YOUTH EXCHANGE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS1. What is Rotary Youth Exchange?
Rotary Youth Exchange is a program whereby about 7,000 Youths per year travel to different parts of the world to learn new customs, languages and cultures. The program is made up of two parts - long-term and short term. The long term program is a one academic year program for secondary school students, and the short term exchange is typically 3 to 4 weeks. in the summer. In District 6990 we typically promote the long term program as it is a truly educational and life changing experience.
Back to Top2. What does it cost?
Remarkably little!! There is a $50 non-refundable application fee to be submitted with your application. Once accepted into the program there is a a flat fee of $3,900. The fee covers almost everything - three orientations, air fare to no matter where you are going, visa fees, blazer, cards and other things necessary to be an exchange student. Most countries and Districts have optional tours at additional expense, and that will depend on the country to which the student goes. It should be noted that each student will receive a monthly stipend from the hosting Rotary club, the amount being roughly $100 per month.
All room with a host family, board and schooling for a full academic year is included. Back to Top3. Who can participate?
Rotary Youth Exchange is open to inbound secondary students between the ages of 15 and 18 1/2 at the start of the exchange year. Some countries have slightly different requirements. Unlike many of the programs of Rotary, members of Rotarian families may participate in Youth Exchange! Back to Top4. Where can I go?
Just about anywhere in the world! We are now part of a multidistrict made up of all Rotary districts in Florida, and we have access to over 30 countries! We can not guarantee a particular country at the time of application, but we do try to meet all of the students requests. It should be noted that we do not do exchanges with English speaking countries, and if a language other than English is a student's or student's family's native language, the student will not go to a country where that language is the native language.
Back to Top5. Does my family have to host?
While it is not mandatory, we would certainly encourage it if the situation is an appropriate one. In addition we ask the prospective student to help identify other potential host families as the typical student will be hosted by two or three families during an exchange year. This is truly an "exchange" program, and for every student that we send out we must reciprocate and take one in. While it sometimes happens, this does NOT mean that the family will be hosting a student from the same family or even country where their student has gone. Back to Top6. How do I start?
Each student must be sponsored by a local Rotary Club. The process starts by downloading the application, reading it and the rules of the program, and deciding this is the right thing. Youth Exchange is not for everybody; you must be adventurous and willing to face new challenges. If you want to proceed the next thing to do is contact a local Rotary Club or the Youth Exchange committee and ask for a sponsorship. If you do not know a member of Rotary the District 6990 Committee will help you. The application must be submitted to the club for review (READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT HOW TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND THE NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED!!!) You will be interviewed at the club level, and if accepted by the club your application will be sent to the District for review. The applicant and the applicant's family will be interviewed by members of the Committee. If you are accepted START PACKING!
7. How do I prepare??
There is much preparation, but the District committee will provide you most of the information you will need. There typically are three MANDATORY orientations. You will find out more about these orientations when you become accepted into the program. The final orientation is called the "Cultural Boot Camp" where students will be thoroughly trained on adapting to and living with cultural differences - a fun survival camp weekend.
8. Why Rotary Youth Exchange?
There are many exchange student programs in the world but we in Rotary feel that we have the best. As with any organization of this size there are some clubs and Districts that are better than others but over all it is a program well run by volunteers from around the world, with no profit motive, only the motivation to give students the opportunity to have the best year of their lives. So why is Rotary good? 1. Cost - it is one of the cheapest programs around. The program is run totally by Rotarian volunteers, and there is no administrative cost or profit motive to run up the cost to the student. 2. Supervision - each sponsor Rotary club has a LOCAL club counselor to whom the Exchange Student is assigned. If help or assistance is needed it is right around the corner, not miles away. 3. Rotary network - there are clubs around the world opening up opportunities to travel and to exchange almost anywhere in the world. 4. Opportunity - in the Rotary program the student will attend Rotary meetings, not only of the sponsor club at home, but the hosting club abroad. This is an opportunity to meet the leaders in business and industry and have the opportunity to learn from local leaders. 5. Motivation - the motivation behind our program is to serve youth, not to profit. Thus the candidates and the host families are chosen based on quality, not a need or requirement to show a profit. Since traditionally host families receive no remuneration for hosting, our host families have a desire to participate rather than host in order to get extra income. This, too, helps keep down the cost of our program.
9. Do I get high school or college credit for my year abroad?
Maybe. In the case of a student doing an exchange in the junior year you MUST meet with school officials prior to departure to plan for a way to get credits for the courses taken. Some schools will permit credit, others are less enlightened. Language credits are routinely given at both college and high school levels, but again this must be arranged in advance.
10. What am I waiting for?
I don't know!!!
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