Greetings Host Families! We are very happy to inform you of an exciting contest for our exchange students happening this month! Storytelling around the kitchen table. Soccer games in the local park. A helping hand when you need it most. You and your exchange student share so much. We want... Continue reading

As a host family with CIEE, you probably have now spent some time getting to know your local coordinator. Susan Greenhorn is a local coordinator who lives in Mitchellville, IA, and has been working CIEE for over three years. Those of you who have met Susan know that she is... Continue reading

Greetings, host families! CIEE hopes that you are having an excellent start to your hosting experience thus far. We greatly appreciate your decision to be an essential part of our students’ exchange year. This experience will be both insightful, educational, and life changing for both you and your exchange student.... Continue reading

Summer is here! Students are beginning to return home and goodbyes are a challenging thing for everyone. Students will experience highs and lows with their enthusiasm of returning home and the sadness of leaving all of their new friends and family in your community, as will your family in saying... Continue reading

The school year is coming to a close and soon your exchange student will be returning to his or her home country. They will be reuniting with friends and relatives who they have not seen in a year! While they may be excited about returning home, they may also be... Continue reading

Before your student leaves your home it is extremely important to resolve any outstanding issues such as unpaid phone bills that may have been in the host family’s name, insurance bills and have them return any borrowed items before they pack to leave the U.S. Make sure you are clear... Continue reading

Many students end up buying lots of gifts for their family and friends back home before they leave the US and then ship them home ahead of time. If you notice that your student is spending a lot of money on iPods, laptops or cell phones, you should talk to... Continue reading

Please make sure to bring your student to the airport for his/her return flight and to help them check in AT LEAST 3 HOURS ahead of time in order to allow ample time for your student to check in, go through security, and board his/her flight. Do NOT put a... Continue reading

Please note that depending on your student’s home country and its specific school requirements, your student may need to convalidate his/her US high school grades. Convalidation is the process that exchange students use to translate their US grades and transfer credit for their high schools abroad. Generally, this process involves... Continue reading

Please remind your student to collect their official high school transcript before leaving the USA! Continue reading

Many students start to think about going home months in advance and sometimes can lose their focus on their last few weeks with your family. While it is important to plan ahead and prepare, it is also important to stay present and make the most of the last few weeks... Continue reading

If your student is from any of the countries below, he/she will need to convalidate: Brazil Ecuador Italy Japan Mexico Montenegro Serbia South Korea Spain Venezuela Convalidation is the process that exchange students use to translate their US grades into transfer credit for their schools back home. This process typically... Continue reading

Please make sure to bring your student to the airport for his/her return flight and to help them check in AT LEAST 3 HOURS ahead of time in order to allow ample time for your student to check in for his/her flight. Do NOT put a student on the plane... Continue reading

CIEE USA High School students are required to complete 16 hours of service during their year in the United States. CIEE Grant Students are required to complete 20 hours because they are in the U.S. on a scholarship. Students must complete all forms and essays and send them to CIEE... Continue reading