We’re in search of host parents for teens from Europe, South America, Africa and Asia who hope to come to the U.S.A. and attend your local high school for the upcoming school year or semester.
You can choose to host just for the first few weeks, or the student’s entire stay. Families big and small, couples or singles are all enthusiastically welcomed as hosts!
Becoming a host is a unique volunteer opportunity that will energize your home and create meaningful memories and relationships for the rest of your life!
To view all available students and their full details, click the button below to register.
Can’t host yourself, but know someone who can? We will pay $300 for a successful host referral.
Refer a new host to SHARE! using our online form, and you’ll receive an American Express Gift Card when the student arrives at the host’s home.
There’s no limit to the number of referrals you can make! Please note that prospective hosts who have already begun the application or placement process are not eligible to be referred.
SHARE! is looking for volunteer host families to welcome students aged 15 to 18 from countries like Germany, Sweden, China, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Ecuador, and more. As a host, you only need to provide:
Provide a safe, warm, and welcoming space where a student can feel like part of your family.
Offer a bed and three daily meals—simple gestures that make a world of difference.
Share traditions, experiences, and everyday life while introducing them to American culture.
Students speak English, have medical insurance, and bring their own spending money for personal expenses. They attend the local high school for a semester or a full academic year.
"It has been wonderful to see my kids bond with their 'older brother' from the exchange program."
"Sharing our lives with a student has been an unforgettable experience for the whole family."
"We've learned so much about Spain while sharing our life in Texas with Manuel."
Yes! Your Exchange Program Coach (EPC) will visit you in your home to explain the hosting experience and to answer any questions that you may have. He/she will also provide you with a pre-arrival orientation and post-arrival orientation, where you will receive information and materials that provide more details about the intercultural experience of hosting. You’ll also receive a Host Family Packet from the SHARE! National Office, which contains information about insurance coverage, policies, rules and regulations and a SHARE! Host Family Handbook.
Your local Exchange Program Coach (EPC) has been trained to be sensitive to both the needs of the host family and student. The EPC will provide pre- and post- arrival orientations, will conduct Monthly Progress Reports, and is always available to answer questions and offer support. In the event your Exchange Program Coordinator (EPC) is not available, the SHARE! office staff may always be reached by email or phone. If our office is closed and you have an emergency, our phone system will patch you through to a 24 hour mobile phone carried by staff.
The exchange students who participate in the SHARE! High School Exchange Program expect to be treated as a member of your family. The international students are as diverse as the families who host them. Some are outgoing and gregarious; others are quiet and shy. Your exchange student will expect you to communicate with him/her about your values, and will also expect you to listen when he/she tells you about the way of life of his/her country.
Yes. Your student is expected to behave as a member of your family and follow all of the rules and expectations of your household. The SHARE! Host Family Handbook contains information about communicating rules and regulations to your exchange student. You should be honest and open about your household rules. Remember, your student is not merely a guest, but a new member of your family! SHARE! also has specific rules that students must follow, a signed copy of which can be found in the students’ applications.
All exchange students are required to bring or receive from home $200-$300 per month to cover personal expenses, such as school supplies, clothing, snacks outside of the home and entertainment, etc. Host families are expected to provide only room and board (meals) for the student.
Yes. Many SHARE! families do not have enough bedrooms in their home to accommodate an exchange student with a private bedroom. We require only that your student share a room with a child of the same gender, be given his or her own bed, space for his or her belongings and a place to study. Consideration should be given to the fact that your student will be attending high school and will be required to study and do homework.
Yes. Your exchange student is covered with medical/accident insurance and carries an insurance card. Emergency dental treatment is covered for relief of pain or when damage to the teeth is caused by an accident. You will receive insurance information and claim forms prior to the arrival of your student.
No. ERDT/SHARE! is the legal sponsor for the student. As the legal sponsor, ERDT/SHARE! issues the documents necessary for the student to obtain a J1 Exchange Visitor visa to enter the United States and to participate in the SHARE! High School Exchange Program. ERDT/SHARE! remains legally responsible for the student for the duration of the program. The host family does, however, have permission to obtain medical treatment from a licensed physician for the student when necessary, as a medical release signed by the biological parents is included in the student’s application.
Yes. Your exchange student should be invited to attend your place of worship. If your exchange student is of a different religion, but is interested in attending your church, temple, or synagogue to learn more about this aspect of our culture, they should be welcomed and encouraged. However, attendance of religious services should not be forced upon the student. Arrangements should be made to allow the exchange student to attend the church of his/her choice if so desired.
Perhaps. This type of placement is called a "self-placement" or "direct placement." The following U.S. State Department regulations apply for self-placements (and all exchange student placements on a J-1 visa):
Students may not be hosted by a relative.
Students may not be matched with a host family based on their abilities in a certain sport. (Students who excel in a certain sport may not be hosted by that sport's coach).
English must be the primary language spoken in the host family's home.
Students may not have previously come to the U.S. on a J-1 visa.
A local high school (public or private) must agree to enroll the student.
Students must be between the age of 15 and 18 1/2 upon arrival.
If you meet these criteria, please contact the SHARE! National Office to find out if SHARE! has an overseas partner in the student's country of origin, and an Exchange Program Coordinator (EPC) who lives near your family. The host family must pass background checks, reference checks, and a home visit and interview by the Exchange Program Coach, prior to the student's flight being booked.
If you do not meet these criteria, please contact us for a referral to an F1 visa program.
Welcome an exchange student into your home and open your doors to the world. Contact your local SHARE! coordinator to learn how to be part of this exciting adventure.
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