Responsibilities as a host family

Provide a stable environment

Volunteer host families welcome exchange students into their homes for an academic year or semester. At the very least, host families are expected to:

• Provide a room, meals, and a stable family environment. Students must have their own bed, and cannot share a room with a child under twelve. They should also have a quiet place to study.
• Have one parent in the family who is at least 25 years of age.
• Undergo a thorough application process, including an in-home interview, background check, and submission of personal references. This is standard procedure for all volunteers participating in youth-oriented programs.

More importantly, host parents take on the role of second parents for their exchange student. At EF Foundation, we look for families who are:

• Enthusiastic. Sharing cultures means sharing in all the excitement of life. The more enthusiastic you and your family are, the better the experience will be for everyone involved.
• Caring. Your exchange student will require heartfelt support while he or she lives and learns far from home.
• Involved. You’ll demonstrate your desire to make your student part of the family by taking the same interest in his or her academic and social experiences as those of your own kids.
• Adaptable. A new family member will lead to new challenges for you and your family. It is essential that you remain flexible while new dynamics emerge in your home, setting firm rules but also remaining patient and understanding.

Depending on your daily routine, hosting an exchange student may mean a couple more trips in the car, or a few extra helpings at the dinner table. Year after year, however, our host families say that the hardest thing about hosting is having to say goodbye!