AIFS has been changing the world since 1964. Learn why 55,000 people every year choose AIFS.

The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) was founded in 1964 by the late Sir Cyril Taylor, GBE. Whilst working at Procter & Gamble, Sir Cyril met and later married, French Language teacher, Judy Denman. It was when he helped Judy organise an educational trip for her pupils to France, that AIFS was founded.

From this first group AIFS has grown into one of the world's leading providers of cultural exchange and educational opportunities with a range of opportunities including Camp America, Au Pair in America and AIFS Study Abroad. AIFS currently has 15 global offices including USA, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia and works with agents in over 88 different countries. More than 55,000 participants participate on an AIFS program every year.

AIFS first set up its programs in Australia in 1972 and opened its Sydney centre in 2005. This centre serves as the hub for its inbound and outbound programs including Work & Travel, Au Pair, Study Abroad, High School, Volunteer and Internships as well as offering tailored language and travel packages.

Why Choose AIFS?

The opportunity and need for enhanced global understanding is greater now than ever. As the world reopens, AIFS cultural exchange programs encourage young people from all over the world to better understand and embrace each other’s qualities, their similarities and their differences. Participants will learn vital language skills, become more culturally aware, will meet new people, explore new places with the opportunity to add an international dimension to their CV.

In fact, our strength lies in providing AIFS programs with an educational edge that help you succeed in a highly competitive, diverse and interdependent world.

Our Staff

Our staff are experienced and have worked and travel across the world in countless destinations with most having been on one of AIFS cultural exchange programs. This allows us to give you the highest quality customer service as we know exactly what it feels like and can provide supportive and advice for all those on our programs.

Our Goals and Aims

Our goal is to provide the best cultural exchange experience for you! Whether it's your local interviewer, our head offices or your community counsellor, we're all on hand to support you throughout your stay in Australia.

Our mission is to:

• Bring the world together
• To provide the highest quality educational and cultural exchange programs
• To enrich the lives of people throughout the world
• Excellence in programs, operations and people
• Exceptional caring support for our program participants
• Honest, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment of program participants, partners, and employees
• Innovation
• Teamwork and collaboration both within the organization and with partners
• Encouragement of employee initiative and professional development
• Responsible financial stewardship
• Support of multi-cultural values