Youth For Understanding USA

Academic Year and Semester Programs

During your time in Hungary, you will live with a host family and attend a local high school. Part of your experience will be:

School: You will attend a gimnàzium (academic secondary school). English is taught as the primary second language. German, French, Russian, and Italian are taught as well. Hungarian schools emphasize physical education, morality, and familiarity with the arts.  The academic programs include a distance Hungarian language program which is initiated at orientation and carried throughout the program.  All high schools teach history, Hungarian grammar, literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, physical education, art, and music. 

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. You will also have a four-day arrival orientation in Hungary, which includes an open discussion with departing YFU summer program students, along with a three-day mid-year orientation in January and a three-day departure orientation at the end of the program. YFU Hungary offers a basic Hungarian language course during the post-arrival orientation. Students will receive advanced grammar materials and will meet with a volunteer teacher once every 6 weeks while on program to reinforce their skills. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

Optional Excursions: Year and semester students will have the opportunity to join a 3 or 4-day trip to Prague in the Spring and a visit to the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest, one of the most beautiful and ornate buildings in the world.

Special Intrest Programs 

Music Program: Hungary has always been a country with a strong musical tradition. From Liszt and Bartok to the pulsating rhythm of the "czardas," Hungarian composers and musicians have made this nation's folk and classical music famous worldwide. Depending on your host family placement and musical ability level, you will attend one of two types of music schools. YFU Hungary reserves the right to decide which type of music school you can be enrolled in according to your audition materials. You should bring your instrument with you to Hungary.

Szakközépiskola: YFU Hungary offers an option to study music in addition to regular academic study. In order to qualify for this special type of school, students must have studied music previously and be serious about working at a high level with instructors. Two years study of solmization is required in order to be eligible for this program. Students must also be able to read music and have studied music for at least two years. An audition tape is required and should be sent in with the YFU application. YFU Hungary cannot guarantee acceptance into a Szakközépiskola. All students interested must fill out an information form provided by YFU Hungary to help in student placement. This is an excellent program for students who are serious about their musical studies and wish to integrate music study into their academic coursework.

Afternoon Music School: Students attending this type of school will take academic classes at a public high school in the morning and music lessons in the afternoon. This type of school is recommended for students who play music as a hobby, and are interested in developing their skills through a high quality music program. Students receive one on one instrumental lessons twice a week, as well as compulsory solmization lessons twice a week, and may have the opportunity to play with the school's orchestra at competitions, concerts, and festivals. Students pay the cost of the afternoon music school directly to the school, typically between €80 and €300 per semester.