School exchange programs. How to go to America with an exchange family. Study program in Germany
– this is a good opportunity for schoolchildren who want to join another culture, improve their knowledge of a foreign language and feel independent.
You can send your child to Europe or America through an exchange program. The student traveler will live with a foreign host family and study at a local school.
Among the most popular countries among Russian teenagers are the UK, Germany, Finland, the USA, Japan and China. Every year the most talented and capable guys from Russia go there.
Selection criteria vary by program. If this is a non-profit project, then the best ones are determined on a competitive basis.
What to choose: commercial and non-profit programs
Commercial exchange programs are most often organized by operators of the foreign education market. Non-profits exist through investors, charitable contributions and foreign families hosting schoolchildren.
Participants in commercial exchange programs bear most of the financial costs. You will have to pay for round-trip flights, accommodation, meals, training, and pocket expenses.
According to experts, Russian parents need to save at least six thousand euros for the academic semester in Germany, France and Belgium. An academic year in the USA starts from seven thousand dollars.
Non-profit programs also involve the use of financial resources from the parents of a student who is going to study abroad. However, the costs will be significantly less than for parents who choose a commercial program.
In our country, the non-profit exchange program AFS is the most popular. Its participants undergo a competitive selection process. To qualify for an AFS scholarship, schoolchildren go through several stages of the competition. The first requires you to submit an essay on the topic “Life in the AFS style,” and the second requires an interview.
Another popular exchange program is FLEX. In Russia, it was suspended until 2016 due to the US violation of its obligations to return schoolchildren to their homeland.
An important criterion when selecting participants in a study abroad program is excellent knowledge of a foreign language. Therefore, applicants are asked to take a language test. It will be complemented by a psychological test. In addition, attention will be paid to the teenager’s overall school performance.
As for age, schoolchildren from 16 to 17 years old can take part in the exchange program.
So, you have chosen the program that interests you. All that remains is to submit the documents. On the list of what you need:
international passport
Medical insurance
Temporary registration
Important details:
According to the terms of some programs, mobile phones are taken away from schoolchildren who come to stay with a foreign family. This is done so that the teenager is not distracted from his studies and becomes as familiar with the culture of another country as possible.
Not all language programs involve the exchange of students from different families. That is, if you are planning to send your child to a foreign family, but do not want to welcome a foreign teenager into your home, then give preference to the one-way program
Schoolchildren going abroad on an exchange program fill out a questionnaire in which they tell about themselves and their family. In the questionnaire you can indicate the characteristics of the teenager. For example, the fact that he is a convinced vegetarian
You can keep in touch with the family who adopted your offspring for a year via email, Skype or mobile phone.
STAR Academy offers a number of unique international programs, thanks to which schoolchildren from Russia have the opportunity to gain educational experience in public schools in the USA, Canada and Germany at a reasonable price.
Many people believe that the exchange program involves a Russian student going to live and study in another country, and then a student from another country comes to his family. However, it is not. By “child exchange” it is meant that, while getting acquainted with the culture of the country, the children will share knowledge about their country with their new classmates, teachers, and host family.
Interesting exchange programs from STAR Academy are primarily aimed at high-quality learning of English, German and other languages, getting to know the country, its culture, and way of life. In addition to studying, each student is given a lot of time for sports, walking around the city, exploring the sights, participating in various events, so that he feels at home and meets new people.
Benefits of international exchange programs
- This is the most budget option for schooling abroad
- Complete immersion in the culture and language of the country
- Excellent knowledge of a foreign language
- Ability to learn in a different academic environment
- Experience international communication, meeting new people
- Opportunity to study new subjects not included in the Russian school curriculum
- Experience of independent living and motivation for further study
How can we help you?
We will advise on training programs in schools and universities across the country.
We organize the entire process: from submitting documents and enrolling in school to obtaining a visa and departure.
We supervise all issues related to the child’s stay during the entire period of study.
Participants in our exchange programs live with carefully selected host families. These are friendly people who create a comfortable psychological environment for schoolchildren. The student is provided with his own room and three meals a day. Typically, if families do not live within walking distance of the school, the student either takes a school bus or public transportation to get to school, or the family takes on transportation responsibilities.
