Hosting an Exchange Student

Hosting an International Exchange Student

2024-25 International Exchange Students from France, Germany, Italy, and ChinaHosting an international exchange student is a rewarding experience that offers a multitude of benefits for both the student and the host family. It’s an opportunity to foster cultural exchange, build lifelong friendships, and enrich our community and Platte County School District.

Exchange Benefits

Cultural Exchange

  • Broaden Perspectives: Hosting an exchange student allows your family to learn about different cultures, traditions, and customs firsthand. This exchange fosters understanding and appreciation of diversity.
  • Culinary Experiences: Enjoy new foods and recipes as your exchange student shares their culinary heritage. Family meals can become a delightful fusion of cultures.

Language Skills

  • Language Practice: If you or your family members are learning a new language, having an exchange student can enhance language skills through daily conversations and interactions.
  • Cultural Nuances: Gain insights into the language’s subtleties, slang, and idioms, making learning more practical and immersive.

Personal Growth

  • Empathy and Open-Mindedness: Engaging with someone from a different background cultivates empathy, adaptability, and a broader worldview in both students and host families.
  • Life Skills for Students: Exchange students gain independence, responsibility, and problem-solving skills, enriching their personal development.

Lifelong Friendships

  • Global Connections: Building a bond with an exchange student can lead to lifelong friendships that transcend geographical boundaries, providing a network of connections around the world.
  • Return Visits: Many families and exchange students maintain contact and often visit each other in the future, creating lasting memories.

Community Involvement

  • Increased Community Awareness: Hosting an exchange student can encourage your family to engage more with your community, participating in local events and activities together.
  • Support Networks: Exchange students often participate in community service, allowing your family to connect with others who share similar values.

Enhanced Family Dynamics

  • Shared Experiences: The process of hosting fosters teamwork and collaboration as your family learns to navigate cultural differences and share experiences.
  • Strengthened Bonds: Overcoming challenges together can strengthen family relationships, creating a more cohesive unit.

How to Get Started

  • Research Programs: Look for reputable international exchange programs that align with your family’s interests and values.
  • Prepare Your Home: Create a welcoming environment that includes a private space for the student and family activities that encourage interaction.
  • Set Expectations: Openly discuss house rules, cultural differences, and what your family hopes to gain from the experience.

Hosting an international exchange student is a unique opportunity to engage with the world and foster mutual understanding. The experience not only enriches your life but also contributes positively to the broader community by promoting cultural appreciation and our Portrait of Graduate attribute of global citizenship. 

Foreign exchange students living within the boundaries of the school district who have obtained a J-1 visa and who are sponsored by an organization listed on the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) Advisory List will be allowed to enroll in the district without paying tuition. Compliance with district policies and procedures is required before the district will enroll a foreign exchange student.

A foreign exchange student is defined as a foreign national having a residence in a foreign country who has been granted a J-1 visa for temporary admission to the United States for the purpose of participating in an educational exchange program.

District Requirements and Board Policy

Foreign exchange students living within the boundaries of the school district who have obtained a J-1 visa and who are sponsored by an organization listed on the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) Advisory List will be allowed to enroll in the district without paying tuition. Compliance with district policies and procedures is required before the district will enroll a foreign exchange student.

Please refer to administrative procedure JECA-1-AP(1) for District requirements for consideration and for filling an application to host an international exchange student. 

Exchange students must file their registration at the high school principal's office no later than July 1 prior to the start of the school year for which they are applying and no later than November 1 if applying for the second semester.

Contact Information

For more information about hosting an International Student, please contact Ms. Glenda Hudson, Executive Administrative Assistant to Teaching & Learning  or Dr. Aaron Duff, Director of Secondary Education.