Put yourself in the picture!

Starting and Completion Dates

Starting dates are given to us when you have been accepted in Ireland and placed in a school as there are variations between schools and years. The end date is the appropriate number of weeks later.

Fees

These are higher in Ireland because Irish families are always paid an honorarium for hosting. This is not at commercial rates so you are not a boarder but part of the family as you would be in any other country.

Click on the Notes for Students link to give you a comprehensive of information about the exchanges to Ireland, including information on the placements and the applications procedures.

Placements

A host family is found for you before you leave and if you have applied at the correct time you should be in contact with your host family for at least a week before you leave. While late applications can sometimes be accepted, in such cases your placement in a host family is given to you closer to your departure date.

Host families have to go through an interview and vetting process. Your personality and preferences are taken into account if at all possible, but the supply of generous and welcoming families is not bottomless and you must be prepared to adapt to the situation you are given.

Most placements are around Cork and Dublin and are in the countryside. Our Irish affiliate is keen for students to understand that Ireland has a modern, bustling economy and while the Ireland of whitewashed villages, lepreachauns and four leaf clovers can be found, for most od Ireland it is as far in the past and as mythical as New Zealand’s pioneering days are for us. Being placed in the countryside means that students will be happiest if they are pro-active in seeking out their own local activities and involvement.

Successful placements depend as much upon you as upon the family you’re given. This is a cultural adventure inside and Irish family and an Irish school. Some students stay with the same family for a while year while others may have two or three families.

Irish society is generally more conservative than New Zealand.

On Arrival

You’ll be given a local orientation and taken to your host family. Your host school is almost certain to be single-sex and to have a Catholic ethos, though people of all regions are welcome.

Eligibility

You can go when you are from 15 to 17 but should not turn 18 during the exchange. You must be enrolled at a NZ high school when you apply, have good academic reports and be in good health. The requirements for Ireland in most respects resemble those for any other country except that you should expect the rules of the exchange to be more strictly adhered to. You will be expected to attend school every day and only approved trips are acceptable.