The maximum duration of exchange programs abroad is an academic year. However, after completing the program, the student will be able to continue his studies (in Germany and the USA - in another school), receive a high school diploma and enter a university in this or another country.
We offer exchange programs in 3 countries:
|
A country |
Program |
Duration of training |
Cost of participation |
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The program involves public schools from small towns in different states. Schoolchildren will be able to get acquainted with American culture, hospitality and traditional family values. |
Academic year/semester |
The cost of the program in the USA depends on the selected program provider and will be from 6,765 USD per semester / from 7,775 USD per year. |
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Canadian public schools are generously funded by the government and can easily compete with private schools in terms of infrastructure. Schools, as part of the government’s “Immigration through Education” strategy, are aimed at attracting foreign students, and the friendliness of local residents helps them quickly settle in and fall in love with the country. |
Academic year/semester, it is possible to continue education until graduation. |
The cost of studying in Canada depends on the chosen educational district and will be from 9,000 USD per semester / from 17,000 USD per year. |
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An excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the German education system, the culture of the country, integrate into European society, and also find new friends. It is possible to continue your education at a private school. |
Academic year/semester |
The cost of studying in Germany is from 11,000 USD per year. |
The indicated cost includes training, accommodation with a host family with meals, and medical insurance.
Additionally, air tickets, visa fees, pocket expenses, as well as the program registration fee (25,000 rubles) are paid.
All payments are made in rubles at the exchange rate on the day of payment + 3% or directly to the school in the currency of the country of study.
Programs begin in January, August and September.
Schoolchildren from 12 years old (in Canada), from 14 years old (in Germany), from 15 years old (in the USA) can participate. The maximum age of participants is 18 years.
In each program, the student can choose the workload and subjects. There are also compulsory subjects, which may vary from school to school. Usually the compulsory subjects are mathematics, foreign language and history. All other items can be chosen to your taste.
Who can participate in the program?
Any Russian schoolchild who knows English, French or German well and has good academic performance at school. It is important to note that only highly motivated, active and sociable children are accepted to participate in the program.
How to participate?
- Leave a request to participate
- Take a language test at the STAR Academy office
- Bring a statement of grades for the previous two years and for the current year
For more information about the requirements for participation in the program, see the sections of the relevant countries.
What is important to know for success in the program
- Actively participate in school and local community events
- Be positive, open, open-minded to new things
- Be respectful of your host family, school and community
- Be sociable and friendly... Smile!
- Be an active member of your host family
- Follow the rules of participation in the program
Studying abroad in private schools with full boarding has a worthy alternative: participation in student exchange programs that involve living with a host family for the duration of the course. Business Quarter has collected answers to the most frequently asked questions about international exchange programs for Russian schoolchildren.
The active development of international student exchange programs began after the Second World War in European countries and the USA. Before our eyes, a new world order was being created, in which, in order to prevent terrible tragedies, connections between yesterday’s enemies became a key value - but not at the level of politicians and diplomats, but between ordinary people. The ideologists of the first exchange programs reasonably assumed that the foundation of understanding between people representing different races, religions and social groups would be stronger the earlier it began to be built—preferably from school age. And always with the participation of families, so that the immersion in a foreign culture is maximum. Therefore, international programs in which two countries exchange schoolchildren who come for one academic year (optionally a semester or trimester) to study in public or private schools, while living with families, began to be called cultural exchange programs (to separate them from “just » foreign educational programs, when schoolchildren live in boarding houses at private schools).
All exchange programs are divided into commercial and non-commercial. The vast majority belong to the first category; they are organized, as a rule, by operators of the foreign education market, but under the patronage of government agencies. The latter operate as large projects of non-profit foundations, financed by charitable contributions from host countries, sponsoring companies, and parents themselves. Participation in a non-profit program does not mean that parents incur no costs at all, but they are significantly lower than in the case of a commercial exchange. Nonna Kovrizhnykh, executive director of the Interculture Foundation (the Russian branch of AFS, one of the world's largest organizations organizing non-profit exchanges), says that 99% of exchange organizations are for-profit. This means that the parents of children participating in such a program, in addition to air tickets, visas, insurance, organizational services and other necessary expenses, also pay the cost of the student’s stay in the host family and school.
