Benefits of Being a Host FamilyBeing a CIEE Host Family
Change starts with you - open your home and your heart to an international exchange student. As a CIEE host family, you will offer a young international student the opportunity to discover America through your eyes. Your family will not only gain a new family member, you will also learn about a different culture, its values and traditions, language, food, and more.
Benefits of Being a CIEE Host Family
CIEE USA High School students live with host families for either 5 or 10 months while attending a U.S. high school.
The cultural exchange between your family and the student will help you both gain a deeper understanding of human values that unite all nations across the world. But, what really makes this cross-cultural experience so exceptional are the relationships that evolve into lifelong friendship!
Careful Selection
Rather than catalog our students for random selection by a host family, CIEE Local Coordinators prefer to help you choose your new “son” or “daughter” thoughtfully using their knowledge of other cultures, student profiles, and your local school district; along with your basic preferences and general family information. Based on the information about your family that you provide us, such as hobbies and interests, we will recommend a select choice of students for you to consider hosting.
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CIEE Support
You will receive support from a CIEE Local Coordinator that lives close to your home. The Local Coordinator will help you choose a student that is right for your family and prepare you and your family before the student's arrival.
Throughout the year, the Local Coordinator is responsible for being available to you and for supervising your student through monthly communication by phone, in-person casual meetings, or student group activities. Local Coordinators also maintain contact with the local high school your student will be attending.
Additionally, the CIEE Portland office provides a full-time Support Team trained in the field of international educational exchange. CIEE Support Team Coordinators are responsible for helping the student, host family, and Local Coordinators resolve adjustment challenges, to answer questions, and guide everyone as needed along the way. We offer a 24 hour emergency line.
Other Benefits
Discount on other CIEE Programs
As a CIEE host family, your son or daughter will receive a 5% discount on any CIEE High School and Gap Year Abroad programs. With their interest in the world sparked from hosting a foreign exchange student, broaden their horizons in a new culture, language, and challenge on one of our programs in 11 countries.
Tax Deduction
Although not a large sum of money, the U.S. Government does appreciate your commitment to international exchange. You can claim a flat $50 per month tax deduction as an American host family for the coming tax year
