Host an exchange student

Become a host family for a year. Make a second family in another country for life.

Find your exchange student

Our international students come from all over the world.

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The hosting experience

Our host families come in all shapes and sizes but they all share one thing in common: they open their homes and share their lives with exchange students from around the world.

Share your everyday life

Hosting an exchange student doesn't take anything fancy—just a warm, welcoming spirit and the love you'd give to your own family. For our exchange students, it’s the little things that make their year special. They love to experience Irish culture and take part in family traditions and activities.

EF – The leader in cultural exchange

For more than 20 years, we have connected over 10,000 international high school students with Irish host families — more than any other programme of our kind. We are the leaders in cultural exchange for a reason.

The student selection

The student selection

We only accept students who will flourish on an intercultural exchange. Our thorough screening and preparation process sets our students up for success.

Choosing your student

Choosing your student

Once you have been accepted into our programme, you will be able to choose students from 15 different countries. Our EF team will help you find the best match.

The EF support network

The EF support network

We provide host families and students with proactive outreach and individualised support. Our regional managers and office staff are available for you any time.

How do EF support you?

Your local representative

Your Regional Manager is your main contact throughout your year. They provide local level and national support to you and your student as well as your student's school, and serve as a link to the student's EF office in their home country. Regional Managers will visit your home before your student arrives and will be in contact with you throughout the year.

Our main EF office

Our staff are based all over Ireland, with our HQ in Dublin. They are a team of very experienced and passionate individuals with expertise in compliance, operations and student success, and their main purpose is to provide a seamless exchange experience for you and your student. Our office staff work alongside your Regional Manager, and you can rely on them 24/7, 365 days a year.

We believe in learning from each other

Our mission is to open the world through education. We strive to create the opportunity for a life changing cultural exchange for students, host families and schools regardless of gender identity, race, sexual orientation or religion. Our goal is to build cross cultural understanding, global families, and an inclusive experience for all program participants.

→ Learn more about our efforts

We are actively taking steps towards:
Diversity

We recognize that each individual is unique and understand that each one of us brings something different to the table. Diversity is a fact.

Equity

We commit to breaking down the barriers that may have prevented some of us from receiving fair treatment and opportunities in the past. Equity is a process.

Inclusion

Everyone, regardless of where they live, who they love, their spirituality or the color of their skin has the power to contribute to this organization’s success. Inclusion is a behavior.

Belonging

No one is you, and that is your superpower. Belonging is the freedom to be your true self at EF.

Find your exchange student today

Are you ready to experience a new culture at home? Talk with us and start your hosting journey now.

Tell us about yourself

Speak to an EF Regional Manager

Choose your exchange student

Information about you

Refer a loving host family

Refer a great family and earn money when they host. We’re always looking for more host families to have a life-changing year with us.

Learn more

FAQs - Hosting an exchange student in Ireland

About us

EF High School Exchange Year has been promoting global awareness through student exchange for over 40 years. Our organisation has connected more than 100,000 international students with caring host families across the US, UK and Ireland. Our global presence extends to 50+ countries, 600+ offices and schools and 52,000 staff. We are united in the shared belief that high school exchange makes the world a better place.

Let’s connect!

Talk to us directly: (01) 592 6000

Send an email: [email protected]