For parents, the main motive for sending their children to study in another country, in an unfamiliar family, is to prepare them for independent adult life, teach them effective interpersonal communications, the ability to negotiate and establish connections in any life situation, and, of course, to immerse themselves in another culture, which significantly expands the horizons of the possible. Organizers say that exchange programs are always an attempt to “teach a student to swim by simply throwing a student into the water.” The life successes of participants in such programs over decades have proven that this approach is truly effective.
Improving a foreign language in a natural linguistic environment as the main goal of the trip is gradually fading into the background, since today it is possible to learn a language at a good level in other ways.
1 | What is the difference between commercial and non-commercial exchange programs?
Ms. Kovrizhnykh explains the peculiarity of non-profit programs this way. Children and parents who choose them must understand that the slogan “pay and go” does not work. Parents cannot avoid costs, but the main principle of selecting children to participate is competitive. It is necessary to prove that this particular child can represent his country abroad (after all, the exchange takes place not between families, but between countries), that he is sufficiently gifted and prepared to adequately withstand all the upcoming difficulties. Providers of commercial programs also have selection, but, as a rule, it is limited to checking the child’s level of proficiency in a foreign language.
2 | What are the most famous non-profit programs?
The most well-known and widespread (in terms of geography of representation and mass participation) are the AFS and FLEX programs. The first forms exchange programs for schoolchildren between dozens of countries; 23 countries are offered for Russia for the academic year. The second is funded by the US State Department and offers one-year training in American schools and accommodation with ordinary American families. In both cases, it is necessary to undergo a competitive selection. It is quite tough, according to the FLEX program in the 2012-2013 season, in Russia and the CIS, out of 70 thousand participants, 1.2% were selected (about 800 people, the competition is higher than for enrollment in). The FLEX program competition consists of several stages (interview, teacher recommendations, letters to adoptive parents, second and third round essays). The organizers say that the level of English language proficiency of applicants is not important; those who best meet the goals of the program (understanding of American culture in all its diversity, acquaintance of Americans with their countries and their cultures, desire to learn about democratic values and civic responsibility of citizens) pass the competition USA, etc.). AFS competitions for scholarships in the exchange program for 2014‑2015. consists of two rounds. In the first part-time course, you must write an essay on the topic “Life in the AFS style” - no more than 20 sentences. The second round is full-time.
3 | With which countries are there exchange programs?
Since initially exchange programs connected mainly the United States and European countries, the most developed host infrastructure (trained host families and schools participating in the programs) is there. Accordingly, most schoolchildren from the Russian Federation go to the USA, Germany, France, and Belgium. At the same time, Nonna Kovrizhnykh clarifies that now the most popular countries among Russian parents are European countries (the USA has lost its status as the most attractive country for exchange). At the same time, more and more parents want to send their children to countries that are relatively new for school exchanges - Latin America, Asia (China and Asia are the most popular here). In the 2014‑2015 season. in AFS programs in Russia, in addition to traditional European countries and the USA, exchanges with Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, etc.
4 | Who can participate in exchanges?
The standard age for school exchange participants is 15-18 (sometimes 17) years at the beginning of the school year. The FLEX program is not open to teenagers who have lived in the United States for 3 months or more over the past 5 years, as well as children of parents who emigrated to the United States or have applied for emigration to the United States.
5 | How much does it cost to participate in commercial exchange programs?
An academic half-year in Germany will cost from 6.8 thousand euros, the same for a half-year in Belgium or France. Academic year in the USA - from $7 thousand. This amount includes: accommodation in a family carefully selected by local partners with meals (usually two times a day), meeting and transfer from the airport to the place of residence, training and use of the school infrastructure, cultural program. Parents pay additionally for airfare and pocket expenses. The organizers advise allocating $200-300 per month for pocket expenses (payment for cell phone, Internet, extra food, etc.).
6 | What are the disadvantages of participating in exchange programs?
From the point of view of obtaining education in a comprehensive school in the Russian Federation, schoolchildren who go abroad for an academic year may encounter difficulties. The organizers of the most popular programs describe them as follows: perhaps next year the student will not have time to return to his homeland to take school exams (etc.); an academic year in the USA may not be counted by a Russian school; the curriculum in the USA may differ greatly from that studied in the Russian Federation; upon graduation from school in the United States, a young man can immediately be drafted into the army; the family in the host country may have a different standard of living from yours.
