Student Exchange
Student Exchange is referred to as the program which implies choice of the student to stay in an overseas country, especially during his/her course of secondary or higher-secondary education. The purpose of student exchange is to make him/her learn the culture and language of the country he/she is sent to. This program is known as Student Exchange program because the trading off of students takes place through this program by the way of participation by various nations. The students are made to stay with a Host Family, who act as unpaid volunteers and usually have a same-aged child who has already participated (or would be participating) in the exchange program of the same type. The organizers of the program vet the Host Families.
Student exchanges gained popularity after the Second World War. They were aimed at increasing the understanding and tolerance of participants towards other cultures, and broadening the social horizons along with improvement of language skills. These programs have been practiced since then. The student under the exchange program lives in the Host Country for a span of 6-10 months. This is contrary to the duration of international students or students studying abroad which consists of a number of years. The service-oriented organizations carrying out the exchange program include Rotary Youth Exchange from Rotary International, EF Foundation for Foreign Study, Youth for Understanding, World Education Program (WEP) Australia, etc.
Long-term exchange
It can be referred to an exchange having duration of 6-10 months or 1 year. There is a provision of Student Visa, to enable the participants to go to high school. Integration into Host Family is expected from students during their stay over there. Sharing the same experiences with their native country and giving presentations on them to their respective sponsors is also expected. Forte International, AFS, and Rotary Club follow this system. Many exchange programs expect the students to be conversant with the host country language, at least at the preliminary level.
Costs
The cost of the program varies with respect to content, country, program length, and many other factors. Majority of program costs are inclusive of health insurance. At times, the expenses of international flight are also included in costs. The Congress-Bundestag scholarship is one of them.
Application Process
Applications for long-term (10-12 month) exchange program are generally accepted 10 months before the departure. At times, they are even accepted 4 months before the departure. The qualifying age ranges from 15 to 18.5. In the programs of specialized work-study, the students above 18 years of age can also qualify. The programs involve interviews after the acceptance of applications. The scholarship programs of high school require a GPA of 3.0 or more.
Short-term exchange
It occurs for a short period of 1-2 months, usually in July/August. Students are not required to attend school. They are introduced to their host countrys language instead. On their return, a short Presentation is expected from them. This system is normally practiced by the North Americans, Lions Clubs, and Kiwanis.
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