• Placement with a host family
• Enrollment in a local Indian private high school
• Airport transfers
• Domestic and international travel
• All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
• Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
• Support from a YFU India Area Representative while on the program
• Comprehensive insurance

Secondary school (grades 9-12) is for students between the ages of 14 and 18. It prepares students for higher education at India’s colleges and universities. Students who have graduated from school in the U.S. will be placed in the 11th grade, as will students completing their senior year. No students will be placed in grade 12 while in India. Courses may include Hindi, English, mathematics, humanities, commerce, computer science, history, social studies, yoga, arts, and physical education. Most classes are taught in English. YFU Students will be placed in private schools, where they typically study humanities and commerce. Students do not study science due to the high level of difficulty.

All students applying for the 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.

*Due to COVID-19, the 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation described above may take place online dependent upon recommended guidelines at the time of the event. YFU will continue to assess the situation as it develops.

In India, students will also attend a 4-5 day post-arrival orientation as well as mid-year and re-entry orientations with other YFU students from all over the world.

YFU students are encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities offered by their host schools and communities. Some examples of popular extracurriculars include cricket, musical theater, and athletics.

Year program students may have the option of participating in educational trips and excursions during their stay, at an additional cost.

Cultural Trip: In mid-March, students are invited to participate in a 3-5 day cultural expedition with other YFU students from around the world. The destination of this trip varies from year to year, but previous expeditions have gone to sites like Himachal, Dehradun, and Shimla. Students will find out more about this optional trip upon arrival in India. The trip has typically included food, transportation, accommodations, and sightseeing.

• 2025 Fall Departure: Students born July 31, 2007 – June 29, 2010.
• Students who do not meet this age requirement or will graduate from high school before the start of their program will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.
• Students looking to participate in a Gap Year program should be prepared to be placed in the 11th grade.

Hindi and English. No previous language study is required. A survival Hindi manual will be provided to students one month before their departure.

Students are typically placed in Northern India.

• Placement with a host family
• Enrollment in a local Indian private high school
• Airport transfers
• Domestic and international travel
• All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
• Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
• Support from a YFU India Area Representative while on the program
• Comprehensive insurance

Secondary school (grades 9-12) is for students between the ages of 14 and 18. It prepares students for higher education at India’s colleges and universities. Students who have graduated from school in the U.S. will be placed in the 11th grade, as will students completing their senior year. No students will be placed in grade 12 while in India. Courses may include Hindi, English, mathematics, humanities, commerce, computer science, history, social studies, yoga, arts, and physical education. Most classes are taught in English. YFU Students will be placed in private schools, where they typically study humanities and commerce. Students do not study science due to the high level of difficulty. Students who participate in the Semester program will attend school and return home before the exam period begins in late March.

All students applying for the semester 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.

*Due to COVID-19, the 3-day National Pre-Departure Orientation described above may take place online dependent upon recommended guidelines at the time of the event. YFU will continue to assess the situation as it develops.

In India, students will also attend a 4-5 day post-arrival orientation as well as mid-year and re-entry orientations with other YFU students from all over the world.

YFU students are encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities offered by their host schools and communities. Some examples of popular extracurriculars include cricket, musical theater, and athletics.

Year program students may have the option of participating in educational trips and excursions during their stay, at an additional cost.

Cultural Trip: In mid-March, students are invited to participate in a 3-day cultural expedition with other YFU students from around the world. The destination of this trip varies from year to year, but previous expeditions have gone to sites like Himachal, Dehradun, and Shimla. Students will find out more about this optional trip upon arrival in India. The trip has typically included food, transportation, accommodations, and sightseeing.

• 2025 Fall Departure: Students born July 31, 2007 – June 29, 2010.
• Students who do not meet this age requirement or will graduate from high school before the start of their program will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.
• Students looking to participate in a Gap Year program should be prepared to be placed in the 11th grade.

Hindi and English. No previous language study is required. A survival Hindi manual will be provided to students one month before their departure.

Students are typically placed in Northern India.

• Placement in dormitory accommodations
• Airport transfers
• Domestic and international travel
• All pre-departure and post-arrival orientations
• Pre-program support by trained YFU staff
• Support from a YFU India Area Representative while on the program
• Comprehensive insurance

Summer students will participate in an online, mandatory virtual pre-departure orientation in late May/ early June. This orientation is a required part of the program to prepare students for their overseas experience.

• 2025 Summer Departure: Students born July 31, 2007 – June 29, 2010.
• Students who are approximately 2 months outside this age requirement or will graduate from high school before the start of their program are welcome to apply.

Hindi and English. No previous language study is required.

Students are typically placed in Northern India.

Stay with fellow exchange students in the dormitories of a local school campus during the week and get to know India from an insider’s perspective through host family stays during the weekends.

Participants will have the opportunity to try a wide range of activities like yoga, meditation, Hindi or Punjabi language classes, popular local sports like cricket, and Indian cooking classes. There will also be visits to local temples of different religions, museums, and a trip to the Indian border. This program will be based in Punjab, a state in the north of India, and will also offer a 5-day trip to either the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh or to Rajasthan and the iconic Taj Mahal. Click here to view a tentative itinerary.