“School had a very important role for my year in the USA. My favorite things I will remember forever are all the choir concerts, the musical, winter play and senior play, our art club meetings and the art field trip!”

— YES program student from Bulgaria (Hosted in Wisconsin)

American Councils for International Education is seeking host families, schools, and supporters for high school exchange students from over 60 countries on merit-based exchange programs. Hosting an exchange student or sharing this opportunity with others brings cross-cultural enrichment and language-exchange opportunities to your school and community.

Interested in becoming involved?

  1. Consider hosting! Host families come in all shapes and sizes, from single adults to young families to empty nesters. Visit our page “Why Host” for more information.  While there, you can learn more about students who will arrive in the fall!

  2. Consider becoming a Local Coordinator! Some of our Local Coordinators are educators who enjoy bringing international exchange directly to their schools and communities. Local Coordinators support exchange students and host families while fostering cross-cultural connections—an extension of the learning that happens in the classroom. This role is a great way to enrich your school environment while helping students and families thrive during their exchange year. Check out our LC Corner to learn more!

  3. Share information! If hosting is not right for you at this time, consider sharing the opportunity with others. As a teaching professional, consider the rich perspective that an exchange student could bring to your school or community. Refer a host family here or contact inbound@americancouncils.org for flyers, presentations, other resources or questions.

  4. Connect with Us! Learn more about supporting international exchange students by visiting FAQs about hosting. We encourage you to share this and other resources with any interested possible host families. We are also active in sharing our students’ experiences on social media— please see our Facebook page and our Instagram!