format_quote Originally Posted by
Woodrow
I should have added that here in the US the best way is to come as an Exchange student and Live with an American Host family for a year and at the same time their child would go to your country and live with your family during the same time period. It is the lowest cost way and you get to learn the daily spoken language and not just the academic courses.
Some agencies that arrange exchange programs are:
http://www.afs.org/afs_or/home
http://www.asse.com/
http://www.cci-exchange.com/
Let me add to this. Having been a host parent for several students that it is not necessary with all programs that your parents host another student while you are abroad. Also, there are different exchanges for high school students and for university level. There are also some work exchanges available.
I am from the USA and have an AFS exchange student son from Chile. He has 2 brothers who have also been on AFS exchanges to the USA. Last year they hosted their first student who happened to be from Austrialia.
I also have an AFS daughter from Chile. She likewise has older siblings who have been exchange students in the USA. However they went through a different program that did place a student in their home in Chile at the same time. One of the reasons she came with AFS was because they did not require that type of exchange and her natural family did not feel like hosting again.
In fact I have 3 other AFS children, and none of their families have hosted in their home countries. My AFS daughter from Thailand recently completed a second exchange. This time she spent a semester in university in Canada. She has an older sister who also has done a couple of different exchanges, first as a high school student in the USA, and then a second in which she had a job working at a convenient store in the USA.
I know a few 20-somethings who every year do a work related exchange, taking jobs at summer resorts. Be careful that you work with a reputable company if you do this. Some are just crooks looking for ways to separate you from your money.
You also can come to the USA on a visitor's visa for up to 6 months on your own if you can prove that you have the finances to support yourself while here and a paid ticket home. If you have connections that can make it easier. My church sponsors two students from related churches in Chile every year to come up for the summer; they spend time living with folks here, visiting others of our churches, and helping out with children in our camping program. It's sort of like a private exchange program, but since they are here less than 6 months we can do it on a simple visitor's visa.
Go to
USA Exchange Visitor programs for a "J" Visa for official information.
See this list of
Sevis Approved Schools to find all the schools in the USA that can accept independent international students. This list is in addition to those that come through approved exchange programs such as those listed by Woodrow above.
For a complete list of approved programs, check out this website:
http://exchanges.state.gov/jexchanges/?fuseaction=record.list&userMax=20&mode=&state=&so rt=prog_name&cat=-1&sc=["]Current Sponsor lists[/URL] for:
>> Alien Physician
>> Au Pair and EduCare
>> Camp Counselor
>> Student, Secondary School
>> Summer Work/Travel
>> Teacher
>> Trainee and Flight Training
There are literally thousands of programs. Probably the best way to narrow them down is to do a google search for the type of thing you are interested in, and then when you find one you think you like double check to see if they are actually approved by the governemnt before giving them any money. (Be aware, just because they are approved by the government, doesn't mean they are a good program, it just means they have filed all their paperwork to get on the list. They could still leave you high and dry. But those not on the list can't do anything to help you that you couldn't do for yourself.)