We welcome all kinds of families—with young kids, older kids, no kids, single parents, or two parents. There’s no such thing as a “typical” host family!
To make sure everyone has a great experience, your household should be comfortable speaking English. You’ll need to provide each student with their own bedroom (not in the basement), with a bed, storage, and a good place to study. Meals are included, too.
As part of our process, we’ll have you fill out an application, schedule a home visit, and complete a background check.

Our students are typically 14-18 years old and already speak English. Before joining any program, each student fills out a full application—including personal, academic, and health info. They also need to be accepted by a school before we match them with a host family. Every student comes with full medical and travel insurance. And once they're here, they’re expected to keep their grades up and follow program rules.

Yes! Many families host more than one student at a time—it can be a fun and rewarding experience! You’re welcome to host more than one student, though we generally don’t recommend hosting more than three. Hosting too many students can spread your attention thin and make it harder to give everyone the support and connection they deserve.

You’ll never be on your own—we’re here to help every step of the way! Before your student arrives, we’ll guide you through a helpful orientation. Once they’re here, you’ll have access to 24/7 local support, including an emergency hotline. Our team has lots of experience helping families and students work through common adjustment challenges. If, for any reason, the placement isn’t the right fit, we’ll find a new host family for the student—no stress on your end. Plus, unlike some exchange programs (like J-1), we provide a monthly stipend 💵 directly to you, the host family, to help cover the costs of hosting.