When you are considering hosting a student, we ask you whether you want a boy or a girl and will share with you pertinent information about students we have identified as good fits for your local school.  Our student applications contain information about the student's hobbies, interests, family life and school performance.  The Community Coordinator will interview your family to find out what your family is like and choose a student who will be a good match for you.

Do we have to have a teenage child of our own to host?

No.  Families with younger children often make good host families because young kids are very open and willing to accept new people.  They are also uncritical conversation partners and give the exchange students great opportunities to practice speaking English.  Exchange student enjoy being able to fill the role of big brother or sister to younger host sibling.

Should we host if we have teenage children of our own?

Of course!  Other teenagers in the family can also be great host siblings.  They can help to show the exchange student the ropes at school, assist in coping with the new school environment, offer assistance with school work.  We encourage the exchange student to build his/her own circle of friends and not depend too much on the host siblings, just as we expect the host siblings to maintain their own established circle of friends without feeling obligated to include the exchange student in everything he/she does.

Does the exchange student have to have a room of his/her own?

Students do not have to have a private room in your home.  It is perfectly OK for them to share a room with a host sibling of the same sex.  The only requirement is that the student have a bed of his/her own and that there is some place in the home where he/she could go for quiet time to study or just rest. 

What will it cost me to host a student?

Naturally there are costs associated with taking another person into your home.  There is another mouth to feed, more hot water being used for showers and laundry, and perhaps some additional costs associated with driving your guest student to activities.  Those are the only expenses that we expect you to absorb. 

What about extra things like meals out, movies, school trips, family outings?

Naturally you and your family will want to continue your routines of eating out or going to the movies from time to time.  We tell our exchange students that giving them a place to live is a generous gift from their host families.  Additional expenses are the responsibility of the student.  If your family decides on a night out, the student expects to pay his/her own way, unless the family offers to pay for him/her.  In those cases where the host family includes the guest student in these outings, our students like to thank their host families by occasionally treating them to a night out.

All expenses associated with school (tuition, lunches, trips, books, uniforms, etc.) are the sole responsibility of the student.  They are informed ahead of time about the kinds and costs of these expenses and are prepared to pay for them. 

We recommend that our students plan on having at least $200 per month to cover these kinds of extra expenses.

Will we receive any kind of payment for hosting a student?

According to the regulations governing exchange student programs in the United States, host families may not be paid for hosting an exchange student.  As noted above, students are responsible for all of their own expenses except room and board in the host family's home.

We don't speak any foreign languages.  How will we communicate?

Remember that our students are here to learn English.  It's fine that your family speaks English.  The more practice they have using the language, the better.

What if our family speaks another language in addition to English?

That's fine, too, as long as everyone speaks English and English is the main language used in the home.

What happens if there are problems?

There is a local iE representative, called a Community Coordinator, who is there to help you through any difficulties that might arise.  This is the person who will conduct the interview with you to help make the best match between your family and a potential student.  This person will also meet with you and other families in your area to prepare you for the year ahead.    iE-USA also maintains a 24-hour emergency number, where you can reach a live person in case something serious happens that needs immediate attention.

Am I legally liable for the student?

iE-USA, as the sponsoring organization, is legally responsible for the student during his/her stay in America. You, as the volunteer host family, are not legally responsible for the student.  In fact, every student has a complete health, accident and liability insurance package that covers him/her during the entire time spent abroad. 

What kinds of responsibilities do we have for the student?

The parents of the host family are responsible for treating the guest student as a normal, regular member of the family.  You have the right to supervise the student's activities in the same way that you exercise control over your own teenage children.  We ask that you enforce family standards and rules fairly and equitably with the student and not treat him/her differently from your own children.  In this way, the student can come to feel like a real member of your family.