Requirements
Age, grade, school record and English.
J-1 High School Exchange · 2027–2028 school year
High school exchange in the USA: your 2027–2028 year at an American high school
Live with a volunteer American family and attend a local high school for a semester or a full academic year. For students, an experience that lasts a lifetime. For parents, a clear process you can trust.
- 15–18½age range
- Semester / yearprogram length
- Host familya volunteer American family
What is the J-1 high school exchange?
A high school exchange in the USA is a J-1 cultural exchange program for students aged 15 to 18½: you spend a semester or a full academic year living with a volunteer American host family and attending a local high school. Officially called Secondary School Student, it's one of the J-1 exchange programs the U.S. Department of State offers under the BridgeUSA name.
Exchange students don't go to America as tourists; they go as part of the family. Mornings start with the yellow school bus, lunch means catching up with new friends in the cafeteria, and dinner is a recap of the day around the family table. Within a few months, English stops being a school subject and becomes the language you think, joke and laugh in.
The program is run through sponsor organizations designated by the U.S. Department of State, and the sponsor handles host family and school placement. Bridge USA Türkiye is your independent advisor, guiding student and parents alike from the very first conversation to the day your child comes home. For the official overview, visit the Secondary School Student program page, or compare your options across all J-1 exchange programs.
High school exchange at a glance
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3 meals
a day with the host family
Plus their own bed and a place to study
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August
typical arrival month
For a full school year; home again in June
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Volunteer
American host families
No more than 2 exchange students per home
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Monthly
check-ins with a local coordinator
The first meeting is in person
Who can apply? Age and grade requirements
The short answer: students who are between 15 and 18 years and 6 months old on the program start date, have completed no more than 11 years of school (not counting kindergarten), meaning they haven't graduated from high school, and have never taken part in a high school exchange in the U.S. before. Sponsors also look at:
- English: strong enough to follow classes and make friends. Sponsors assess it with a test such as ELTiS and a short interview.
- Grades and personality: a steady school record, plus the maturity and curiosity to settle into a new family.
One semester or a full school year?
The program lasts at least one semester and at most one academic year (two semesters). On a full-year program, students usually arrive in August and fly home in June. A single semester can be either the fall term starting in August or the spring term starting in January.
A full academic year is the richest option: it gives language skills, friendships and the bond with the host family time to really take root, and your child experiences the entire American school year. A single semester is a flexible start for students who want a shorter break from their studies at home. In a free initial consultation, we'll work out together which option fits your child's goals and school calendar.
Life with a host family
Host families are American families who volunteer to open their homes and their lives to an exchange student. They aren't paid for it. They might be couples with kids, single parents or empty nesters; what they share is a wish to bring the world to their dinner table.
Families are carefully screened: everyone living in the home is interviewed in person, every household member aged 18 or over passes a criminal background check, and references are collected from people outside the family. The host family gives your child a bed of their own, a place to study, three meals a day and rides to school activities.
A day at an American high school
The day starts with the school bus. Alongside core classes like English, math, science and social studies, students can pick electives such as photography, robotics or orchestra. Many schools ask exchange students to take English and U.S. history or government.
The real fun starts after the final bell: sports teams, debate and robotics clubs, the school newspaper, volunteer projects. Friday night games, homecoming week and prom are the best ways to experience American high school culture from the inside.
Why study at an American high school?
One semester or one year. Rewards that last a lifetime.
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English like a second mother tongue
In class, at the dinner table, on the team: living English every day takes you far beyond the textbook.
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Confidence and independence
Building your own routine in a new country teaches responsibility at a young age.
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A wider view of the world
Living inside another culture builds empathy and sharpens communication skills.
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A different way to learn
Project-based classes, a wide range of electives and lively classroom discussions.
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A family across the ocean
Your bond with your host family doesn't have to end with the program. You'll always have a home in America.
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A head start on the future
International experience and fluent English are a real plus for university and career goals.
Free consultation
A free initial assessment for your child
In a short call with parent and student, we'll look at your child's age, grade and English level, then map out your 2027–2028 plan together.
- We help you pick the right program
- We check your eligibility and plan your timeline
- We share every cost item in writing
Prefer to talk right now?
How costs work: program fee and personal expenses
The cost of a high school exchange in the USA has two parts: the sponsor's program fee and the student's personal expenses. Room and board come from the host family, and because host families are volunteers, there's no rent or boarding fee to pay.
- Program fee: covers placement, supervision, support and advisory services. It varies by sponsor and program length.
- Official fees: SEVIS fee $220 and visa application fee $185 (as of September 2026; subject to change).
- Flights and insurance: airfare and the required health insurance. Some packages include them.
- Pocket money: a monthly budget for clothes, a phone plan, school activities and personal trips.
A single headline number would be misleading, so we prepare an itemized quote for you in writing. See the cost breakdown and application steps ›
Get current 2027–2028 fees
We'll send you a quote for a semester or a full year, with every included and excluded item clearly listed.
For parents: safety and sponsor oversight
On a high school exchange in the USA, your child is never on their own. The sponsor organization, a local coordinator and the host family form three layers of support around them.
- Placed before departure: students don't travel until the school's written acceptance and the host family placement are confirmed, and family and student receive written information about each other in advance.
- A coordinator close by: the local coordinator lives no more than 120 miles (about 190 km) away and is in touch with the student at least once a month. The first meeting is in person.
- A second pair of eyes: within the first two months of the placement, another sponsor representative also visits the host family at home.
- Emergency info in their pocket: students carry an ID card listing their host family's address, emergency numbers and insurance details.
Program rules such as no driving, no alcohol and no regular jobs are there to keep students safe, too. And we're right here for your family in Türkiye, ready to help you liaise with the sponsor whenever you need.