Opinions
Exchange programs help eliminate many shtetl complexes
Anatoly Sergeev, General Director of SibitSystems (Krasnoyarsk)
I have a positive attitude towards exchange programs for schoolchildren and students. They broaden the horizons of young people, opening up new opportunities for them. Plus, such programs help to get rid of many small-town complexes and form young people into real civilized representatives of humanity. I definitely won’t object if one of my children wants to participate in the exchange program. But this should be solely their choice, and not my desire - this is how upbringing is structured in our family. I believe that the future lies not just in individual programs, but in the opportunity for a young person to choose any place of study, based on global rankings and the reputation of the university. In this case, the applicant will have to demonstrate all his abilities and prove his right to study. Freedom of choice and healthy competition - this alone will greatly influence the personality and character of every young person and society as a whole. For now, exchange programs look more like small “gates” into the big world, accessible to a limited circle. But the fact that they exist is already good.
Exchange programs are social training for a child
Nikolay Sallo, director of the Tislenko Clinic (Krasnoyarsk)
I think no one will argue that school or student exchange programs are very useful and necessary. For a child, this is a unique experience of living in another country, with its own cultural and everyday characteristics. In addition, this is a good motivation for a more in-depth study of the language, culture, history, and geography of the country. It’s no secret that even the attitude towards studying and the technology of studying abroad and here are different, so, in any case, this is something new and interesting. Also, exchange programs are an excellent “social training” for a child, new acquaintances and communication formats. But there are pitfalls here. Since the level of awareness in adolescence is usually low, the child may be subject to some kind of negative influence - cultural, ideological, religious. Therefore, parents must understand and take this into account and, in medical terms, organize the correct “rehabilitation” of the child after his return.
Sharing experience helps to develop comprehensively
Karen Dallakyan, President of the “Save Me!” Animal Protection Fund (Chelyabinsk)
I definitely have a positive attitude towards student exchange! My boys, unfortunately, did not participate in such programs. But I think it is very important that this practice exists in Yerevan, in many schools and universities where the children of my relatives and friends study. I remember when I was visiting there, a boy from England was staying with friends. This is important for education, for general development, both for students and schoolchildren. This is an acquaintance with another culture and way of life. Any exchange of experience is positive and fruitful for work, education and development!
For a new level of English
Vitaly Dudka, director of the company “Creator” (Chelyabinsk)
Of the similar programs, I have only come across the student Work&Travel USA. The program is certainly useful, it broadens your horizons, allows you to travel, and teaches you independence. Well, in the end, it gives you the opportunity to earn money. My children are still small, but several of my friends took part in this program, my sister went. This is an interesting adventure and challenge. And a separate bonus is a completely new level of spoken English. The most important thing in such programs, in my opinion, is the development of independence and acquisition of communication skills. Well, and a foreign language, of course.
A language is best learned in the country where it is spoken
Irina Skosyreva, owner of the chain of Italian furniture salons Berloni (Nizhny Novgorod)
I think the best way to learn a language is in the country where it is spoken. My children have never had the opportunity to participate in exchange programs, but I think it is very cool. Here he studied at a regular school, and I regret that I did not send him to a specialized language school, where there are exchange programs. We ourselves sent them on summer holidays to England and France for in-depth study of languages. Perhaps the results in exchange programs are higher, because children live in a family and they have to additionally communicate at the everyday level. They see more of the life of the country from the inside and immerse themselves in the culture. Although, as far as I know, children prefer to live in college, because in the family they need to get used to a certain way of life, and not every child can do this. In general, any trip helps to broaden your horizons, become more sociable, and this will certainly help in adulthood. In addition, when children are far from their parents, they learn to make decisions on their own.
