Can Young Families Host an Exchange Student? 

Hosting a high school exchange student allows you to bring a young person into your life, welcome them to America and your community, and discover a new cultural perspective. It’s one of those rare experiences that is uniquely infused with profound benefits you can’t get in any other way. Young people and young families who are interested in hosting may wonder, “Can young families host an exchange student?” Read on to learn about hosting opportunities for both young families and young single people! 

Can young families and young people host exchange students? 

Yes, young families can host high school exchange students. The same goes for young singles and young couples—as long as you meet the minimum age of 25 years and any other requirements, you should be eligible to host. 

Benefits of hosting exchange students for young families 

There are unique advantages young families gain when they choose to host an exchange student—cultural immersion, a broader global perspective, lifelong relationships, and the impact of improving a young person’s life, among many others. Young people can enjoy all the traditional benefits of hosting an exchange student, in addition to the following: 

• Increase cultural understanding and curiosity: Hosting a high school exchange student is a great way to get your young children interested and exposed to new cultures at a young age. Doing so will help them develop a global understanding and interest in other countries. As host parents Chris and Shelby explain, “It was such a great fit for our family because our kids got to learn about a different culture from such a young age.” 
• Role model for younger children: AYA high school exchange students are fully vetted young people between the ages of 15 and 18. AYA only accepts students who demonstrate maturity and enthusiasm for this special experience. In other words, our exchange students are good kids who make excellent role models for younger children. 
• Young/future parents learn about older children: For young couples who have small children or are planning on having children, hosting an exchange student is a great way to learn about older kids and prepare for the experience of having your own teenager. 
• Lifelong connections around the world: Hosting a foreign exchange student allows young families to build a lifelong relationship with a person from another country. Young children who have this experience will gain a “big brother” or “big sister” across the world, allowing you to build a global family. Plus, after your exchange student returns home, you’ll have a new pin on the map and a friendly face waiting for you abroad! 

If you’re a young single person or a young couple who doesn’t have or want to have kids of your own, hosting a high school exchange student is a great opportunity to impact a teenager’s life and enjoy some of the benefits of hosting a child in your home, without actually having a child. Plus, for those on the fence about raising children of their own, hosting is an excellent and temporary way to help inform that decision. 

Requirements for young people to host foreign exchange students 

Hosting an exchange student in your 20s or 30s is possible, as long as you are 25 years or older. In addition to this age minimum, other requirements for young people to host foreign exchange students include: 

• Live within the Local Coordinator’s service area 
• Able to provide an exchange student with daily meals (breakfast and dinner), their own bed, and board 
• Provide transportation to and from school if no school buses are available 

Who can host high school exchange students? 

Host families come in all shapes and sizes: senior citizens, retirees, single individuals, as well as young people and families. If you’re interested in hosting an exchange student and you meet the requirements, we encourage you to learn more. 

Host a high school exchange student with AYA 

Academic Year in America (AYA) is a non-profit organization that connects enthusiastic international high school students with host families ready to welcome them into their hearts and homes. In addition to matching exchange students with host families, AYA offers valuable 24/7 support from professionals at our national office and our on-the-ground Local Coordinators, who are ready to assist you throughout your entire hosting experience. 

If you’re a young person or young family interested in hosting a high school exchange student, AYA is ready to help!