Home to 321 million people, the USA is a vast and fascinating country. If you love Hollywood movies, contemporary music, delicious comfort food, and beautiful scenery, you’ll love the USA. Whether you study in sunny California or cosmopolitan New York, or anywhere in between, a student exchange to the USA is a wonderful opportunity to experience the famous American culture for yourself.
I really liked how diverse and open my school was. There were lots of options and all my teachers were very nice and helpful.
Fiona, Auckland
You can choose to study in the USA for one semester or one academic year. You must not be aged older than 18 years upon departure. Students must have also maintained a ‘C’ grade point average or higher in all academic classes to be eligible for this exchange programme. Placements could be anywhere in the USA, including Alaska. The map below shows where some of our students have been placed in the past.
Placements with family friends can be requested – acceptance is based on the approval of our US partner and a signed agreement by the host school. You cannot be related to your host family. Double placements are common; you may be placed with another international student. All of our host families are carefully vetted. We conduct home interviews, inspections, and police checks to ensure our students are placed in a secure and supportive living environment.
Students must be:
You will be required to apply for a visa. There is a SEVIS fee (approx US$230) and a visa application fee (approx NZ$170). Most of the application is done online. You will also be required to visit the US Embassy in Auckland so please factor this into your budget.
We know that financing your exchange might be a bit of a challenge, but don’t let that hold you back from pursuing the experience of a lifetime! NZIIU offers a select number of scholarships each year to exceptional students who require some financial assistance, as well as fundraising kits.
Explore now »Meet our NZIIU Student Ambassadors at one of our information day events! These students who have recently been on exchange have done it all, and are here to share their knowledge, experiences, and stories from exchange.
Learn More »