Program Duration

Academic Year: Early September - Late July.

Students begin the year with a pre-session of approximately four weeks. University courses begin in mid-October and last until mid-February. The semesters are broken up by a two-month break, approximately mid-February to mid-April.

Program Description

The Academic Year in Freiburg (AYF) program is offered by a consortium of institutions, including Michigan State University, the University of Iowa, the University of Michigan, and UW-Madison. The program offers students the opportunity to improve their German language skills while taking program classes and regular university courses at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität. Participants can take virtually all university courses offered in the humanities, social sciences, and most other disciplines. Founded in 1457, the university is located in the heart of Freiburg and currently has an enrollment of about 21,000 students.

Freiburg - a town of approximately 220,000 - is located in the Upper Rhine Valley at the foot of the Black Forest in southern Germany. In Freiburg, students can enjoy a variety of cultural activities, including concerts, exhibitions, and theater productions. Freiburg is also a good starting point for exploring the rest of Europe as it is only forty miles from the Swiss border, fourteen miles from the French border, and offers convenient access to Basel and Strasbourg.

For several years, the program has been able to offer scholarships of varying amounts to qualified participants as a result of a grant from the Max Kade Foundation. Pending funding renewal, all consortium students accepted into the program are automatically considered for these scholarships based on need and academic excellence.

Academics

The program begins with a one-month orientation period consisting of an intensive German language course and sessions designed to acclimate students to life in Germany. After the orientation period, students can take courses specifically designed for program participants as well as regular courses at the university. AYF program classes include courses on German language, literature, and linguistics, as well as courses dealing with German and European history and society. The AYF program classes are taught by the Resident Director and local faculty. The program runs from early September to late July, and includes a two-month break from mid-February to mid-April between terms when students are free to travel.

The AYF Program Office is located in a building near the university. A faculty member from one of the participating U.S. universities serves as the Resident Director. The Resident Director and the local Associate Director help students with academic concerns and other aspects of daily life in Germany.

Students are also able to enroll in an optional internship program for the second semester, for an additional fee. Additional information and application materials will be provided upon arrival in Freiburg.

Housing

Students have the opportunity to speak German and develop new friendships living in a single room in the university dormitories along with German, American, and other international students. The dormitories - a short street car, bus, or bike ride from campus - include shared kitchen facilities on each floor, allowing students to prepare their own meals. Students may also choose to dine in any of the university cafeterias, which provide meals at reasonable prices.

Excursions and Activities

Outside of Freiburg, the Black Forest is one of Germany’s most famous and picturesque regions. The combination of valleys, pastures, forests, and mountains have made the area a prime vacation spot for centuries. Students can take advantage of numerous bicycling, hiking, and ski trails in the area. The AYF Program Office and the university organize group events and field trips throughout the year. Past participants have made friends through extracurricular activities such as music groups and athletic teams.