TOP 28 exchange programs for students and high school students
| № | Company - provider/program | price | duration | Group age | a country |
| Programs for students and masters, in USD | |||||
| 1 | 1270 – 2250 € | 2-4 weeks | From 18 years old | France | |
| 2 | DAAD|Introductory program | 800 -3000 € | 2 months | 20-23 ** years | Germany |
| 3 | 805-1060€ | Up to 4 months | From 18 years old | France | |
| 4 | DAAD|Summer university courses* | From 800€ | 3-4 weeks | 20-32 ** years | Germany |
| 5 | International Excange center|Work and Travel USA | 790-1150$ | 2-12 months | Up to 25 years | South Africa |
| 6 | * |F. Schiller Universities in Jena/im. Friedrich-Alexandra in Erlangen and Nuremberg/European University Viadrina/Humboldt | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Germany |
| 7 | URFU* |School of Business Administration TURIBA | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Latvia |
| 8 | URFU*|Lappeenranta Technical University/University of Applied Sciences Mikkeli/Laurea/Savonia | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Finland |
| 9 | URFU*|University of Lille-1/Pierre Mendes France in Grenoble/Rennes-2/Enterprise Administration of the University Pierre Mendes France in Grenoble/School of Business TELECOM, Evry | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | France |
| 10 | URFU*|Tomas Bata University in Zlin/Western Bohemia/Masaryk University in Brno/Technical University of Brno/Prague University of Economics/Charles University/ | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Czech |
| 11 | URFU*|University of Florence/Bergamon State University/University of Turin | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Italy |
| 12 | URFU*|Zagreb School of Economics and Management | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Croatia |
| 13 | URFU*|University of Seville | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Spain |
| 14 | URFU*|Johannes Kepler University in Linz | From 500 € | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Austria |
| 15 | URFU*|National Tsing Hua University | From 200$ | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Taiwan |
| 16 | URFU*|Guangdong Institute of Foreign Languages/Hong Kong University of Science and Technology/Harbin Institute of Technology/Beijing Aerospace University/Sichuan University | From 200$ | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | China |
| 17 | URFU*|Sungkyunkwan University/Chunan/Dongguk/Hanyang University | From 200$ | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Korea |
| 18 | URFU*|Yerevan State University | From 200$ | from 3 to 12 months. | 18-23**years | Armenia |
| 19 | Americancouncils*/ GLOBAL UGRAD Student Exchange Program | From 200$ | 1 academic. Year (semester) | 17-21 years old** | USA |
| Programs for high school students, in USD | |||||
| 1 | Alliance Française Ekaterinburg | 1270 – 2250 € | 2-4 weeks | From 16 years old | France |
| 2 | 1150-5210$ | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | USA | |
| 3 | International Excange center/Work and Travel USA | 1110-4660$ | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | New Zealand |
| 4 | International Excange center/Work and Travel USA | 1080-5380$ | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | Australia |
| 5 | International Excange center/Work and Travel USA | 1060-4370$ | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | Canada |
| 6 | International Excange center/Work and Travel USA | 870-3630€ | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | Ireland |
| 7 | International Excange center/Work and Travel USA | £710-3170 | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | Great Britain |
| 8 | International Excange center/Work and Travel USA | 505-2075€ | 2-12 weeks | From 12 years old | Malta |
| 9 | Americancouncils*/Exchange Program for High School Students “FLEX” | From 200$ | 3 months | 15-17 years old | USA |
There are a large number of paid programs for education abroad. At the same time, successful students can take part in a free program that allows them to live with another family for several months, get acquainted with the customs and try themselves as a student in an unfamiliar country. This is available not only to students, but also to students who have not reached the age of majority.
Which program should I choose?
Of the variety of youth exchange programs for schoolchildren, the most popular today are:
American FLEX, lasts one year. Children who have excellent knowledge of English and excel in other subjects can participate. The program is fully funded by the US government;
In Germany, a program is launched annually, initiated by the German-Russian Youth Exchange Foundation together with the Coordination Bureau of the Russian Federation;
The international public organization “Youth for Mutual Understanding” annually organizes programs that every active student can attend. This program gives children the opportunity not only to study, but also to learn new things about the lives of other people - about culture, customs, traditions, art and politics. You can get an exchange within the framework of this program in one of several countries.
Winning the competition means an opportunity to travel abroad
If parents are not ready to send a student to study in another country for a year, you can consider an alternative option - short-term training for winners in various competitions:
The Interculture Foundation is holding a competition in which children interested in the cultures and languages of the peoples of the world and art can participate;
The competition “Bridge of Cultures – Russia and Germany” will appeal to schoolchildren who can boast of knowledge of the German language;
The British Council also regularly gives children the opportunity to prove themselves at language competitions, the main prize of which is studying in the UK.
