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Becoming An Exchange Student To The United States
Pacific Intercultural Exchange-USA offers three
academic homestay programs to foreign students
traveling to the United States. Applicants may
choose the Academic Year program which begins
in August/September and concludes the following
June. Or applicants may choose to spend five months
in the U.S. on the Academic Semester program.
Two semester programs are available. The first
begins in August/September and concludes at the
end of the school's first semester. The second
program begins in January and concludes at the
end of the school's second semester. Participants
in these programs will stay with American host
families and attend local public high schools
(a private high school option is also available).
In addition to these options, P.I.E.-USA can individually arrange boarding school
programs at a variety of fine institutions located throughout the United States.
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Students interested in applying for homestay programs in the United States
should submit their applications by the following deadlines:
| Program |
Deadline |
| Academic Year/First Semester |
April 1 |
| Academic Second Semester |
September 1 |
 Applications submitted after these dates will be considered on a space-available
basis.
In order to be considered for the program, applicants must be between the
ages of 15 and 18 years, 6 months of age, or have not finished more than 11
years of primary and secondary study (exclusive of kindergarten). A standardized
application must be filled out and submitted to the program (a preliminary application
that can be completed and transmitted via e-mail is contained within this website).
Once P.I.E.-USA receives this document, the program will check to see if it
has an agent in your home country. If so, the information you submitted will
be forwarded to that agent and the agent will contact you directly. If P.I.E.
has no agent in your country, an application packet will be sent to you which
will include forms for school transcripts; medical and immunization records;
student and parent letters to potential host families; an interview and English
rating; a teacher recommendation; essay questions; and a photo album. These
documents, along with 6 passport-size photos, will need to be returned to complete
the process. Once received by P.I.E.-USA, the complete packet will be reviewed
and the student will be notified of his status.
In considering an applicant, P.I.E.-USA looks for a student who has combined
a strong academic record with involvement in hobbies, sports and other extracurricular
activities. Experience has shown that this balanced background strongly influences
a student's sense of responsibility and ability to adapt, both necessary components
in a successful exchange.
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P.I.E.-USA will provide the screening, selection and preparation of an appropriate
host family for each accepted applicant. A host family, by definition, may be
composed of a single parent with children (pre-teenage or teenage), a couple
without children, or a couple with children (pre-teenage or teenage). Host families
may be drawn from a wide range of age, socio-economic, ethnic and religious
backgrounds. Host homes may be apartments, condominiums, prefabricated homes
(modular homes, factory-constructed and assembled on-site), or single-family
dwellings. Placement environments may be urban, suburban, small-town or rural.
Students may be expected to share rooms with host brothers or sisters of the
same sex. While P.I.E.-USA asks for preferences regarding some of these items
on the student application form, no guarantee is expressed or implied, and an
applicant must be prepared to accept placement in any of the above environments.
P.I.E.-USA will provide full accident and medical insurance coverage for each
student which meets or exceeds the standards established by the United States
Department of State.
P.I.E.-USA will supply airport assistance at the international gateway upon
arrival in the United States provided the student travels on the dates specified
by P.I.E.-USA. P.I.E.-USA will ensure that the host family and/or a program
representative meets the student at the final U.S. airport.
P.I.E.-USA will provide each student with a designated program representative
to assist him during the course of the exchange. This representative will speak
with the student on a regular basis to track the progress of the exchange and
to provide support.
Finally, P.I.E.-USA will provide each student with toll-free phone access
to its full-time professional staff for assistance in areas such as travel,
counseling and academics.
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"How do you find the host families?"
Many of our host families are referred to us by other families who
have had a positive hosting experience. Some families are referred by schools,
still other families read about our program in the local newspaper or hear
about it on the radio.
"How much are the families paid to host exchange students?"
While families that host for P.I.E.-USA are permitted to take a charitable
contribution deduction on their income tax returns of $ 50.00 per month for
hosting, they receive no payment from our program.
"If families aren't paid, why do they host?"
The reasons for hosting are as varied as are the types of students that participate
in an exchange program. Recognizing that exchange participants are generally
strong in academics, some families hope that their own children will learn
good study habits from the exchange students. Some couples without children
are interested in sharing their lives with a teenager from another country.
Some couples whose children are now grown miss having teens around the house.
For many families, the possibility of traveling to another country is distant.
They look at the hosting experience as an opportunity to expose their family
to another culture without having to leave home.
"How soon after I apply will I learn the name of my host family?"
The program makes every effort to locate suitable host families as quickly
as possible for each applicant. However, P.I.E.-USA feels it is important
to work toward the best match possible from the beginning to give the placement
the greatest chance for success. You may receive your host family quickly,
or it may come shortly before departure. The best answer for this question
is that you will receive your family as soon as the best match is found.
What does the fee I pay cover?"
