EF High School Exchange Year has been promoting global awareness through student exchange for over 45 years.
But EF does more than just cultural exchange. We're the world leader in experiential learning. Each year, over a million people travel the world, learn a language, participate on a cultural exchange or earn a degree with an EF program. Our global presence now extends to:
50+
Countries
600+
Offices & schools
52,000+
Staff & educators
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We foster global citizenship
We believe that cultural exchange makes the world a better place. We foster global citizenship through cross-cultural understanding, tolerance, open-mindedness and creating global families.
Cultural exchange became a priority in the US after World War II, thanks to the vision of Senator J. William Fulbright, considered the father of exchange programs in the US. EF started our non-profit high school exchange program in the US in 1979, and has been in continuous operation ever since. Four decades later, EF has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most successful exchange organizations. We firmly believe that in today’s interconnected and global world, the need for cultural exchange is greater than ever.
“We work as one global team to bring our participants’ dreams to life.”
Our students, host families and schools are all equally important to a successful exchange. Our program would simply not exist without any of them. We make sure they know this. We listen. We try our best to empathize with their individual experiences and put ourselves in their shoes. Truth is, many of us have been there ourselves - either as an exchange student or a host family. That is also why we give each participant an equal voice, should a misunderstanding or conflict arise. We apply the standards of our program fairly. We try our best to make decisions that are right for everyone involved. We work as one global team to bring our participants’ dreams to life.
Be part of a growing movement that promotes positive cross-cultural communication and contributes to a more peaceful world through the creation of global families.
Our participants
Cultural exchange brings people from all over the world together to find common ground and form lasting relationships.
Exchange students
Exchange students travel to another country to live daily life for up to a year. They experience that country’s culture from the inside.
Parents to exchange students
Parents of exchange students support their children in making this important decision, before they leave and while they’re away.
Host families
Host families invite an exchange student into their home to share their own culture and, through daily interaction, gain insight into how others live, learn and grow.
High schools
Schools enroll an exchange student for an academic year or semester to study alongside local students. This enriches their classrooms with a global perspective.
A commitment to excellence
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EF High School Exchange Year strives to ensure that each student has a safe and meaningful exchange. We have established our EF HSEY Comprehensive Child Protection Policy and EF HSEY Code of Conduct, inspired by our partnership with Darkness to Light, Stewards of Children.