HOW STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE
MATCHED TOGETHER
The first step is for your family to complete an application and interview. Next, a local YFU volunteer helps you select an
international student to welcome into your family, taking into consideration a number of factors to make the best possible
match. Variables include your family’s values, the kind of activities you’re involved in (sports, arts, intellectual pursuits,
etc.), your religious preferences, whether you’d prefer a student who is quiet or outgoing, what area of the world you’d
prefer your student to be from, and so forth. Hosting does require a period of adjustment for all family members and for
your student in the beginning. Common interests and values make that adjustment easier.
FITS
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Host siblings benefit from this experience as well! Life with an exchange student isn’t that different. You’re just adding
another person to your daily routine. It’s like having another brother or sister with whom you can share experiences. You
can learn a new language, find out what students do in other countries and share your American culture. As a host sibling,
you’ll have a huge impact on someone else’s life—and he or she will have a huge impact on yours. Perhaps you’ll even
decide to go on exchange yourself and YFU offers a community grant to US students whose families have hosted! Exchange
students often become part of your extended family and, as years pass, reciprocal visits can renew bonds and friendships.