Foreign schools with scholarships
Foreign schools with scholarships are another great opportunity to get an education abroad. Such general educational institutions allow you to receive a quality education, while at the same time receiving a scholarship. Every year the list of institutions organizing such a program expands. Children can choose the school they like and clarify the conditions of study.
The most popular today are:
Alleyn's School in London. Schoolchildren aged eleven to eighteen can go here to study. Students who have proven themselves have the right to apply for a scholarship;
Abbey Gate College in Chester accepts boys and girls from the age of four. This is a day school where children not only study science, but also spend their leisure time together. This approach to organizing training allows you to unite the team and find new friends;
Abbots Bromley Schooland Roch House in the UK allows not only English but also foreign students to receive scholarships.
Why study abroad
At first glance, it may seem that education in any country is the same and you don’t have to go to another continent to get school knowledge. In addition, if a child attends classes in a foreign language, he may not understand the meaning of the subjects and will begin to fall behind in the program.
However, it should be remembered that it is education abroad that will allow the child to feel independent and learn to make decisions. He will always be supported by adults, but he will need to learn on his own.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to show your best qualities. Most often, people who go to study abroad are those who like to gain new knowledge and strive for something new and interesting.
Another undoubted advantage of participating in exchange programs is the development of communication skills. During the learning process, the child will find new friends and meet interesting people.
To become a participant in a study abroad program, all you have to do is submit an application and explain why this particular child should go to a new country to gain new knowledge.
What everyone who decides to participate in an international school exchange program needs to know.
Every year in September, the US Embassy in Moscow officially announces the opening of Russian-American educational programs for the next academic year. Speaking on September 12, 2000, at a ceremony dedicated to the start of the 2001/2002 programs, the US Ambassador to Russia, Mr. James Collins, proudly announced that these programs - and schoolchildren, students, graduate students and young graduates, schoolchildren take part in them teachers and university professors, scientists and researchers - about thirty million dollars have been allocated from the American budget. At the same time, 3,000 Russians will be able to become residents of the States for a period of time (from several weeks to a year). The most widespread of these programs is an exchange program for Russian schoolchildren called “Flex”. The essence of this program is that students of the 9th and 10th grades of Russian schools who win the competition will be able to go to the United States absolutely free for a whole year - live in ordinary American families and study in ordinary public schools.
A little history
The idea of international child exchanges was born in the USA. The author of the idea is the American Field Service (AFS), a volunteer organization that, during the First and Second World Wars, rescued the wounded on the battlefields, not only its own, but also those of the enemy. In 1947, AFS for the first time invited 51 schoolchildren from 10 different countries (among which were Germany and Japan, very recent enemies!) for a year in the United States. Following AFS, dozens more non-profit, non-governmental foundations were created that are professionally involved in international school exchanges. Their founders are famous people and even presidents: Ronald Reagan (AISE, American Foundation for International Student Exchange), Robert Kennedy (AIFS, American Institute of International Studies).
In 1982, student and school exchanges received government status: on behalf of Congress, the program was developed by the United States Information Agency (USIA). And the funds actually carry out the exchanges, as before.
Senator Bill Bradley discovered America
In 1992, on the initiative of Senator Bill Bradley, who declared that the ideas of democracy and a free economy in the republics of the former Soviet Union could only be truly understood by young minds, the Freedom Support Act program was adopted. School exchanges became an integral part of the Act. The program is entirely funded by the US government: participants are paid for travel to the US and back, medical insurance, and are paid a stipend ($100 per month). Participants are selected in an open competition, which is held throughout Russia (in some years the number of Russian cities where the competition was held reached 70). Pupils of 9th and 10th grades can participate in the competition. The main selection criteria are strong leadership qualities, independence, and communication skills.
The competition takes place in 3 rounds. In the first round, they give you a list of questions with possible answers: you need to choose the correct one and put a cross next to it. The main thing here is knowledge of everyday, everyday vocabulary. In the second round, the questions are more difficult: in addition, you are required to write several essays. These essays are not similar to those asked at school; here it is important to express your own attitude to the question posed. These essays are used to judge the personality of the contestant, his ability to survive - in unusual conditions and despite numerous difficulties. Those admitted to the third round must bring with them a completed questionnaire at home, take part in role-playing games (communication skills, the ability to work in a group, and make quick decisions are tested), then undergo a personal interview in Russian (conducted by employees of the Russian Ministry of Education) and English (conducted by Americans ). Some relief is given to the children from the outback: it is more difficult for them to learn the language, and sometimes there are no English teachers there for a long time. The final decision on which of the finalists will be included in the program and who will be in the reserve is made in Washington and becomes known after April 15.
