NWSE Hosting Information

NWSE Hosting Information

Almost anyone can host:  traditional families, couples without children, couples whose children are grown, single parent families.

Hosts should be able to provide a caring and safe environment to the participant.

Hosts should have a genuine interest in learning about foreign cultures and meeting new people.  There should be a genuine desire to make the exchange experience mutually beneficial for both the exchange participant and the host.

Hosts and other individuals living in the host home should have no evidence of past or current criminal activity, alcoholism, drug abuse, child abuse, or other unacceptable activities.

Hosts’ homes – Should be located in areas that offer the participant a high level of safety.

Participants can have their own room or share a room with a family member of the same gender and close in age to the participant.  Sharing a room with a family member under the age of 8 is not possible.  Participants require their own beds as well as adequate space in which to study and store personal belongings.

Hosts should provide participants a tour of the entire house and explain the guidelines in the home.

Host Responsibilities –

Maintain open lines of communication with the student. 

Make sure the student always knows how to contact the host parent(s).

Provide room and board for the students.  Hosts are not compensated for hosting but are eligible for an income tax deduction.

Provide a tolerant and accepting environment toward the practice of religion.   Proselytizing is not permitted.

Communicate with the local NWSE academic coordinator on a regular basis and also ensure the participant can communicate with the NWSE area coordinator on a regular basis. 

Assist the participant in becoming a family member, not a boarder or houseguest.

Show flexibility and support.

WHEN YOU HOST an exchange student, you become an active participant in the world community!  You and your family have the opportunity not only to share your life, values and culture with an international student; you also absorb and better understand the life, values and culture of another country—and without having to travel long distances!  In our contemporary world the practical distances between people are ever shrinking.  It’s more important than ever to understand, respect, and work with our global neighbors.  Hosting also creates the opportunity to form life-long friendships.

  Hosts are not financially compensated for hosting.  However, it is fun and enriching to have a new family member sharing your activities. They are not just tourists!  Exchange students are eager to become true members of their new family, school and community. Your student will want to take part in school activities (sporting events, dances, clubs, drama, etc.), or in a county fair and local or regional festivals.  Many host families become lifelong friends with their students, and sometimes visit them in their home countries.  And if you have children they will have the opportunity to hear another language or improve their understanding of a language they are already studying! 

NorthWest Student Exchange

Established in 1987, NorthWest Student Exchange is a non-profit, international high school exchange organization, designated by the U.S. Department of State and listed with the Council on Standards for International Exchange and Travel (CSIET). NorthWest Student Exchange offers a variety of international exchange opportunities for both international and American youth: academic-year, reciprocal, semester, and summer programs. Students enjoy living with their host families, attending high school, while receiving supervision from local NWSE Academic Coordinators. They also participate in community or NWSE-sponsored cultural and social events. NWSE provides student and host family orientations, and coordinates medical and accident insurance, travel, and visas for all exchange participants. NWSE screens and selects all participating students and their host families. Our screening and matching process works! Over the years, NWSE has maintained a high Student Placement Success Rate. Only rarely do our students have to be relocated to a family other than the originally NWSE-screened family. Dedicated to personal attention for every participant, NWSE promotes cultural exchange, foreign language study and international education by creating affordable opportunities for high school students to participate in international exchanges. These unique opportunities for personal development, new perspectives and insights, and foreign language competency help prepare students for success in the global marketplace and improve international understanding. NWSE program participants raise their global awareness by building long-lasting international friendships and memories.

NWSE representatives across the United States work with schools and hosts to ensure each exchange experience is monitored and managed for optimal success.  Our representatives, called Academic Coordinators, are conscientious and dedicated individuals.  NWSE closely screens and extensively trains all Academic Coordinators who work with us. 

More information about NorthWest Student Exchange is available through its headquarters offices (see telephone and email information above) and through its Director of Community Development at (toll-free) (877) 850-3312.     Check out the website:  https://www.nwse.com/

Local Contacts: 

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