Frequently Asked Questions

Host families come in all shapes and sizes! They may be couples, families with children, single adults, single parents, empty nesters, or grandparents. Host parents should be 25 years old or older. Many host parents are working adults, many are retired, some with busy schedules who want to make time to welcome their exchange students into their daily lives.

Host families provide a safe, supportive, and welcoming home, including a bed, three meals a day, a quiet place to study, and some assistance with transportation. Students are responsible for their own personal expenses, such as spending money, activities with friends, travel, and school-related costs.

You can host an exchange student as a "Welcome Family" for as little as 6 weeks. Generally host families host an exchange student for either 5 or 10 months (a semester or school year). If you're not sure to commit to hosting for a full semester or academic year, or would like to try hosting before making a longer commitment, you easily choose to become a "Welcome Family" by hosting a student for the first one to two months of their program as they settle into their American host community.

As a U.S. Department of State-designated J-1 visa sponsor organization, NWSE overseas all official exchange student, host family and host school placement and compliance matters, so that host families can focus on enjoying their exchange experiences.

Your NWSE exchange program support network includes:

• A Dedicated Local Coordinator: Assigned directly to your family, your Local Coordinator lives nearbyand checks in monthly with you and your exchange student.
• Headquarters Support: Your Local Coordinator works directly with their dedicated NWSE Regional Manager and Program Coordinator at NWSE headquarters.
• 24/7 Assistance: Access to 24/7 emergency and administrative support whenever you need it.

NWSE welcomes exchange students from around the world! Many of our students come from countries and regions such as Austria, Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom...

Yes. NWSE screens all exchange students' English skills prior to program acceptance to ensure they have sufficient language skills to communicate with their host families and thrive in an American high school. Naturally, fluency levels vary upon arrival. While some students speak comfortably from day one, others may need a short adjustment period before they feel completely at ease expressing themselves and following conversations.

NWSE exchange students are between 15 to 18.5 years old at the beginning of the program.

Host families of J-1 exchange students are volunteers and do not receive financial compensation for hosting. However, J-1 host families arey be eligible to claim a $50/month tax deduction on their federal income tax return for each month they host an exchange student.

The cost of hosting an exchange student is generally limited to the everyday expenses of welcoming another family member into your home. This likely means the incremental costs associated with groceries, utilities, transportation, etc. Students are solely responsible for their own personal expenses, such as spending money, activities, travel, insurance, medical/health care, and school-related expenses.

No. All exchange students have health insurance coverage for the duration of their exchange program. NWSE ensures that all students and their natural families have compliant J-1 exchange program insurance, and that they cover all medical expenses that may not be covered by the student's insurance plan.

No. Exchange students are strictly prohibited from driving, including operating a host family's vehicle at any time. The only exception may be during an official driver's education course using a dedicated vehicle provided by the driving school, at all times accompanied by a certified instructor during class hours.

NWSE secures official school placement for all exchange students. It is not uncommon for host families to be a part of the local host school or class enrollment.

Your Local Coordinator and dedicated NWSE staff are here to support you and your exchange student throughout the program. If any questions or concerns arise, we'll work directly with you and your student to find solutions. You also have access to NWSE's 24-hour phone line for urgent situations.

Yes. An exchange student can share a bedroom with a host sibling of the same gender who is relatively close in age. The exchange student must have their own individual bed and adequate space for their belongings and to study.

Yes, absolutely! You can host up to two exchange students at once, as long as the students come from different countries and speak different native languages. Double placement students and their natural parents must also agree to the double placement, which they almost always do.

Getting started is free, straight forward and requires no commitment! Completing our brief online registration form gets things started. Once you register our team contacts you to answer your questions and walk you through key aspects of what to expect about onboarding, placement and hosting.