Youth For Understanding USA

Academic Year and Semester Programs

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

School: Your Polish education will take place in a secondary technical or secondary grammar school, with 10 to 12 courses during the school year. School begins in September and has longer breaks at Christmas and New Years, winter holiday (January or February), and at Easter.  Most students will take 7 or 8 classes a day, about 45 minutes each. Polish secondary students usually follow a previously elected profile of coursework throughout their 3 years of education. This means that they decide "majors" similar to those in American colleges. After students determine their profile, they are assigned a class, which is made up of students who share similar interests. School subjects may include Polish, modern foreign languages, geography, history, cultural studies, mathematics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, information technology, physical education, entrepreneurship, safety education, religion, or philosophy. 

Orientations: All students will participate in a one-day local pre-departure orientation in May or June. All students applying for a year or semester program must be available for a mandatory 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation, which usually takes place in mid-July. Upon arrival in Poland, you'll attend a 3 day Arrival Orientation in Poznan, which includes an intensive Polish language course.  You will also participate in a mid-year orientation between semesters in January and a re-entry orientation towards the end of your program. All orientation costs are included in program tuition.

Extracurriculars: Because of its beautiful and diverse landscape, Poland is host to endless outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking. Sports are very popular in Poland, namely skiing, soccer, volleyball, and many water sports!

Cultural Excursions: During your stay in Poland, YFU Poland will offer at least two optional trips, available to students at an additional cost of about $220.  The first is an organized tour of Cracow in the fall, including visits to some of the city's most important sites, such as the Old Town, Jewish District, Schindler's Factory and the nearby Auschwitz Concentration Camp.  The second trip is offered in the spring to Poland's northern Tricity area, including the cities of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot. Each trip includes accommodations, meals, public transport, and entry tickets to the sites.