Hosting 101
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Why host an AFS Exchange Student?
- Enrich your daily life
- Introduce your family to other cultures
- Share your part of the US with your student
- See the US through new eyes
- Develop a lifelong connection with your student and his or her family
- Help a student grow into a more confident and knowledgeable individual
The Family
The AFS Host Family profile: AFS is open to all kinds of families:
- two-parent households with young children, teenagers and/or grown children
- single parent families
- couples or single people who don’t have children
- same-sex couples
What does the host family provide?
- Provide meals
- The student must have their own bed but can share a room with a same-gender sibling.
- Transportation to and from school
- Most importantly, include your student in family activities and provide the same care, support and comfort as you would for your own child.
What happens if problems arise?
Our volunteers are experienced in placing students with families and we provide extensive support throughout the year. AFS also provides intercultural training to both the family and the student to help with communication. However if the placement does not work out satisfactorily, AFS assumes responsibility to move the student to another family. The student and family have a liaison, who they meet with seperately (once a month at a minimium) to discuss any concerns that might arise.
The Students
Background
- AFS students come from more than 50 countries and from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- All students are between 15 and 18 years old, are attending high school in the US, have maintained good grades and are seen as role models in their home schools and communities.
- They have demonstrated an interest in other cultures, completed an extensive application and interview process and many have raised at least a portion of their own expenses.
Language: AFS participants have some level of English proficiency. Like American AFSers who study abroad, AFSers hosted in the US have a strong desire to improve their language proficiency.
Medical Coverage: Each AFS student has secondary medical coverage so that, in an emergency, the student can be treated as soon as possible. There is also a 24-hour support phone number in case of any emergency.
Spending Money: The student brings his or her own money, based on AFS’s suggestion of $140 per month.
School: Students are required to attend school while they are here. Department of State school requirements: Introduction: This section governs Department of State designated exchange visitor programs under which foreign national secondary school students are afforded the opportunity for up to one year of study in a United States accredited public or private secondary school, while living with an American host family or residing at an accredited U.S. boarding school. Program eligibility: Secondary school student exchange visitor programs designated by the Department of State must: Require all participants to be enrolled and participating in a full course of study at an accredited educational institution;
The rules: AFS has three primary rules. If students break any of them, they will be sent home:
- No illegal drugs.
- No driving.
- No hitchhiking.
Hosting with AFS
What does AFS provide the host family? AFS provides experienced staff and volunteer support prior to arrival and continuing though your student’ return, including
- Informational interview in your home
- Orientations throughout the year
- Each family and student is assigned a liaison as the first line of communication
- Experienced staff in the regional offices provide additional support.
- AFS staff and volunteers arrange the student’s school enrollment.
AFS host families are volunteers and are NOT reimbursed. Families are entitled to a $50 tax deduction each month the student lives in your home.
How long is the hosting experience?
- Year program students stay for 11 months, arriving in Aug and departing in June.
- Semester program student stay for 6 months, arriving in Jan and departing in June.
- Welcome families (6-8 weeks)
AFS enlists Welcome Families to host students at the beginning of the student’s stay as year placement families are on vacation in August, or AFS is finalizing the year placement for the student.
If I’m not able to host a student this year, are there other opportunities to be involved with AFS?
1) Student and Family Liaison: Approximately 5,000 individuals nation-wide volunteer their time and energy as AFS liaisons who provide support to host families and their hosted students. These hard-working liaisons
- will guide your family through the application process
- will review student applications to help your family find the best possible match
- will contact the family, school, and student monthly to find out how everyone is doing and be helpful as needed
- will keep the family informed about local AFS sponsored events and any AFS information that may effect the family or student
- and will be available to provide support as needed when unexpected situations arise
2) Aunt and Uncle Family: AFS Aunt and Uncle Families are auxiliary to the host family and can involve the student in their lives, for instance, by inviting the student to a movie or a family dinner, or taking them on a week end outing .
3) Welcome families (6-8 weeks): AFS enlists Welcome Families to host students short-term upon their arrival when a student’s year placement family is on vacation in August, or when AFS is finalizing the year placement for a student.
FORM A in the AFS Lead Management System (LMS): The Host Family Interest Questionnaire, (Form A) is your first best step toward beginning the process of welcoming a foreign student into your home. This form gives AFS a general idea of your family and some of your basic criteria for a host student. This is a very simple form which should only take a few minutes to complete. Once you have done so, you can expect to be contacted by a local AFS volunteer who will personally assist you with the process of becoming an AFS host family. You may complete this form on-line at the following web page: http://www.afsusaweb.org/vforma/formainput.aspx
Hosting Statistics
- How many students are being hosted this year?
AFS-USA hosts approximately 2800 students every year (~2550 for '08) - How many countries does AFS host from?
AFS hosts participants from over 50 countries - When do students arrive?
NH participants come in mid-August; SH participants in mid-January - When do students return home?
Students will depart the end of June