The success of the program depends on how well the student and the host family suit each other. American foundations are involved in family selection: teachers and psychologists develop detailed questionnaires to find out what the future program participant’s needs and hobbies are, where his parents work, whether he is the only child in the family, and so on. American families accepting “exchange” schoolchildren do so absolutely disinterestedly - under the terms of the program, they are entitled to only a few tax breaks, and the cost of maintaining a child is clearly higher. These families are driven by an interest in a foreign culture, as well as an understandable, in general, desire to show someone hospitality and patronage. Grandfathers and grandmothers, families with small and adult children, single parents take on the difficult task of raising a Russian teenager and most often cope with it. Although not without problems - and here's why. In the big years of America, it is no longer easy to find a volunteer family; interest in Russians there has faded. It’s easier to find people willing to accept a teenager from Russia in villages and small towns, where the population is homogeneous and no one has ever seen foreigners, especially Russians, before. And among the “exchange” schoolchildren, the majority, on the contrary, are residents of large cities. And so our child ends up in a family of farmers, in a village, from where “civilization” - cinemas, discos, classmates - can only be reached by car. And program participants are not allowed to drive a car, even if they have a driver’s license. The first two weeks of festive excitement after arrival pass, and everyday work begins. Family members are always busy with something, and it’s not clear what to talk to them about. Boring.
It happens that American “brothers” and “sisters” (that’s what they are officially called in exchange programs) are jealous of a foreign student who has suddenly become a new member of the family, and try in every possible way to complicate his already difficult life.
Quite ridiculous situations also happen. An American family complained that a girl who came to them from Krasnoyarsk several times asked to give her alcohol or vodka, she was an obvious alcoholic, she should be sent home immediately. Thank God, the program coordinator found out everything and reconciled everyone. It turns out that alcohol was needed to fight youthful pimples; the girl simply did not know about the existence of special lotions.
What can I recommend here? The student should make every effort to make friends with his adoptive parents and brothers and sisters. Don't isolate yourself. And also - respect the traditions of the family and the rules of behavior accepted in it. And the student’s parents (not American adopted ones, but real, Russian ones) should be patient. Even if a child complains that everyone around him is angry, that it’s cold in the house and it’s impossible to sleep, and that there are only fools at school, you shouldn’t immediately sound the alarm: most likely, he’s just homesick. Everything will gradually settle down. If you “found a scythe on a stone” and the relationship with the foster family does not work out, you need to contact the regional coordinator. His task is to understand the causes of the conflict and try to settle everything. He (or the regional chancellor) can change the student’s family. Or maybe send him home - if he decides that the cause of the conflict is in himself and a change of family will not improve the situation.
The American school is very little like ours. In Russia, children from 6 to 17 years old go to the same school, but in the USA they go to different ones: first to the elementary school, then to the middle school, then to the high school, which covers the last four grades, from 9th to 12th. -th, and where, in fact, foreigners who come on exchange end up. Classes in an American school start early, you can't skip or be late. An American will be punished for this, but an “exchange student” for this, as well as for cheating, can be immediately expelled from the program and sent home. Before the start of lessons there is something like a pioneer line, in which everyone salutes the US flag. Raising a citizen of a great country, an independent individual who understands himself as a part of a single American nation, is the core point of all American school programs, and “exchange” schoolchildren naturally fall under this comb.
There are many school programs in the USA. There is no uniform curriculum here (unlike Russia and most European countries). Required subjects in high school are mathematics (choice of algebra, geometry or trigonometry), one of the science subjects (physics, chemistry or biology), English, a foreign language (usually Spanish or French), US history. You need to “take” at least one more elective subject: computer, economics, English or world literature, photography, drawing, choir, drama... There are schools where dozens of courses are offered to choose from. In many schools, subjects, both compulsory and optional, can be “taken” both at a regular and at a more serious, “advanced” level. Therefore, there is no class in the Russian sense (a single composition of students in each lesson) in an American school; after the morning assembly, classmates disperse to different classrooms. Many of the Russian children who studied in the USA claim that studying there is both easier and more interesting - there are many computers, all sorts of instruments for experiments, lessons are often held in the form of discussions or games. But it is important for “exchange” students to immediately understand: Americans can do poorly at school, but you absolutely cannot. Those who fail will be given a probationary period (from a week to a month) to catch up. If it doesn't work out, they'll send you home. So, when deciding whether or not to go to the USA, and then when choosing school subjects, you need to realistically assess your own strengths.
