There are a few steps you need to take to be accepted on the program:

1. Complete our online pre-application form so we can assess your eligibility.
2. Join one of our online and free information sessions to learn more about an exchange.
3. Tell our office that you would like to complete a full application form.
4. Complete an online or at home interview with one of our staff.
5. Complete the full application for your destination country.
6. If you meet all of the eligibility criteria then we hopefully can accept you on the program and your application will be sent to our partner organisation for processing and final acceptance.

To learn more about the eligibility criteria for the exchange program please consult our application requirements page.

For any applicant with a medical condition that may preclude them from applying, we ask that you contact our office before completing a pre-application form. For some conditions we may need to receive further medical information from your GP or specialist. Some conditions may prevent you from applying. Some destinations are more amenable than others to considering applicants with health concerns.

For students with a psychological issue it is very difficult / impossible to find host families who are willing to host. There is a risk that you may relapse during your stay. Exchange is a huge mental strain and can be very challenging so the risk of relapse is high. We cannot ask host families to take on a student that might need significant medical assistance/emotional support while on exchange.

Depending on what you are allergic to, allergies can be a problem.

We cannot accommodate you if you have a severe/life-threatening food allergy. It will be very difficult to find a host family that will take on the extra responsibility and expense involved in having to take your dietary requirements into consideration. We cannot expect the host family to change their diet for the particular needs of a student. It is also for the sake of your health and safety.

Some destinations, including the USA, are unable to accept students who are allergic to domestic pets. If you have a pet allergy, please contact us before completing an application.

Some of our partners will accept you ‘conditionally’ onto the program and would only fully accept you as a participant once they have found you a host family. If they are unable to find you a host family by the placement deadline then you would not be able to travel and you would be fully refunded.

Generally, yes. Our partners are very able to work with applicants who are vegetarian or pescetarian. If you are vegan or gluten-free then they would only accept you conditionally onto the program. This means that they would work to place you with a host family, but would only accept you fully if they were able to find a family. If they cannot find you a family before the placement deadline then you would not be able to travel. If you have a strict diet then we recommend you apply early.

Please note that Japan will not accept any student who follows a special diet. Applicants will have to consider if they are willing to adjust their diet in order to participate on the program.

The program fee is paid in 4 instalments by bank transfer. All fees must be paid before departure:

1. 10% of fee due after successful interview with staff member.
2. 10% of fee due once application is complete and before your application is sent to the partner.
3. 40% of fee due April 1st (programs departing in August/September) or October 1st (programs departing January-March.)
4. 40% of fee + insurance fee + any additional fees due 1st July or December 15th.

We will happily discuss a payment plan that suits you if you need assistance.

We do not publish our prices for the year until July/August of the year before as this is when our partners release their fees. If you want to apply early you might be eligible for our Early Bird Discount.

We offer an Early Bird Discount for applicants. If you apply and are accepted after interview before August 15th or March 15th then you will only pay the program fee for the previous year. Read more here.

Some of our destinations will accept students who will be 18 on departure and possibly turn 19 while on exchange. However, many will not. You will need to contact the office to discuss your eligibility as your date of birth may also affect your eligibility for some destinations.

As an older applicant you need to consider the following:

• You will have to attend school as a full time student and will be expected to work hard. You may not want to do this after finishing school in the UK.
• You will not be treated like a typical 18 year old while on the program. You will have to follow the rules, which include no alcohol or driving or independent travel. You will be treated more like a 16 year old, which might not be appealing.

As an alternative to our High School Exchange, you should consider available destinations for our GAP year options. If you want to travel as an adult, you should consider our Language Travel programs.

Some of our exchange destinations are now requiring that applicants are vaccinated against COVID in order to apply. Other destinations will only accept students conditionally if they are not vaccinated, (this means that you could only travel if they can find a school and host family willing to host you if you are not vaccinated.) As most of our destinations require a visa for entry, it is likely that more visas will require a vaccination. Not being vaccinated will also lead to additional costs such as possible self-isolation requirements and pre departure and post arrival testing.

If you do not wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or cannot be because of a medical condition, please speak with one of our team and we will be able to advise about where you can travel on a high school exchange.

Our host families are located across the whole of the country. You cannot choose where exactly your host family is situated. You must have a completely open mind about where you spend your exchange. Most of our families are based in suburban or rural areas. It is very rare that a family is based in a large city.

In the USA, you can pay an additional fee to request a region or state of your choice. Placement in these areas is not guaranteed but you can state a preference. You only pay the fee if you are placed in the area you have requested.

Alternatively, on our Preferred programs in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, you can choose where exactly you will live as you can choose your school or school district.

Host families come in all shapes and sizes. There is no set idea of what a family will look like. You must have an open mind. Some families have children of your age or younger. Some have children who have grown up and moved away. Others have not had children. Some are single parent or single person families. Some families have same-sex parents.

We ask that a host family provides a safe and caring environment for a young person to live in. Whatever your family looks like, they will welcome you as part of their family.

Families in every destination are selected by a similar process:

• Home interview -a staff member/representative of our partner organisation visits the family at home. They discuss what is involved in hosting and ensure they have the right motivation for hosting. They also assess the home for suitability and comfort.
• References – friends/colleagues of family members are contacted and asked about the family’s ability to host and care for a young person.
• Police check – all adult members of the home must complete a criminal background check.
  • NB: in Japan it is not possible for a criminal check to be secured due to the stringent bureaucracy preventing adults from getting a check of this nature. Most families are known by the school and the school plays a role in recruiting families.

Our partner organisations aim to notify your placement to you at least one month before departure. We hope that it will be no later than this, but, on occasion, the information does arrive later. Placement details could arrive a few days after you lodge your application or several months later. Whatever the situation, you have to be patient and be ready to contact your host family as soon as you receive the placement information sheet.

Some families choose to host more than one student. If you are placed with another exchange student you might share a room. The other student will not be from the UK and will not be a native English speaker.

Most students really value being placed with another student as you have a companion through the experience. You don’t have to be best friends and you can find your own path through the exchange experience, but the company is always beneficial.

No. An exchange is an individual experience and you cannot request to be placed near your friend or in the same home.

Packing for a year is not easy, but we recommend that you take only one suitcase with you. You can buy toiletries and bulky items after arrival in your host country, so just pack the vital items that you need.

For destinations where you need proper protective winter clothing, it is likely to be cheaper and easier to do your shopping when you are overseas as the shops are likely to be much better stocked with winter items. Your host family may also have clothes/wellies that you can  borrow. Talk to your host family about what you need to bring and what you don’t need to bring.

As you prepare for departure MyEducation will provide you with the following support:

• Information sheets: At intervals you will receive information about your destination and hints and tips to prepare you for departure.
• Handbook: You and your parents will receive a handbook of information.
• Returned Student Advisor: We will put you in touch with a student who has returned from an exchange with MyEducation. They will be able to give you advice and support.
• Pre-departure orientation: We will schedule an orientation with you and other departing students to discuss the exchange and what to expect.
• Visa assistance: we will guide you through the visa application process and provide you with the necessary forms and documents to apply for your visa. You will have to attend the interview, where needed, and complete the documents.
• Flight and insurance: we will book your flight with our travel agent and provide you with the insurance ID cards and other documents.