Are there student exchange programs that allow 14 year olds & homeschooled?

Question

My sister will be 14 soon and she wants to go to Japan as a foreign exchange student freshman year. She has been homeschooled since 6th grade and doesn't know what her grades are as she hasn't been properly tested since 5th grade. She has been studying the language independently for a little under a year I believe. She wants to study abroad for the entire freshman year. Any suggestions are apreciated! I know this is an unusual situation.

Answer 1

Most programs will work with homeschooled  students. However, NO reputable program will send a 14-year-old. Government requirements state that students should be between 15 and 18 1/2 to do a foreign exchange. Unfortunately, you sister will just have to wait another year. Besides, 14 is just too young. I know I would not consider hosting a 14-year-old, or even a 15-year-old for that matter.

However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. That gives her more time for language study and time to raise money. Exchange years are expensive!

Since she is home schooled, it make take a bit more work with the exchange program as well. She may have to be tested in order to provide some form of transcripts.

To find a program, first make sure it's CSIET listed (www.csiet.org). You might also make a call to the local high school and see if the counselor there will recommend a program to you. A program is only as good as its local representatives. AFS, Aspect, Rotary and YFU are generally reliable everywhere. Rotary is the cheapest, but most competitive. I do know that YFU takes homeschooled students for sure, as I was involved with one of those a few years back.

For more information on becoming an exchange student, have your sister go to http://www.exchangestudentworld.com/ -- an online community of exchange students.

Good luck!