Put yourself in the picture!

Semester and academic year programmes

Our US affiliate offers semester programmes starting at the beginning of each semester or academic year programmes which start only at the beginning of the academic year.

Expectations

The USA can be a very exciting destination and it requires a strong sense of adventure in order to go there and to have a successful exchange. The country is huge and so is the range of environments in which you can be placed. Unfortunately, you can’t choose where you go.

Many people think that they will be going to a version of a TV programme where they will understand and recognise everything. That isn’t necessarily the case as many communities use unusual variations of English and some are not predominantly English-speaking. It is important to recognise that while the USA is an English-speaking country, it is culturally differently from New Zealand, often strikingly so.

Our ability to place you is restricted first of all by your age. While we can send older students to most countries, this is not true of the US. Most students leave for university at the end of Year 12 and schools are sometimes reluctant to accept even Year 13 much less those in a gap year. Also, we have a yearly quota which at present is small. Preference is given to those who apply early and complete forms satisfactorily.

Placements

These are made 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. Some students are in contact for a month or more. Host families have to go through an interview and vetting process and your personality and preferences are taken into account if at all possible. However, it is best to keep an open mind about which situation is going to give you a good experience.

Successful placement depend as much upon you as upon the family you’re given. Some students stay with the same family for a whole year while others may have two or three families.

Visas

Visa processes are quite stringent in the USA due to events of recent years and it is important to have all documentation filled out completely and accurately. This makes things run smoothly. You will be required to leave the country within one of the end of your exchange. Programmes are never extendable.

Travel

Because the country is so large and we do not know where you will be placed at the time you are interviewed, the domestic leg of your flight is not included in the fee. The fee has been priced on flights in and out of California but sometimes we are able to get reasonable prices if you are flying into an international airport in other parts of the country. Be prepared to pay extra for the domestic leg.