The fascination and rewards of temporarily adopting a son or daughter is a unique opportunity provided by local Rotary Clubs worldwide.

Students come to your community and enroll in the public high school for a full year. During that time, they generally stay with three different families in the school district to give them a sense of the diversity of family life in the U.S. The average stay at each family is 3-4 months.

Some families may have children close to the age of the student, some may have older or younger children, others may be childless or empty nesters. Some families may be more interested in sports, others in culture. The most important requirements are open minds and big hearts.

Students are treated as members of the family, not as guests. If your children are assigned chores, your Rotary student can also have family chores. It’s the student’s job to adapt to the family, not vice versa.

School lunches for a Rotary student should be handled the same way as for your own children. If your children take brown-bag lunches, the Rotary student can do the same; if you give your children lunch money, you should do the same for your exchange student to provide the basic school lunch (generally $2.25-2.75 per day).

Host parents are not responsible for clothing or incidental expenses. Clothing costs are covered by the student’s natural family, and each student receives a monthly allowance of $100 from the local Rotary Club to cover incidental costs. (Contact your local club for special requirements; for example, we can usually arrange the loan of a winter jacket for students from tropical countries.)

Rotary YEX Inbound Student & Host Family

By hosting a Youth Exchange student in your home, you’ll make a young person’s dream come true, and you and your family will share an unforgettable and fulfilling experience.

As a host family, you will:

• Provide room and board
• Supervise the student just as you would your own children
• Involve the student in family activities and chores
• Enrich the exchange experience by including the student in family, community, and cultural activities

Host families aren’t compensated financially, but may qualify for an IRS tax credit for each month they host a YEX student. The program is run entirely by dedicated volunteers; these volunteers — the Youth Exchange Committees of your local Rotary Club and District 7210 — are always available to provide guidance and assistance to Host Families as well as to the exchange students.

Host Family Brochure
Role of Host Family
Host Family Responsibilities
Quick Facts for Rotary Families