What especially amazes our schoolchildren in an American school is not even the salute to the flag (and we had this), not the opportunity to choose interesting and useful disciplines for a future career (they say we will have this soon), but the fact that healthy children study together in the USA , and disabled people. They try to create all conditions for disabled people - special transport, parking, toilets. Moreover, mentally retarded children go to regular schools - of course, there are special classes for them, but they participate in the life of the school together with everyone else. By the way, Russian visually, hearing and motor impaired people can also take part in the program; a competition is also held for them.
Charity is included in school curricula in all US states. Each high school student, in order to receive a high school diploma, is required to work at least 100 hours in the field of charity: in charity canteens, in nursing homes, helping lagging classmates with homework, sorting out the school archive or cleaning up trash around the school - whatever you like and can do.
According to the terms of the program, “exchange” students do not have the right to work, and the scholarship is a hundred dollars a month - very little money for the USA. As a rule, you can always find some kind of part-time job: babysitting, Russian language lessons or, for example, mathematics, orders for homemade baked goods. It is customary to pay for such work in cash, and it is not considered real work, so the student does not break any laws, but earns pocket money for school excursions. Many schools have centers that accept orders for such work.
Those who did not win will have to look for money
In addition to the free program, there are also similar paid ones (the usual price is from 4,000 to 8,000 dollars per academic year, an academic semester costs a little less). They are carried out by the same funds and are regulated by the same rules. Russian teenagers are recruited for such programs either by Russian representative offices of American foundations, or by Russian educational agencies cooperating with these foundations. Different funds have their own advantages. For example, the scale and wealth of such foundations as AFS, AIFS or Youth for Understanding allow them to have a huge selection of schools and host families throughout America, hold grand meetings and forums for “exchange” schoolchildren from all over the planet, have a huge staff of regional coordinators and chancellors. Small funds typically operate in only one state, know the schools and families they work with better, and are more likely to take a closer look at each individual child. In addition, smaller funds have lower requirements for the level of English of program participants. Another very important difference is the less strict age requirements. Anyone who is not younger than 15 and not older than 18 years can take part in the paid program (some funds raise the upper limit to 18.5 years). Thus, the program is also open to those who have already received a matriculation certificate. The heads of all non-governmental foundations and educational companies with whom your correspondent spoke unanimously stated that exchanges are the most difficult of all educational programs, and the older the participant, the better. In addition, a graduate of a Russian school, especially if he studied well and is strong in English, has a real chance of getting a diploma from an American school - this, however, is not provided for by the rules, but in practice it happens quite often. It is often possible to pass certification exams in the USA: in English (TOEFL) and academic (SAT1 and SAT2).
Foreign students traveling to the United States - and students in the West are everyone who studies, including schoolchildren - most often receive one of two visas: J1 or F1. J1 is a visa for those traveling to the United States on various cultural exchange programs, including “exchange” schoolchildren. J1 - single-entry visa. Its holder must stay in the country for the entire academic year. But you can’t go home or to another country on vacation, even if you really want to and have the money for it. There is another limitation. Exchange participants must return home immediately upon completion of the program; this rule was established by the USIA. In principle, you can, while still in the United States, try to change the status of your visa, that is, change the exchange J1 to a student P1 (it can be either one-time or multiple-entry: in addition, the P1 visa is extended as long as the foreigner studies in any educational institution).
So, what does participation in the program give a person, besides satisfying understandable curiosity? Is it just excellent knowledge of English? Of course not. Firstly, this is an opportunity for a teenager to test himself and believe in his abilities. In a foreign country, far from his parents, he is forced to rely only on himself. He learns to spend money carefully, get along with people, restrain himself, and independently look for a way out of a variety of life situations. As a result, the child becomes an adult who has seen the world. Even if this is the only result of the effort expended, it is already a lot.
Natalia Ginzburg