We remain committed to welcoming students from the Class of 2021 this summer and are actively recruiting new and excited host families across the US. It is likely that our overall student participant numbers will come down from where we expected to be due to the effects of COVID-19 here and abroad.

At this time, we are not adjusting our screening process for host families interested in hosting a student for the upcoming program year. Prior to finalizing any student placements, host families must be fully-screened and a signed high school enrollment must be submitted to our Compliance team. We are not accepting virtual interviews or video tours of the home in place of in-home visits, as that is not in line with our program regulations. We recognize that this will likely cause a delay in the finalization of placements, however, we must first consider the federal and local restrictions to essential movement and social gatherings.

We encourage International Exchange Coordinators (IECs) to have thorough conversations with any host family applicant, including topics that may typically be reserved for the in-home interview, such as discussing expectations for their student, attitudes of all family members towards hosting, and covering the financial obligations of host families. Additionally, our Compliance team will be working closely to ensure all other screening materials are submitted and reviewed in a timely manner.

All students must be able to pass any government required screening in their home country and upon arrival to the United States. If there are additional restrictions or requirements in their home country, they are expected to comply. EF will continue to carefully monitor developments with COVID-19.

As we approach student travel dates, EF will require all exchange students and host families to confirm that they have not experienced any flu-like symptoms and have not knowingly come into contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

All program participants are expected to inform EF of COVID-19 exposure, illness or any other circumstances that may impact travel dates or program participation. We encourage all program participants to have an open and honest conversation about their health up to the arrival date and continue to refer to resources, such as the World Health Organization, as well as travel advisories in their local countries.

We have made the decision to transition our in-person preparation programs to an online platform.

EF Camp and Welcome Days are typically held in the New York area in the summer before students fly to their host families. These orientation programs help students adjust to life in America by reviewing what to expect throughout their exchange. EF staff and student ambassadors help incoming students by sharing best practices for making friends, creating a positive relationship with their host family and sharing their culture within their community. They also talk about common struggles students may face like feeling homesick, managing money for the first time and dealing with culture shock.

The benefits both programs bring for our students are outweighed this year by the fact that this all occurs in large groups. It has been a difficult decision, but we have decided that EF Camp and Welcome Days will not run this summer. While the in-person aspect will be missing, we want to ensure that the class of 2021 is setup for success and just as well prepared as those who have previously attended these programs on campus.

We will provide a robust online training program for our students to ensure that they are well prepared for their exchange year. This will also be in combination with live webchats hosted by staff and ambassadors.