semester mark. Students enrolled in a private school may be require to pay an additional enrollment fee. YFU will contact the student and natural parents prior to enrolling a student in a private high school with tuition.

 

Orientations: All students applying for the semester or year program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation, which usually takes place in mid-July. This orientation is a required part of the program aimed at preparing students for their experience overseas. All students will participate in a one-day local pre-departure orientation in May or June. Upon arrival in Brazil, students participate in a two-day orientation to prepare them for their time in Brazil. At the end of the program, students come together for a re-entry orientation to reflect on their experiences. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

 

Extracurriculars: Most Brazilian high schools do not offer extracurricular activities. However, YFU students are encouraged to join sports, clubs, or teams in their local communities in order to get involved and meet locals!

 

Special Program Offers: Year and semester students will also have the option of participating in a number of educational trips and excursions during their stay in Brazil.  Trips are arranged by a travel agency that specializes in excursions for exchange students and have included tours of Pantanal and Bonito, the Northeast coast, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Iguaçu Falls, southern Brazil, and the Amazon. Each trip varies in cost, depending on the distance and length of the trip, and requires your host family's permission, but most are generally offered during school holidays. All will offer you the opportunity to see a unique and different part of Brazil from your homestay location, richening your experience and offering a deeper understanding of the country. More information about these trips will be provided upon arrival in Brazil.

 

Tuition Includes

-Placement with a host family
-Enrollment in a local Brazilian high school (excluding summer students)
-Airport transfers
-Domestic and international travel
-All pre-departure and post arrival orientations
-Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
-Support from a YFU Brazil Area Representative while on program
-Comprehensive Insurance
 

Additional Information

Visa Information: Information regarding visas and other immigration processes will be provided upon enrollment. To learn more, visit the Embassy of Brazil website.

 

Additional Costs: Students are responsible for covering all costs associated with obtaining a visa and/or residence permit. Students will have to pay a fee to register with the Federal Police upon arrival. Students must also cover the cost of textbooks and a school uniform if necessary. Program tuition does not include personal spending money. 

 

Important Information: YFU Brazil cannot guarantee that students will be able to obtain a report card or transcript from their local Brazilian high school. However, the schools should at least be able to provide a letter certifying attendance.

 

 

Programs Code Departure Return Full Tuition
Year
Fall Year
Winter Year
0026  
0648  
early August
late January
early July
early January
$13,995
$13,995
Semester
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
0138  
0024  
early August
late January
early January
early July
$11,495
$11,495
Short-term
Amazon Expedition
1597  
late July
early August
$3,995
Summer
Summer
0022  
late June
late July
$5,495

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