Host Families for International Students

ISO Host Families for International Students

We at Borderless Friends Forever have international exchange students who are looking for placement within supportive family households while studying in our country. Our deadlines to pair students with families is coming up and with your help we can find the right placements.

Who are our International Students?

Our exchange students are enthusiastic to learn more about American culture and become involved in the community while studying in the U.S. Each student is eager to experience life in the U.S., share their own culture and form lifelong bonds.

I'm prioritizing international students who are seeking families who will support them with their leadership and volunteering pursuits as guided by the YES and FLEX Scholarship Programs. These teens are an exceptional group of high-achieving students who have gone through a rigorous screening process to earn a full program scholarship. The scholarship program provides students from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds with the opportunity to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience of American culture.

The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES). The program awards scholarships to high school students from 40 countries with a significant Muslim population.

Flonia (16, Female, Albania)

Harun (16, Male, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Fakhri (17, Male, Indonesia)

Ammar (15, Male, Jordan)

Ahmed (16, Male, Kenya)

Hala (15, Female, Libya)

Taha (16, Male, Morocco)

Loujayn (17, Female, Tunisia)

The Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) was established in 1992, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union. The program provides a scholarship opportunity for students to gain leadership experience, learn about American society, and foster mutual understanding across cultures.

Ramazan (16, Male, Kyrgyzstan)

Arabella (16, Female, Estonia)

Alikhan (15, Male, Kazakhstan)

Khongorzul (16, Female, Mongolia)

I'm also excited to place students with passions in extracurriculars like dance, theatre, art, sports and music in active households that can support these interests. For many of the international high school exchange students at these opportunities aren’t always available in their home countries, having access to these activities helps give a sense of belonging and community

What makes a great Host Family?

Busy families make excellent host parents for exchange students Families with younger aged children make excellent host parents Empty-nest retirees are fantastic host parents LGBTQIA+ couples make amazing host parents

If your home has room to welcome a new sibling to the dinner table ... an open seat in the family car for weekend day trips ... or would benefit from having a teen join the household who is excited to be a role model ... you might have the perfect family for one of our students

Becoming a host family is about seeing the world through a different lens, breaking down stereotypes and building bridges of understanding. This is a wonderful opportunity for a family looking to include an older sibling, parents who have room in their homes and hearts for a young teen to join their loving household or for a booster group to promote to earn a $500 gift reward for a referral.

The growth flows both ways When your family opens your heart and home, you can change a young person's life — and your own.

I can place students in any state in our nation, so feel free to share this information with families in your network or with parent groups online. Let’s work together to build family communities that unite us

Contact me Mairead Ajisola, M. Ed. to learn more, make a referral or to BECOME A HOST FAMILY