Host a Foreign Exchange Student

Open your home to an exchange student

Welcome a student from another country into your family’s real life in the U.S.

Get started

Hosting starts with real life

Exchange students come to the U.S. to live inside a real home, attend a real school, and become part of a real community. That experience often begins with the ordinary things your family already does.

Dinner after a busy day
Rides to school, practice, or activities
Homework at the kitchen table
Grocery runs, pets, chores, and weekend plans
Local games, concerts, holidays, and family traditions

To your family, it may feel normal. To a student experiencing it for the first time, it can become the heart of the year.

Hosting starts with real life

Exchange students come to the U.S. to live inside a real home, attend a real school, and become part of a real community. That experience often begins with the ordinary things your family already does.

Dinner after a busy day
Rides to school, practice, or activities
Homework at the kitchen table
Grocery runs, pets, chores, and weekend plans
Local games, concerts, holidays, and family traditions

To your family, it may feel normal. To a student experiencing it for the first time, it can become the heart of the year.

You don’t need to be the perfect family

Many families wonder the same things before they host: 

Are we too busy?
Is our home the right fit?
Would we know what to do?
What if we’re not the “typical” host family?

Those are fair questions. Hosting is a real commitment, but it doesn’t require a perfect home, a wide-open schedule, or a family that has everything figured out. It starts with a willingness to include a student in the life you already live, with EF guidance and support behind you.

Why families choose to host

For your family
Hosting can help your family see your own community through fresh eyes. It gives you a personal way to share everyday traditions, build a relationship across cultures, and make a meaningful impact close to home.

For your kids
Your kids don’t just learn about the world. They live with someone from it. A host sibling may hear another language at home, try a new tradition, compare school routines, or build a friendship that makes the world feel closer.

Why families choose to host

For your family
Hosting can help your family see your own community through fresh eyes. It gives you a personal way to share everyday traditions, build a relationship across cultures, and make a meaningful impact close to home.

For your kids
Your kids don’t just learn about the world. They live with someone from it. A host sibling may hear another language at home, try a new tradition, compare school routines, or build a friendship that makes the world feel closer.

You don’t have to figure it out alone

From your first questions to the student’s time in your home, EF helps you understand what to expect. You’ll have a process to follow, people to talk to, and guidance as your family gets ready to host.

You learn what’s involved

Connect with a member of our team who will help you understand the hosting experience and what everyday life with an exchange student can look like.

You share more about your family

Tell us about your household, routines, and community. Those details help guide the process and give EF a clearer picture of what may work well in your home.

EF helps with placement

EF works with families and students through the placement process so the experience starts with more context and clarity.

Your student joins the routine

They attend school, take part in family life, and join the ordinary moments that help the U.S. feel real.

You have support along the way

Questions can come up. Adjustment takes time. EF provides guidance and support so families don’t have to figure it out alone.

Learn what hosting involves with guidance from a member of our local support team.

Tell us about your family and routines so we can understand what may fit best.

EF guides the placement process to help find a student who fits your family well.

Welcome your student into everyday family life, sharing school days and daily routines.

Count on EF for support whenever questions or challenges come up during hosting.

Let’s talk about hosting

Have questions? We're here to help. Speak with an experienced member of our hosting team who can walk you through the process, answer your questions, and help you decide whether hosting is right for you.