Host a student in California!
From Humboldt to San Diego and everywhere in between, high schools across California are ready to welcome ICES exchange students. ICES is a nonprofit educational exchange organization and we are looking to connect our amazing students with local families that are interested in trying something new! Become an ICES Host Family and host a student in California.
Students come from all over the world and arrive with their own insurance and spending money. They attend the local high school and can share a room with other teenagers.
Hosting an exchange student is a wonderful experience for kids and parents alike and often results in lifelong friendships. To learn more, check out the links and information below.
GET STARTED
From A Student’s Perspective
Students around the world contemplate and dream about an exchange experience, they wonder what things will look like once they are actually living with an American family and going to school. The impact an exchange experience has on these student’s is profound and meaningful. Being a host family not only gives students a place to call home, it changes their view on Americans, their perspective on life; it gives them the gift of friendship and of “family”. As you change their lives, you change yours, cultural differences melt away and the rewards of hosting come with the realization that you made a difference, you changed lives!
If you are interested in hosting a student, please call us (800) 344-3566, we have an energetic and knowledgeable staff that is happy to tell you more about the hosting experience.
What It Means to Be A Host Family
Your role as a host family is to provide room & board, and a nurturing home environment for your exchange student. The rewards of hosting are many, your family will learn and grow with the experience as you build life-long friendships.
ICES provides host families a network of support starting at the local level. Our trained Local Coordinators are available to help with any questions or concerns you and your family may have during the hosting experience. Local Coordinators will visit your home and provide you with detailed information about the hosting experience, while answering all of your questions. Host families are given an orientation before their students’ arrival to ensure they understand all aspects of hosting.
Our Students
ICES works with it’s partners overseas who do the pre-screening of students. Our partners recruit only those students who they feel will be excellent candidates for the program. We continue the screening process to ensure they have a genuine interest in becoming an exchange student. Here are some of the things we screen for:
- Academics: A minimum of a C average in all courses taken over the past three years. Transcripts translated into English and a Teacher’s Recommendation
- English Language Skills: Students must demonstrate acceptable scores on the Standard Test for English Proficiency and be comfortable in using English conversationally to follow course work and socialize.
- Personality: A personal essay written by the student to describe their personality, hobbies and home life.
- Attitude: The ability to deal with the inevitable challenges of adapting to another culture and communicating in a foreign language.
Intellectual Curiosity: An open mind toward learning the ins and outs of another culture, such as its social customs, as well as concrete experiences such as food and fun.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
International high school students from Latin America, South America, Europe, Asia & Africa are excited to become a part of your family. Our partners overseas carefully select and pre-screen students, ICES follows up with additional screening for maturity and adaptability. Students come with medical coverage and their own spending money, they participate in a pre-departure orientation as well as an ICES arrival orientation so they understand the rules and expectations of their program.
Program length is 5 or 10 months
Students are between the ages of 15 -18
Arrival dates are during the months of August and January
SUMMER STUDENTS
While our summer program students may vary in age and language abilities, they all share the same desire to experience life with an American family. Hosting a summer program student will bring culturally rich experiences to your family and community. In the short time they are here, our students not only improve their English, but learn about American culture from their experiences with your family.
Programs length is 1- 6 weeks
Students are 12-18 years of age
Programs also start in January
Students typically come as part of a Group with adult Chaperons
Host Families are often mentioned as the
highlight of our students’ experience
“The ICES program was honestly the best experience of my life. The experience itself was amazing and I got the opportunity to make great friends for life and see a whole different country and experience another culture at a young age.
Sarah from Australia
Studied in Portland, Oregon
READ TESTIMONIALS FROM HOST FAMILIES
I’ve discovered a new world that has changed since that Saturday I landed at the airport. A new family, friends, food, and thousands of new experiences that together made an incredible experience for me. My time isn’t finished as yet, I still have things to do – more travel basketball, Spring Break, trips with my soccer team, when someone asks, “Where in the world is Guillem?” The answer could depend on what my Mom says – she lets us go everywhere!
Guillem ICES student from Spain
living with the Beckles family in Norcross, Georgia