Living with a host family in the USA, and life at an American high school

A host family in the USA is an American family that volunteers to welcome an exchange student into their home for a semester or a full academic year. Host families aren't paid; what motivates them is the wish to bring another culture into their home. Couples with children, single parents and empty nesters can all become host families.

The sponsor organization screens every family carefully:

• Everyone living in the home is interviewed in person, and the home itself is visited.
• All household members aged 18 or older pass a criminal background check.
• References are collected from two people who aren't related to the family.
• The host family can't be related to the student, and no more than two exchange students can live in one home.

The match often starts with the family: host families choose their student by reading profiles and letters and looking at photos. For an overview of the program, see our J-1 high school exchange page.

In host family life, the exchange student isn't a guest but a member of the family. That means keeping their room tidy, pitching in with chores like setting the table or doing the dishes, and following house rules on curfew and phone and internet use. Talking these rules through openly in the first week heads off small misunderstandings from the start.

Sponsors' program rules are clear, too:

• Attend classes regularly and keep grades up
• No driving and no alcohol
• No regular jobs; occasional work such as babysitting or yard work is fine
• Keep your passport and DS-2019 safe and in your own possession

Every student has a local coordinator in the U.S. The coordinator lives no more than 120 miles (about 190 km) from the student and stays in regular contact with the student, the host family and the school.

• At least one check-in a month: the coordinator is in touch with the student every month, and the first meeting is in person.
• Face to face every semester: the host family is met in person at least once in both the fall and the spring semester.
• A second pair of eyes: within the first two months of the placement, another sponsor representative also visits the home.
• Emergency card: the student carries a card with the host family's address, the coordinator's and sponsor's phone numbers, the program's toll-free emergency line and insurance details.

Students enroll with the school's written acceptance and follow a full-time class schedule. The school decides which grade they join, based on their age, English level, previous grades and course requirements.

American high school classes fall into two groups: core subjects like English, math, science and social studies, and electives like art, music, computer science or physical education. Many schools and sponsors ask exchange students to take English and U.S. history or U.S. government.

Grades run from A to F, and homework, quizzes, projects and class participation all count throughout the semester. Some sponsors require at least a C in every class.

Almost everyone who moves to a new country goes through a period of adjustment, and that's completely normal. It often comes in similar waves:

1. Excitement: in the first weeks, everything is new and fascinating.
2. Challenge: language fatigue and homesickness start to show.
3. Adjustment: routines settle, friendships deepen and English starts to feel effortless.
4. Belonging: the student starts calling their American house "home", too.

In tougher moments, the best remedies are talking to the host family and the coordinator, joining a club and keeping contact with home balanced. We cover this phase in detail at the pre-departure orientation.

Before departure, you receive written information introducing the host family, along with school details and contact numbers. During the program, your communication plan might look like this:

• Call rhythm: in the first months, one or two regular video calls a week strikes a healthy balance.
• Who to contact: the host family for day-to-day matters, the local coordinator for program questions and the sponsor's emergency line in an emergency.
• Your support in Türkiye: reach out to us with any questions, and we'll help you liaise with the sponsor when needed.

For visa prep, read our J-1 visa interview questions article; for eligibility, see our high school exchange requirements page.