Host a High School Exchange Student!

Host families are U.S. volunteers who provide a caring home for exchange students while they attend high school for a school year or semester in the United States.

You can choose to host a student for a full academic year (about 10 months) or one semester (about 5 months). Some households host as a one-time experience, while others become “repeat host families” who host every year, every other year, or on occasion.

Families who host exchange students come from various backgrounds and family compositions. If you have a love for global culture and a heart for helping the next generation of global leaders, we’d love to hear from you!

Please complete the contact form below to receive information about available students and view available student profiles!

“We choose to host exchange students to broaden the horizons of our young children. We want them to know that the world is big with many wonderful cultures. Our boys have embraced that. They love looking at the map of the world to point out where our exchange students call home.”
– Kelly L.

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“Being a host family is about being a home away from home. You’re part parent, part cultural ambassador, part mentor. Host families see the discovery of American culture through their students’ eyes, while expanding their own horizons.”       

                                                                         -Haley Riley, CETUSA Host Mom
                                                                          Nebraska, USA

     

About Host Families:

As a host family, you provide a caring home for an exchange student while they attend a semester or school year at your local high school. You will be supported throughout the duration of the program by a CETUSA local coordinator who lives within 60 miles of your address. Additionally, you will have added layers of support through a regional manager, and a team of staff based at CETUSA’s office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Host families provide students with:

  • Meals at home
    *Students can prepare their own meals with provided ingredients.
  • A place to sleep and study
    *Students can share a room with a host sibling within 2 years of the student’s age. Students must their own bed with a frame.
  • Basic transportation
    *Host families should be able to provide transportation for exchange students to participate in school events.
  • Encouragement and support
    *Host families encourage, guide and support their student and care for them as they would their own child.

About CETUSA Exchange Students:

High School exchange students must meet stringent requirements to be accepted by CETUSA’s Admissions Team. All students must be between the ages of 14-18 and have been vetted for English proficiency via a written and spoken exam. Students must have at least a C-average in school and must demonstrate physical, academic, and emotional readiness for an exchange program.

Exchange students receive a minimum of $250 each month from their natural parents. Students pay for their own:

  • Personal expenses
    *Including toiletries, clothing, personal items, etc.
  • School expenses
    *Including school sports, prom, school supplies, fees, etc.
  • Recreation/entertainment
    *Including travel, admissions tickets, dining out
  • Medical expenses
    *All students have their own medical and travel insurance through CETUSA
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inbound HS Rebecca Emery