New Student Profiles
Youth For Understanding is one of the oldest and largest high school exchange programs in the world. We are a private, non-profit educational program dedicated to preparing young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world.
YFU offers young people the adventure of a lifetime - the opportunity to explore other countries and cultures, master new languages, and discover themselves. We seek to transform young people by instilling passion for life-long learning, and the skills and knowledge to thrive and contribute amidst cultural diversity. To achieve these significant educational aims, we provide young people between the ages of 15 and 22 a variety of intensive exchange opportunities
Hosting is an enjoyable learning experience for the entire family. Hosting will forever change how your family thinks about the world. They will create lifelong memories and relationships for you and your entire family. Experience the world without leaving home!
We are looking for families throughout the Heartland (depending on school availability). These students are of high school age from various countries. The students bring their own spending money and are covered by medical insurance. Families need to be able to share a loving and supportive family life as well as provide for an additional family member, including a separate bed, study area and three meals each day. Families should also be prepared to share their community with their student.
YFU families come in all shapes and sizes: working parents, single parents or single people, couples with (any age) or without children, adoptive parents, empty nesters, and military families.
YOUR family can be a YFU Family.
To learn more visit us at www.yfu-usa.org. Just pick out the student you would like to host, complete the on-line Host Family application or contact YFU directly at 866-493-8872.
Tomas, a 16 year old male from Argentina
At school, Tomas' favorite activity is soccer and his favorite subject is math. He'd love to attend college on a soccer scholarship but plans to become a petroleum engineer. He also likes playing tennis, doing water sports on vacation, watching soccer and rugby matches plus doing computer work. Considered a people person, Tomas is a cheerful guy with good manners and a responsible attitude. Tomas and his family enjoy eating out once a week, seeing movies and playing soccer. He usually studies with his sister and helps his mother by setting up for dinner. Besides getting good grades, he knows he doesn't have many household responsibilities but he is willing to do his share of household chores in his American host family. He'd like to improve his English, gain travel experience but his priority is to have a good relationship with his host family!
Karen, a 15 year old female from Denmark
This social minded and talkative young lady is from Denmark. Karen is the Chairman of the Student Council for her class. Despite living on a small island with a low population, Karen lives an active lifestyle with a mix of sports and creative activities. You won?t find her ?resting on her laurels?! She spends a lot of time with her family cooking, getting together with family friends, and skiing in the winter months. Karen has been practicing gymnastics for 13 years now and would like to continue, if possible, while on exchange. She has taken her knowledge of gymnastics and started coaching younger children in the 5-7 age range. A typical weekend for her includes family, friends, and work. Karen is motivated to come on exchange and quickly improve her English. Are you the family for her?
Rune, a 17 year old male from Norway
Rune, age 17 from Norway has played soccer almost all of his life, usually on a team. He most enjoys getting together with a group of friends and just playing sports for fun though. In the winter, he loves to ski, especially twin tip skiing. He frequently works out at a fitness center, and recently has starting learning kickboxing. In school, his favorite subjects are science and physical education, and he hopes to study to be an engineer in the future. In his free time, he likes to hang out with friends, and watch comedy and action movies. Friends describe Runs as easy going, happy, calm and satisfied, with a good natured humor. Rune?s parents are divorced, but both live in the same mountain village. He moves back and forth between their homes every week, and has close relationships with step-siblings from both of his families. He generally eats dinner together with his family every day, and sometimes even cooks it. Rune keeps his room tidy and helps take care of his 6 year old brother. They like to jump on the trampoline, play soccer and relax with the Playstation together. A hard worker, he also mows, shovels snow, had has done wood and concrete work in the garden with his parents. Rune is grateful that his host family is willing to open their home to him. (Mild allergy to grass pollen.)
Tomas, a 17 year old male from Chile
Tomas is ready to follow in his father's footsteps and spend a year as an exchange student in the US. His chores at home include studying to do his best in school, watering the garden, washing the cars, washing dishes, and helping his sister with her homework. He is a very active young man with many interests. He enjoys skiing, enduro biking, tennis, trekking, ping pong, kick boxing, bike riding, computer games and reading the newspaper to keep up on current news. Next year he hopes to be able to continue skiing, enduro biking and tennis. His YFU evaluator describes Tomas as sociable, charming, friendly, and athletic with good leadership skills. His teacher adds that he has a great sense of humor, and a great willingness to help others, as well as being a good, responsible, respectful student. His family has traveled to neighboring Argentina. Tomas is ready to be a contributing member of his US family, and would like to show them Chilean customs and acquaint them with the many things Chile has to offer.
