For some, the process of becoming a host family to a high school exchange student is a bit foreign — a lot of people haven’t done it before! If you find yourself interested in the opportunity but aren’t sure where to start, you’re in luck. We’ve made it easy to become a host family with these simple steps!
Here’s how you can host a high school exchange student, particularly with AYA.
1. Start with an Open Mind and Big Heart
What does a host family look like? Host families come in all shapes and sizes, but at their core, they’re made up of people who are interested in other countries and cultures. They want to better the world through understanding and exchange, and are excited to share their own community with someone new. They hope this bridge will lead to a lifelong friendship with someone across the world. If this sounds like you, you’re on the right track!
2. Registration
Time to officially get started on your host family journey! The first step is to register and create an AYA account. Once you do that, you’ll be able to log in and browse student profiles at any time. You can look for students from specific countries, with similar interests to you, or even match up by gender. Just remember, you’ll need to complete your host family application (the next step!) and pass a criminal background check to view photos of the students.
3. Complete Your Online Application
Once you’ve registered and have started browsing student profiles, it’s time to begin your host family application. Log into your AYA account to access the application.
In the application, you’ll be asked to submit or complete things like:
- Information about your household members, your interests, and the rules of your house
- Family Album section where you can show pictures of your home and family for your future exchange student to see
- At least two references from people outside your family
- Criminal background check for all household members 18 years or older
Interview with Local Coordinator
After you’ve completed your online application, you’ll get paired up with an AYA Local Coordinator. This person lives in your area and is your go-to throughout the program.
Your Local Coordinator will schedule a convenient time to meet you and all members of your household, checking out where you’d plan to have your exchange student sleep, study, and hang out. Plus, they’ll go into more detail about what being a host family involves and clear up any questions you have. They’ll also make sure everyone in your family is on board with hosting.
Your Local Coordinator will contact the references you provided in your application to ensure your home is a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for your student.
Select Your Student
By now, it’s possible that you’ve already found the student you’d like to host from our database! If not, your Local Coordinator can suggest some profiles that fit. And hey, if you need a hand, the AYA office staff is always here to help you pick your student or sort out any questions!
Once your Host Family Application, background check, interview with the Local Coordinator, and references get the green light from the AYA national office, you’re good to go. You’ll finalize your student selection in your AYA account. Then, your Local Coordinator will help your student get enrolled in a high school nearby. Once they’re enrolled, it’s official! You and your exchange student can start swapping texts, emails, or whatever works for you.
Now that the application process to host a high school exchange student is no longer foreign to you, it’s time to get started!
Here at Academic Year in America, we place high school exchange students from over 50 countries with host families across the United States. Whether you want to host for a full academic year, a semester, or for a few short weeks to help a student transition into life in the United States, there’s no time like the present to give your family and community the world.
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