Help for Families Wanting to Host a Foreign Exchange Student 
 
Take these steps prior to hosting an exchange student:
 
April 20, 2006 -- Hosting a foreign exchange student!  You are patriotic and think it might be a good idea to introduce an exchange student to the American way of life. You are undecided.  Do it!  But here's what you need to know before
making such a huge commitment to protect yourself and your family.

Plan several months in advance and be sure your entire family is prepared to accept a student. Communicate with the student's family before he/she leaves their home country. This will give you an idea of how well the student speaks English.

A student who cannot speak sufficient English to handle our high school curriculum will be miserable.  Better the young person waits another year and masters English better.  Foreign parents pay $2,500 to $16,000 for their child to participate.

Understand that all adults in your household will have to undergo criminal background checks for the protection of the student.  Placing someone's child into a private home necessitates this important child protection measure.

Never accept a student at the last minute. This may indicate a sloppy agency that has failed to comply with federal regulations.

Contact your local high school to ensure placement is available.  Many high schools have predetermined slots for foreign exchange students.  Find out if the exchange organization has a good working relationship with the school administrators and the community.  You don't want to be left hanging if there is a problem and the organization's representative disappears or is unresponsive.

Ask for the emergency procedures and telephone number from the student's exchange organization.  Call the telephone number.  The response will tell you what to expect from this organization if you have an emergency.  Local law enforcement should be contacted if there is a crime committed against your student.  Make certain you have the telephone number for the U.S. Department of State.  This is the federal agency that is responsible for monitoring the exchange organizations.

All J-1 visa programs are regulated by the State Department's Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation.

Plan to provide food, shelter and guidance to a teenager for the school year. This is your responsibility as a host parent and you should not expect reimbursement for these expenses.  The exchange community estimates that host families provide $7,000 to $13,000 in services to host an exchange student. Yes, it is expensive.  Are you financially prepared to accept this responsibility?

Don't overlook issues such as accepting a student who smokes or is allergic to pets.  Some people prey on foreign exchange students expecting free babysitters or financial contributions for household expenses.  Watch out for exchange organizations that are just trying to dump these teenagers into any home with cursory screenings.

If the organization doesn't have time to ensure a safe and adequate home, it won't have time to help you if a problem should arise.

Accept a young person for the right reasons by providing a clean, warm home and wanting to share our culture. So what will you get in return?  A student who is sure to become a member of your family.  Young people who return
to their own countries with fond memories that strengthen ties between our countries - reinforcing that Americans are good people.  A bottle of glogg from Denmark, a tin of homemade cookies from Germany, a boomerang from
Australia, a delicious recipe for papaya salad from Thailand and heartfelt letters of appreciation for years to come.

Is that enough?  You bet!  For more information about Foreign Student Exchange view www.csfes.org, the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students.