About AIFS

The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) was founded in 1964 by Sir Cyril Taylor, GBE. Whilst working at Procter & Gamble, Cyril Taylor met and later married, French Language teacher, Judy Denman. It was when he helped Judy Denman organise an educational trip for her pupils to France, that he came up with the idea of AIFS. Sir Cyril Taylor is the Chairman at AIFS, which is now a leading provider of cultural exchange and educational opportunities for more than 2 million people. AIFS currently has 15 global offices such as USA, Germany, Poland, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia and works with agents in over 88 different countries providing unforgettable cultural exchange programmes for more than 50,000 participants each year.

AIFS established the Au Pair in Australia programme, allowing young people the opportunity to experience the real Australia by living with an Australian host family, providing childcare, and learning about Australian culture. Although, you may have heard about some of AIFS other programmes such as Au Pair in America, College Study Abroad, Camp America, gifted education and high school study/travel, global projects, AIFS travel and AIFS Au Pair.

Why Choose AIFS?

The opportunity and need for enhanced global understanding is greater now than ever. 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 programmes. 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 programmes.

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

An Industry Leader

AIFS is an active member of the International Au Pair Association (IAPA), a founding member of the Cultural Au Pair Association of Australia (CAPAA) and a member of ATEC - Australian Tourism Export Council, BOA and WYSE. AIFS' Managing Director, Wendi Aylward has served as the President of CAPAA for the last 5 years and is a sitting member on the Australian youth industry advisory panel, BYTAP.