Spanish Exchange Student Available for Hosting

Aitor, an exchange student from Spain, is available for hosting by a family living in the Stone Bridge, Champe, or Broad Run High School zone, either for the upcoming school year or for just the first few weeks. It’s a great way to gain a new family member and a new perspective on the world while promoting intercultural understanding here and abroad. Please contact Vanessa at 703-868-4703 or vchang@unitedstudies.org with any questions!

Frequently Asked Questions about Hosting an Exchange Student

Who can host?

We consider all types of families, including families with young children, high school children, grown children, or no children. Host parents can be single parents or married couples (including same-sex couples).

We especially seek host families who:

· can provide a warm, welcoming home to an exchange student;

· have a genuine interest in people of other cultures, their language and customs;

· primarily speak English in the home (since our exchange students are hoping to improve their English fluency while they’re here);

· are flexible;

· are communicative; and

· want to make a young person from another country a part of their family.

All of our host families have the same goal: to experience a new culture, develop a lasting relationship with a new son or daughter, and foster international understanding with hopes that they can contribute to world peace for a better tomorrow.

What is expected of a host family?​

>To open your home to a student from another country.

>To participate in a host family orientation administered by a United Studies Area Representative before the student arrives and to allow United Studies to evaluate the student’s adjustment to the family and his/her new surroundings.

>To provide adequate room for personal belongings. A separate room is not required, provided the student has their own bed and there is sufficient room for storage of personal belongings and some privacy.

>To include your new son or daughter in family activities as a member of your family. The student may be given certain responsibilities such as taking care of his/her room and sharing duties with other family members.

>To be sensitive to your student’s needs and feelings as he or she adjusts to a new, exciting and sometimes lonely and frightening experience of living in a new country.

>To be open with your student about his or her financial situation. The student will bring money with him/her for personal expenses.

>To provide an environment in which your student can learn as much as possible about life in the United States.

Do families get reimbursed?

The U.S. Department of State allows students to live with U.S. families and attend U.S. high schools for the purpose of increasing understanding and goodwill between the United States and other countries. To ensure that U.S. families are interested in hosting for the right reasons, the Department of State does not allow U.S. host families to be compensated.

​How much will this cost?

There is no fee to apply or be a host family; however, when agreeing to host you are agreeing to make the exchange student a member of your family for the duration of the program. You would provide the students with three meals per day (for school, this could be a packed bag lunch) and include the student in family activities. Exchange students do come with their own spending money for things like clothes, toiletries, and activities with friends.

How does a family apply to host a student?

The family would complete an online application at www.unitedstudies.org. A United Studies representative would also interview the entire family in the family’s home, contact personal references provided by the host family, and agree for all adults in the household to undergo a background check.

When and how do students arrive? When and how do they return home?

Students will arrive a few days before the first day of school and leave a few days after the last day of school. The host family generally meets the student at the airport when he or she arrives and takes him or her to the airport at the end of the program.

How are United Studies students selected?

United Studies works with partner organizations in various countries who recruit and screen top high school students each year. The students are selected based on their academic abilities and are tested for English proficiency and interviewed in English and their native language. Once the students have been accepted, they attend an orientation that provides them with a basic knowledge of the United States along with United Studies program policies.

Are the exchange students already enrolled in school?

Stone Bridge has agreed to enroll exchange students; however, which exchange students they ultimately enroll will be in large part up to the host family who agrees to host. The host family will be allowed to view student profiles and select a student who seems like a good fit for the family. Then United Studies staff will work with the school to enroll this particular exchange student in the school.

What happens during school breaks?

Exchange students will not be here over the summer. During other school breaks, host host families often include their exchange students in their plans, but if this is not possible for the host family, other arrangements can be made. Don’t rule out the possibility of hosting based on concerns about what to do with the student during a school break – a United Studies staff person will be happy to talk to you about possible solutions!

Do exchange students have their own health insurance?

Yes! Every student comes with health insurance to cover accidents and illnesses. Exchange students will have gotten any necessary maintenance check-ups before coming to the United States.

What support do host families receive?

United Studies has a dedicated team of Area Representatives. Every family and student is assigned a local Area Representative and gets to know him or her through interviews, orientations, home visits, and cultural events.

Area Representatives check in with the host family and student at least monthly, and host families can reach out to them at any time with any questions or concerns.

If further assistance is required or a problem arises, just ​contact United Studies​. We’re on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How much does it cost?

There is no fees for applying or for hosting. However, the U.S. Department of State oversees cultural exchanges and, to ensure that families are in it for the purest of reasons, requires that each family host on a volunteer basis, providing the exchange student with three meals a day (including packed lunches or lunch money on school days); a bed of his or her own bed in a bedroom shared by no more than one person of the same sex, at least 12 years of age; and transportation as needed for extracurricular activities. In general, United Studies host families treat their exchange students like any other member of the family. Exchange students bring their own spending money for clothing, toiletries, souvenirs, and activities with friends.

All exchange students come with health insurance that covers accidents and illnesses.

What if we have a problem with our student?

Your Area Representative and the rest of the United Studies staff will be here to offer support and counseling to help you solve any problems or misunderstandings that may arise. In most cases, this enables families and students to work through their issues and have a great year together. If, however, it is ultimately determined that the family and student are simply not a good match, United Studies will move the student. When this decision is made, United Studies asks that the host family agree to host the student another two weeks while another host family is secured.