The portion of your fee that P.I.E. receives will cover your insurance; your
placement in a host family and a high school; program support during your
stay; and airport assistance upon arrival (if you travel on the dates selected
by P.I.E.-USA). If you apply through an agent in your country, they will provide
you with a package price that will include additional services. (For a breakdown
of the student fee distribution, return to About
P.I.E.-USA on the first page and click on How P.I.E.-USA's
Dollars Are Spent)
"What happens if I get hurt or become ill during the program?"
The insurance provided to you by P.I.E.-USA will enable you to be treated
by any doctor or hospital in the United States. Occasionally, the caregiver
may require initial payment for his services. In that case, those costs will
be reimbursed to you, under the terms of your medical coverage, directly by
the insurer. For more information on coverage and exclusions, please refer
to the insurance brochure which will be included in your information packet.
"Can I choose where I would like to live in the U.S.?"
While P.I.E.-USA cannot guarantee a placement in any particular region of
the United States, the earlier your application is received by the program,
the better your chances are of having your request considered. P.I.E.-USA
tries to maintain an even representation of nationalities and an even distribution
of males and females across the country. Later applicants are distributed
to balance out the mix of students.
"Can I change families if I don't like my family or my community?"
P.I.E.-USA has an extensive support network to help students and families
resolve problems. If a resolution cannot be found, a student may be moved
from a family.
"How many times can I move?"
There is no set number of times a student can be moved. Our objective
is to keep student moves to a minimum. Our counseling staff, in cooperation
with the local representatives, will work with each student to overcome any
challenges.
"Some
friends I know had problems when they were exchange
students. How can I be sure I won't?"
You will be spending 10 months in another
country, speaking a different language, and
making new friends. Anyone who tells you that
this experience will be problem-free is not
telling you the truth. In addition to meeting
these challenges, you will be living as a member
of another family, not as a guest. You will
experience the good times as well as the bad
with this family. There may be births, deaths,
divorces, family arguments, etc. This is all
part of the experience. Our staff will provide
support and assistance to help you through any
difficult times.
"Can I come home at Christmas?"
No. Students are not allowed to return to their home countries for
visits during the exchange.
"Can
my relatives or friends visit me while I am
on the exchange?"
No. Relatives or friends can only visit at the end of the program.
"How good must my English be in order to participate?"
The stronger your English, the easier your adjustment will be. Your English
must be good enough to actively participate in a regular American high school
program. No special consideration will be made by the high school for the
fact that you don't speak English as your native language.
"I've already visited the U.S. on another program; can I come
back through P.I.E.- USA?"
As long as you have not previously been enrolled in an American
high school, then yes, you can come back through P.I.E.-USA. P.I.E.-USA is
not able to bring students back into the United States that have previously
studied in an American high school.
"Can I have my own room?"
Participants must be prepared to share a bedroom with a host brother
or sister of the same sex. Many students are given their own rooms, but you
should not expect that this will happen to you.
"What expenses will I have on program and how much spending
money do you think I will need?"
Your host family will be prepared to cover all expenses inside their
home. This means you should be prepared to pay for any expenses outside of
the home. These expenses may include meals in restaurants, movies, clothing,
bath products, school lunches (if you choose to buy your lunch at school instead
of packing and taking your lunch from home), bus transportation to school
(if you choose to take the bus instead of walking or riding a bike). Each
host family is different. Some families pay for meals in restaurants; others
do not. It is better for you to be prepared to pay for the things mentioned
above and then be pleasantly surprised if your family offers to take care
of the cost. To be on the safe side, we recommend that students plan to spend
between $ 200.00 to $ 250.00 per month while on program.
"What are American high schools like?"
While the sizes of American high schools vary depending on the communities
where they are located, there are several other significant differences that
can be found between most U.S. schools and their overseas counterparts. In
most U.S. high schools, you will find: opportunities to participate in clubs
and sports on-campus; students change rooms between classes, teachers do not;
a wider variety of enrichment classes such as home economics, wood shop, photography,
etc.; a less formal relationship between the teacher and the students.
"Can I graduate and receive a diploma?"
While many students are able to graduate while on program in the
United States, it is not within P.I.E.-USA's control to determine who will
and will not be able to receive a diploma. This determination is made by each
individual school. Students must meet the age and course-hour requirements
established by the appropriate Board of Education, as well as any individual
requirements the school may have which pertain to exchange students. Individuals
who must receive a diploma and/or graduate while in the United
States should not participate in the exchange program as this cannot
be guaranteed.
"Will I be allowed to drive while on program?"
Students may participate in Driver's Education courses and may apply
for and receive a driver's license while in the United States (as long as
it is permitted by law in the state in which the student resides). However,
any behind-the-wheel instruction, and the actual driving test, must be taken
in a vehicle furnished by the high school, the state, or an independent driving
school. A student may not rent a vehicle, or use a family member or friend's
vehicle for these purposes. If a student obtains a driver's license, it must
be sent to the program where it will be held until his return. Aside from
the situation cited above, students are not allowed to drive a vehicle for
which an operator's license is required while on program.
"Can I travel while on program?"
You can travel with your host family
or with an organized group. Unaccompanied, independent
travel is not permitted.
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Pre-Application To Become An Exchange Student
To The United States
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