Benefits for Host Families

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Getting involved in international exchange is rewarding for your whole family. Below are just some of the benefits of hosting an exchange student with EF Foundation.

Create a Volunteer Family

Families of all shapes and sizes benefit immensely from doing good together. This is especially true when you volunteer to be an EF Foundation host family. Parents experience the joy of sharing in another child’s development. Children of all ages benefit from bonding with a student from another country. And by sharing a desire to understand other cultures and make an impact, your family will grow together.

Live Life to the Fullest

Families with grown children or without kids of their own love hosting too. Having an exchange student in your local high school provides a great way to stay involved with your community. Many people also find they start living life to the fullest with a new son or daughter to share experiences with.

Share Your American Pride

When you host, you play a direct role in promoting the values of the United States. Living with your family is the best way for students from around the world to become immersed in American democracy, media and debate. When the young man or woman you host goes on to university and a career, the lessons they’ve learned in America will help to shape their decisions for a lifetime.

Learn More About the World

Hosting is an excellent way to learn about the world without leaving home. Parents and children alike can learn a new language, get personal insight into the world beyond their backyards, and even become excellent international cooks! Living with a student from another culture is an education in itself, and it doesn’t cost a thing.

Earn Scholarships for Study Abroad

In exchange for hosting, the high school students in your household become eligible for EF Foundation Outbound (link) scholarships. With EF Foundation, your teenager can travel to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, France, or Germany. An academic year or semester abroad gives your child the chance to live with a host family, become fluent in another language, learn about a different country and culture, and meet people from all over the world.

Receive Discounts on Educational Travel

Your kids can also save money on any trip they take with EF Educational Tours, the leading educational travel company in America. With EF's accredited, all-inclusive tours, your children’s text books come to life. They broaden their horizons, grow as a people, and enhance their prospects for college and beyond.

Save Money at Tax Time

In recognition of the time and energy host families give to create goodwill for America, families who host an EF Foundation exchange student are eligible to receive a charitable tax deduction when itemizing deductions on their tax return.

Earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award

Each year, EF Foundation for Foreign Study awards the President’s Volunteer Service Award to host families who inspire by example. Created in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the national President’s Volunteer Service Award is a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.

Have Fun

Host families and exchange students laugh. A lot. Whether giggling over the mispronunciation of words or sharing students’ excitement about prom, host families have a tremendous amount of fun.

Change the World

It sounds ambitious, but it’s true: when you host an EF Foundation exchange student, you gain the power to change the world, one student at a time.