Host An Exchange Student

Frequently Asked Questions

Will we receive information about the hosting experience?    Yes!  Your Exchange Program Coordinator (EPC) will visit you in your home to explain the hosting experience and to answer any questions that you may have. He/she will also provide you with a pre-arrival orientation and post-arrival orientation, where you will receive information and materials that provide more details about the intercultural experience of hosting. You’ll also receive a Host Family Packet from the SHARE! National Office, which contains information about insurance coverage, policies, rules and regulations and a SHARE! Host Family Handbook.

What kind of support will we receive?    Your local Exchange Program Coordinator (EPC) has been trained to be sensitive to both the needs of the host family and student.  The EPC will provide pre- and post- arrival orientations, will conduct Monthly Progress Reports, and is always available to answer questions and offer support.  In the event your Exchange Program Coordinator (EPC) is not available, the SHARE! office staff may always be reached by email or phone.  If our office is closed and you have an emergency, our phone system will patch you through to a 24 hour mobile phone carried by staff.

What will our exchange student expect?    The exchange students who participate in the SHARE! High School Exchange Program expect to be treated as a member of your family.  The international students are as diverse as the families who host them.  Some are outgoing and gregarious; others are quiet and shy. Your exchange student will expect you to communicate with him/her about your values, and will also expect you to listen when he/she tells you about the way of life of his/her country.

Will our student abide by the rules of our home?    Yes. Your student is expected to behave as a member of your family and follow all of the rules and expectations of your household. The SHARE! Host Family Handbook contains information about communicating rules and regulations to your exchange student. You should be honest and open about your household rules. Remember, your student is not merely a quest, but a new member of your family! SHARE! also has specific rules that students must follow, a signed copy of which can be found in the students’ applications.

Who pays for our exchange student’s expenses during the program?    All exchange students are required to bring or receive from home $200-$300 per month to cover personal expenses, such as school supplies, clothing, snacks outside of the home and entertainment, etc.  Host families are expected to provide only room and board (meals) for the student.

May our exchange student share a bedroom with one of our children?    Yes.  Many SHARE! families do not have enough bedrooms in their home to accommodate an exchange student with a private bedroom.  We require only that your student share a room with a child of the same gender, be given his or her own bed, space for his or her belongings and a place to study.  Consideration should be given to the fact that your student will be attending high school and will be required to study and do homework.

Will our student have insurance coverage?    Yes.  Your exchange student is covered with medical/accident insurance and carries an insurance card.  Emergency dental treatment is covered for relief of pain or when damage to the teeth is caused by an accident.  You will receive insurance information and claim forms prior to the arrival of your student.

Is the host family the legal guardian or sponsor for the student?    No.  ERDT/SHARE! is the legal sponsor for the student.  As the legal sponsor, ERDT/SHARE! issues the documents necessary for the student to obtain a J1 Exchange Visitor visa to enter the United States and to participate in the SHARE! High School Exchange Program. ERDT/SHARE! remains legally responsible for the student for the duration of the program. The host family does, however, have permission to obtain medical treatment from a licensed physician for the student when necessary, as a medical release signed by the biological parents is included in the student’s application.

Would it be acceptable to invite our exchange student to our place of worship?    Yes. Your exchange student should be invited to attend your place of worship.  If your exchange student is of a different religion, but is interested in attending your church, temple, or synagogue to learn more about this aspect of our culture, they should be welcomed and encouraged.  However, attendance of religious services should not be forced upon the student.  Arrangements should be made to allow the exchange student to attend the church of his/her choice if so desired.

May we bring a teen that we already know to the U.S., to live with us as an exchange student?    Perhaps. This type of placement is called a "self-placement" or "direct placement." The following U.S. State Department regulations apply for self-placements (and all exchange student placements on a J-1 visa):

1. Students may not be hosted by a relative.

2. Students may not be matched with a host family based on their abilities in a certain sport. (Students who excel in a certain sport may not be hosted by that sport's coach).

3. English must be the primary language spoken in the host family's home.

4. Students may not have previously come to the U.S. on a J-1 visa.

5. A local high school (public or private) must agree to enroll the student.

6. Students must be between the age of 15 and 18 1/2 upon arrival.

If you meet these criteria, please contact the SHARE! National Office to find out if SHARE! has an overseas partner in the student's country of origin, and an Exchange Program Coordinator (EPC) who lives near your family.  The host family must pass background checks, reference checks, and a home visit and interview by the Exchange Program Coordinator, prior to the student's flight being booked.

If you do not meet these criteria, please contact us for a referral to an F1 visa program.

About ERDT

What should I know about ERDT and SHARE!?   Educational Resource Development Trust (ERDT) has over twenty years experience promoting cross-cultural exchange. Our SHARE! High School Exchange Program is well-respected in the exchange community (overseas agents, host families and coordinators) specifically for our personal approach to student exchange. We are a medium-sized organization—large enough to provide stability and variety but small enough to maintain a personal touch. Being as selective as we are, we can maintain a family-like atmosphere that extends to our field staff, host families, and exchange students.  Visit our About ERDT page for more info.

How is the participant’s fee put to use? The exchange students pay a fee in their home country that is established by our partner in their home country. The fee covers the many costs and expenses that are necessary for a successful exchange program, including round-trip airfare to the final destination in the U.S. and a student pre-arrival orientation meeting. The overseas office also uses a portion of the fee for promoting the program and for office overhead and administration.

In the United States, ERDT/SHARE! uses approximately 30% of our fee for placement, orientations, and supervision. Another 10% covers health and accident insurance for the entire period of the students’ stay in the United States. Advertising, promotion, and materials are approximately 20% of the fee, with the remaining 40% used to cover office overhead and administration of the program in the United States. ERDT/SHARE! is a nonprofit educational foundation, and as a designated sponsor of high school exchange students is subject to regulations established by the United States Department of State.

*U.S. Department of State regulations prohibit the viewing of photos of prospective exchange students by persons not already vetted as hosts; therefore, photos shown are representative only. Our list of students available to be hosted are updated as often as possible, but may not be accurate in live time.