Could You Welcome an International Student to NYC?

Imagine experiencing New York City for the first time through the eyes of a teenager from another part of the world, while giving them the chance to experience life here as part of a local family.

With the start of the school year right around the corner, international high school students are still waiting to be matched with volunteer host families through the Council for Educational Travel, USA (CETUSA), a nonprofit cultural exchange organization and U.S. Department of State-designated exchange program sponsor.

For students, the experience is a chance to immerse themselves in American life, improve their English and become part of a new community. There isn’t one kind of household that makes a great host. CETUSA welcomes households with or without children, retirees, single parents, and more. You don’t need a large home, but you do need a guest room, or a bedroom that the exchange student can share with a host sibling within two years of their age, with their own bed. What matters most is providing a caring, supportive home and being excited to share your everyday life, traditions, and community with a young person from another part of the world.

Michelle Elliott, a Regional Coordinator for CETUSA, is currently helping find host families in the New York City area and matching them with students for the coming school year. Students are ages 14–18 and come from countries around the world. Prospective hosts share their interests, hobbies and home life with Michelle, who looks for students who may be a good match. Families can review student profiles before deciding whether hosting is right for them.

As a volunteer experience, the program involves providing a welcoming home, meals, and a place for the student to sleep and study. Students arrive with their own insurance and spending money from their families for personal, school, and recreational expenses.

Prospective host families complete an application, reference and background checks and an in-home interview before being approved. The student’s school placement must be approved, and hosts receive an orientation before the student arrives. A local coordinator continues to support both the student and host family throughout the school year with monthly check-ins and additional help as needed.

For a local household, hosting could mean sharing the things we sometimes take for granted, from riding the subway and walking through the neighborhood to experiencing the holidays, exploring the city and simply being part of everyday life in NYC.

With students still waiting to be matched as we approach the school year, interested families are encouraged to reach out as soon as possible.

Interested in learning more? Email Michelle Elliott, or text Michelle at 518-637-3988, Regional Coordinator for CETUSA. Michelle can answer questions, explain the requirements and share profiles of students currently seeking host families.