Coming home: school and credit recognition
How the semester or year in America counts back home is decided by the regulations of Türkiye's Ministry of National Education (MEB) and by your child's school. The best move is to talk to the school administration and your provincial or district education directorate before you apply; if your child attends an international school, check that school's policy as well.
Keeping the U.S. transcript and course descriptions makes the return process much smoother. A U.S. diploma is the school's decision and isn't guaranteed; the real rewards of the program are language, experience and confidence. We map out your return plan together right at the start of the application.
The 2027–2028 application timeline
For the school year starting in August 2027, a high school exchange application typically unfolds like this. The easiest path is to start in the fall and complete the application file by February–March 2027; exact dates depend on the sponsor and the placement process.
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Sep–Dec 2026
First meeting and assessment
An introductory parent-student meeting, an English test and an interview.
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Oct 2026–Mar 2027
Application file
Grades, references, a letter to the host family and the health form.
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Feb–Jun 2027
Host family and school match
The sponsor looks for a family and school that fit the student's profile.
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May–Jul 2027
DS-2019 and visa
Once placement is confirmed: DS-2019, SEVIS, DS-160 and the visa interview.
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Aug 2027
Orientation and departure
Pre-departure orientation, meeting the host family and the first day of school.
The J-1 visa for high school exchange students
Once placement is complete, the sponsor issues the DS-2019 (the program eligibility form). Then comes the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 online application and a visa interview in Ankara or Istanbul, which the student attends in person. We explain every step in our J-1 visa guide and cover the questions students are likely to hear in J-1 visa interview questions and tips. The visa decision rests with the consulate; we get students ready for the day with practice interviews.
Why Bridge USA Türkiye?
We focus exclusively on J-1 programs. Visit us at our office in Yalıkavak, Bodrum, or meet us online from anywhere in Türkiye.
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One-on-one with parents and students
You make this decision as a family, so every meeting has time for both the student and the parents.
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Test and interview prep
We practice together for the English test and the sponsor interview.
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A strong application file
From transcripts to the host family letter, we put the file together with care.
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Visa interview coaching
We check every document and run practice interviews with the student.
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Pre-departure orientation
Before your child leaves, we talk through host family life, school rules and settling in.
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With you all the way
While your child is in America, we answer your family's questions and help you liaise with the sponsor.
For J-1 secondary school sponsors
Are you a designated J-1 secondary school exchange sponsor looking for a reliable partner in Türkiye? We work with motivated teens and their families and prepare them carefully: eligibility and English pre-screening, complete application files and heartfelt host family letters, interview practice and a thorough pre-departure orientation on host family life and program rules. Get in touch to explore how we could work together for the 2027–2028 school year and beyond.
Your high school exchange guide
Every topic, covered in depth on its own page.
Host family and school life
How families are chosen, house rules, classes and clubs.
Application and fees
The 2027–2028 timeline and the cost breakdown.
J-1 visa guide
DS-2019, SEVIS, DS-160 and the interview.
Free consultation
Pre-register for 2027–2028
Applying early gives you more time for the host family match. Leave your details and we'll call you within 1 business day.
- We help you pick the right program
- We check your eligibility and plan your timeline
- We share every cost item in writing
Prefer to talk right now?
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How old do you have to be to be an exchange student in the USA?
Students must be at least 15 and no older than 18 years and 6 months on the program start date. They also must not have completed more than 11 years of school, not counting kindergarten. For the school year starting in August 2027, age is calculated as of that date; some sponsors use an earlier cut-off date for the minimum age.
Is a high school exchange in the USA free?
No, families cover the cost of the J-1 high school exchange. There's no charge for room and board, though: host families are volunteers and welcome students without payment. We explain the program fee, official fees, flights, insurance and pocket money on our application and fees page.
Can we choose the state, city or school?
No. On the J-1 high school exchange, you can't choose the state, city or school. The sponsor makes the placement based on the host families and schools that fit the student's profile. That flexibility is the spirit of the program: a year in a small town can be every bit as rewarding as a year in a big city.
Can exchange students get an American high school diploma?
A diploma isn't guaranteed. It's entirely up to the school and its school district's policy: some schools award diplomas to senior-year exchange students or let them walk at graduation, others don't. We recommend planning your child's education in Türkiye accordingly.
Will my child have to repeat a year after coming back to Türkiye?
The final word comes from the regulations of Türkiye's Ministry of National Education (MEB) and from your child's school, and the outcome can vary from student to student. We recommend speaking with the school administration and your provincial or district education directorate before applying, and bringing the complete U.S. transcript and course descriptions when you return.
How safe is a high school exchange in the USA?
Host families are screened with criminal background checks, in-home interviews and references. A local coordinator who lives nearby is in touch with the student at least once a month, and the sponsor's emergency line is always available. Students also carry an ID card listing important phone numbers.
What are the rules on phones and internet use?
Phone and internet use is set by the host family's house rules and the sponsor's program rules. Common examples are no phones at the dinner table or screens off at a set time in the evening. Keeping contact with home balanced during the first weeks makes settling in easier. The phone plan and device are usually the student's own expense.
Can parents visit their exchange student in the USA?
Yes, visits are possible, but timing matters for your child's adjustment. Sponsors generally allow family visits in the second half of the program, once the student has settled in, and with the approval of the sponsor and the host family. Visits in the first months can make adjusting harder. We can plan your visit together around the sponsor's rules.
What's the difference between a J-1 exchange and an F-1 private school program?
J-1 is a cultural exchange program run through a sponsor organization: the student lives with a volunteer host family, studies for a semester or a full academic year and doesn't choose the location. With an F-1 student visa, the family chooses the school and pays its tuition. Bridge USA Türkiye advises only on J-1 exchange programs.
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