Q: Who can host an AFS Exchange Particpant?
A: Many kinds of families have a lot to offer our AFSers: two-parent households with young children or teenagers, single-parent families, families who have adopted children, foster parents, as well as couples or single people who do not have children or who have grown children.
Q: What is required of an AFS Host Family?
A: As a host family, you would be agreeing to:
• Provide all meals for your AFS Participant
• Provide your participant with his or her own bed (sharing a room with a sibling is fine)
• Include him or her in the life and activities of your family
• Provide the same support, care, and comfort as you would for your own child
Q: Does AFS pay host families?
A: No, all of our families are volunteers. However, your family is entitled to a tax deduction each month that your exchange participant lives in your home.
Q: Will we have to provide spending money for the participant?
A: No. The participant brings his or her own money, based on AFS’ approximate amount of $100-$200 a month.
Q: Will we have to pay medical expenses?
A: No. Each AFS Participant has secondary medical coverage so that, in an emergency, the participant can be treated as soon as possible. There is also a 24-hour support phone number in case of any emergency.
Q: What are the backgrounds of AFS Participants?
A: AFS Participants come from more than 50 countries and from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. All participants are between 15 and 18 years old, are attending high school or teaching in the U.S., have maintained good grades, and are seen as role models in their home schools and communities.
In addition, we also seek families to host international teachers (for 10 months or a semester) and international community service participants, who are 18 years or older (for 5 months).
Q: Do AFS Participants speak English?
A: AFS Participants have some level of English proficiency. Like American AFSers who study abroad, AFSers who are hosted in the U.S. have a strong desire to improve their language proficiency.
Q: How long do participants live with host families?
A: Year program participants stay 11 months; semester participants stay for 6 months. Participants are required to attend or teach school while here.
Q: When do participants arrive?
A: Most participants arrive in mid-August, and a small group of participants arrive in mid-January.
Q: Is the host family responsible for enrolling the participant in school?
A: No, AFS is. AFS works with every high school to ensure enrollment of AFS Exchange Participants in acccordance with each school’s policies and procedures. AFS enjoys an excellent reputation with high schools across the country and we value a close working relationship with the high schools that we serve.
Q: What if problems arise?
A: Our volunteers have a lot of experience in placing participants with families and we provide extensive support throughout the year. AFS also provides intercultural training to both the family and the participant to help with communication. However, if the placement does not work out satisfactorily, AFS assumes responsibility to move the participant to another family.
Q: Does AFS have rules for participants?
A: Yes. AFS has three primary rules. If participants break any of them, they will be sent home.
• No illegal drugs • No driving • No hitchhiking
Hosted participants are expected to obey U.S. laws. We also limit independent travel by AFSers. You will be provided with your Host Family Handbook, which contains information on these rules, at or before your pre-arrival orientation for host families.
