PIE - USA's Outbound Program for American Teens (Passport)

Available Programs

Pacific Pacific Intercultural Exchange-USA's Passport Program offers a variety of academic and non-academic homestays for American high school students interested in participating in an overseas exchange.

Academic stays include semester (both first and second) and full school year programs. A student participating in an academic program will live as a member of a selected host family and attend the local public high school nearest the family. Non-academic summer programs include both language/activity exchanges and family homestays.

Students have the opportunity to visit many countries including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan and Spain.

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Requirements and Deadlines

American students interested in applying for programs abroad should submit their applications by the following deadlines:

Program	Deadline
Summer	April 30
Academic Year/First Semester	April 30
Academic Second Semester	October 31

Applications submitted after these dates will be considered on a space-available basis.

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Services Provided By P.I.E.-USA

P.I.E.-USA will provide for the screening, selection and preparation of each American exchange student.

P.I.E.-USA will contract with a partner organization to provide the overseas management for each American exchange student. The overseas organization will oversee the screening, selection and preparation of a host family, and will provide the support services for the student while in the host country.

A host family, by definition, may be composed of a single parent or couple with children (pre-teenage or teenage. Host families may be drawn from a wide range of age, socioeconomic, 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 arrange roundtrip travel from LAX or JFK depending on the host country. We will also ensure that the host family and/or a program representative meets the student at the final overseas airport. Upon request and for an additional fee, P.I.E can arrange roundtrip travel from the airport of your choice.

P.I.E.-USA's overseas partner will maintain regular contact and support for each student while in the host country. P.I.E will follow up quarterly to update you on the progress of your son or daughter.

Finally, P.I.E.-USA will provide each student with toll-free phone access within the United States to its full-time professional staff for assistance in areas such as travel, counseling and academics.

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Fees and Payment Plans

The following fees are in effect for the 2008 programs:

(Fees for these programs are subject to change without notice)

These fees include pre-departure orientation and materials (where applicable); roundtrip transportation from the designated U.S. international gateway to the host city; airport assistance at the final overseas destination; host family selection; all in-home meals and lodging (for homestay-based programs); tuition-free enrollment in overseas public schools (for academic programs); overseas support services; medical and accident insurance while in the host country; U.S. and foreign administrative fees.

These fees do not include costs associated with obtaining a U.S. passport; foreign visa; round-trip domestic transportation between the student's home city and the U.S. International Gateway (except where specifically stated); any fees related to return flight changes; any fees related to voluntary or involuntarily program termination; dental and eye care while overseas; baggage handling; transportation to and from the foreign school; school lunches, school uniforms, school activities or club fees (academic programs only); clothing, laundry, telephone, toiletries or other expenses of a personal nature; excursions; pocket money.

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Application Process

In order to be considered for the program, applicants must be between the ages of 15 and 19 years of age (14 and 20 for summer programs). A standardized application must be filled out and submitted to P.I.E together with a $50 application fee (a pre-application that can be completed and transmitted via e-mail is at the bottom of this website).

The full application asks more detailed questions about you. It is designed to help P.I.E. get a better idea of who you are and why you would like to become an exchange student. The full application will require you to get a teacher’s recommendation, school transcripts and will ask both you and your parents to write letters of introduction to a potential host family. When you complete this application and return it to P.I.E. along with the $450.00 Enrollment fee, we will set up a time for one of our P.I.E staff members to interview you. This will provide us with additional information about you, your interests and your background. Based on the recommendation of the P.I.E staff member and your submitted application, P.I.E. will reach a decision on your acceptance.

If you are accepted, you will receive acceptance papers in the mail. When you receive these papers, you will have to review, sign and return them to P.I.E, within 5 days of acceptance along with the $1000 Acceptance Deposit. The final payment will be due 15 days after acceptance unless other arrangements have been made.

After we receive the signed papers and acceptance deposit, P.I.E. will begin the process of securing your air travel and medical insurance. We will also give you information about how to obtain your student visa. Our overseas partner will use your application to help identify a suitable host family for you. They will also secure your place in a local school if you are participating in an academic program.

After a host family is found, you will receive their contact information. We encourage you to contact your host family right away so you can begin to build a relationship with them before your departure from the United States.

Prior to your departure, P.I.E. will provide you with pre-departure orientation materials to better prepare you for your exchange. We will also schedule a pre-departure orientation with you to answer any last questions you or your parents might have. By then, you probably be a little nervous but fully ready to depart for your destination country, and begin your adventure.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

"How do you choose your host families?"

