India

	Quick Facts
	Language Hindi and English. No previous language study of Hindi is required.
	Host Family Placement Throughout the country.
	School School starts in April, with a one-week break in October for Dewali and one-week winter break in December, and ends in early March.
	Trips For the year program, optional culture expedition trips are available for an additional fee.
	Pastimes Local festivals, soccer, movies, and music.

Does your thirst for adventure have you craving something new? Welcome to exotic India, YFU USA’s newest program offering.

Similar in size to Europe and with a population of over one billion, India is almost a continent unto itself. Its vast and varied geography is echoed through its diverse peoples, cultures, languages, religions, festivals, and foods. A rich and complex history adds texture to all that you will see and explore on your journey in India.

The weather here varies as greatly as the landscape - from the snowy Himalayas of the North to the monsoon tropical Southern peninsula and from the dry deserts of the West to the forests of the East.

Festivals and celebrations are at the core of Indian life and whole communities or neighborhoods are often involved in special holidays such as Dewali (November) and Holi (February). Indian weddings are an awesome spectacle of color and music that typically involve a number of celebrations that involve family, friends, and neighbors and may last several weeks.

Academic Programs

13th Year Abroad
An exciting new opportunity for students, the 13th Year Abroad program in India combines a YFU homestay experience with attendance at a secondary school and participation in a community service project. The program includes arrival, mid-year, and re-entry orientations. Optional Culture Expedition trips may be offered for an additional fee.

Secondary school is for students between the ages of 14 and 18 to prepare them for higher education at India's colleges and universities and includes grades 9-12. Students who have graduated from school in the US will be placed in the 11th grade. Courses may include Hindi, English, mathematics, humanities, commerce, computer science, history, social studies, yoga, arts, and physical education and most classes are taught in English. Students will attend school for nine months. Once school ends, YFU India will assign students to a month and a half community service project. Projects may include but are not limited to work in an orphanage, hospital or health organization.

Please note: You should budget an approximate US$920 for school-related expenses including summer and winter school uniforms (approx. US$160 each), text books (approx. US$200), and transportations (approx. US$35 per month).

Learn more about other 13th Year Abroad Programs.

Programs, Departures, and Costs

Programs	Code	Departure	Return	Tuition
Year 13th Year Abroad	0950	mid October	early October	$8995

Online Resources

To learn more about India, we recommend:

E-mail YFU Alumni from the Alumni Referral List with your questions
Visit your local library to find reference books, travel guides and essays, language dictionaries, and many more country resources
Use an internet search engine to find informative web sites
Embassy of India in Washington, DC web site
IncredibleIndia.org Ministry of Tourism official web site
Ptdc.nic.in Punjab region official web site
Hptdc.nic.in Himachal Pradesh region official web site

"I was able to learn a new language, make lots of new friends and have a lifetime's worth of fun."
- Dylan McGuire

All YFU Programs are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.
Last Updated: October 8, 2008