Our overseas partners screen each family to determine their acceptability for hosting. Through the application process, pertinent information is gathered from each student, which is used to help determine the compatibility of a potential host family.

"What kind of support will my child receive before departure?"

P.I.E staff will be available to answer any questions and offer guidance before departure. We also have a mentor program set up to further support your son or daughter. A mentor is a past or current student who can offer advise and support to further prepare the student for the study abroad experience.

"What kind of support will my child receive while overseas?"

Each student and host family will be contacted on a regular basis by the overseas organization to monitor the progress of the exchange and provide any necessary advice or assistance. Each student will have the phone numbers of both our overseas partner and P.I.E.-USA to use in the event of an emergency.

"Will I be able to receive credit for the classes I take while overseas?"

The answer to this question can only be given by each student’s American high school. Please make the necessary arrangements with your school before beginning your program. While P.I.E.-USA cannot guarantee the transferability of credits or the receipt of a diploma, we will try to assist you as much as possible by communicating with your overseas program.

"Are the school year in other countries different than in the United States?"

In the southern hemisphere, the school year usually begins in late January, has a winter break in July and ends in late November or early December. Despite this, students can usually begin their academic year and semester programs in either semester.

"Is there a language or GPA requirement for the program?"

P.I.E. offers exchange opportunities in a number of countries. For academic programs, some countries have a language requirement of at least two years of prior study, while others do not. Summer programs carry no language requirement.

"How are your students selected?"

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, maturity and ability to adapt, both necessary components in a successful exchange. Grades and language ability are important, but are by no means the sole deciding factor.

"Is there any financial aid available?"

P.I.E.-USA works hard to ensure our prices are as low as possible. Therefore we are not able to offer any financial assistance, but encourage our students to do fundraising. Please contact us for more information and fundraising ideas from past students. P.I.E also offers a $50 referral fee for each student referred to us that participates in an exchange.

"How long are the programs?"

Three types of programs are available: Academic Year (approximately 10 months in duration); Academic Semester (approximately 5 months in duration); and Summer (approximately 4 weeks in duration).

"Is there an age requirement?"

Students must be between the ages of 15 and 19 for academic programs and 14-20 for summer programs.

"How much spending money will I need overseas?"

Students should plan on covering all expenses outside of the host family's home. This may include movies, meals in restaurants, sporting events, toiletries, public transportation, lunches at school, etc. P.I.E.-USA recommends that students plan on spending between $ 250.00 to $ 300.00 per month while on program.

"I would like to continue practicing my ballet while overseas; is this possible?"

P.I.E.-USA works hard to address specific requests. Often requests such as the ability to continue practicing a sport or hobby can be fulfilled by our overseas counterpart if the application is received early. P.I.E.-USA would be happy to discuss such requests at the time of application and if possible, tailor a program to meet these specific needs.

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Reasons Why Students and Parents Choose P.I.E

Personalized Support – From the time an application is submitted, to the moment a student returns to the United States, Pacific Intercultural Exchange and its overseas representatives provide nothing short of excellent and personalized support to the student and the student’s family. P.I.E.’s staff is friendly, knowledgeable and responsive. P.I.E. understands that it does not deal with accounts or numbers, but with people. This understanding leads it to provide the highest level of support at all times.

Excellence – As a member of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (www.csiet.org), P.I.E. has agreed to adhere to a long list of standards regarding all aspects of our students’ exchanges.

Experience – Established as a non-profit corporation more than 30 years ago, P.I.E. has facilitated thousands of student exchanges between the United States and dozens of countries around the world. P.I.E. applies this vast experience to each student’s exchange in order to provide the best service possible.

Value – P.I.E. makes every attempt to ensure that its programs are as affordable as possible without sacrificing the high level of support given to its participants.

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We Believe in P.I.E and Study Exchange

"This whole exchange has taught me so much already, not just school-wise but personally. I've learned to become completely independent and reliable upon myself for things such as support, happiness and confidence. I've learned that I can get through anything! I am very grateful to the exchange for this chance to learn, grow and mature."
Sandra-Australia

"I would like to thank P.I.E from the bottom of my heart for provided this self evolving experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life."
Amor y Paz
Siedah – Mexico

"I am having a lot of fun and I’ve met so many people. I am speaking Spanish better than before and I understand a lot more than I did. Everything here is great, I have not had any problems at all. I really like Spain. The culture is a bit different and it’s really fun learning everything. I never imagined I would have so much fun."
Wayne-Spain

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Pre-Application To Become An American Exchange Student