What does it cost?
Less than you might think!

While room, board and local transportation for the Exchangee is provided by the host family, the student and his own family assume certain financial obligations. These include application fee, orientation, insurance, passport/visa, airline travel, clothing, trips and tours, and incidental expenses (pocket money) for the student. For long-term exchanges, the host Rotary club will provide a modest monthly allowance and usually pays the student's tuition for all required academic programs.

Rotarians volunteer their time to administer this program as an international service. We do this to Create International Goodwill and Better Friendships, and help make the world a safer and happier place to live. For you this means very few administrative costs, primarily covering the interview process and orientations to prepare you for your exchange.

A short-term exchange may vary from about $1500 to $3000, depending mostly upon air fares and the cost of any tours or special programs you participate in during your exchange. If the short-term program in your district requires a reciprocal exchange, see the costs associated with hosting also.

A long term exchange usually costs about $3000 to $6000, once again depending mostly upon air fares and the cost of any tours or special programs you participate in during your exchange. If the long-term program in your district requires that you host for 3 to 6 months, see the costs associated with hosting also. Actually, the long term program is the better value than short-term for several reasons:

• You won't be driving for a year, so you won't need auto insurance.
• Proficiency in a second language that should allow you to CLEP out of 8-16 credit hours of college language
• A major advantage as a natural recruit for an international company
• A new maturity, typically reaching the "emotional age" of someone in his or her mid-20s
• A new confidence in oneself and a new personal world-view
• World-wide networking! Rotarians are professional people, owners or senior managers, in business or government - Rotary Exchange Students develop life-long relationships with the most influential people in the region of the country they visit
• The opportunity to promote PEACE THROUGH UNDERSTANDING - our main goal!

If you're considering an exchange for a year immediately following high school graduation, you may be wondering how this will affect scholarships and college acceptance. Fortunately, nearly all institutions will grant a deferral for both enrollment acceptance and scholarships, when a student is selected for a Rotary International Exchange. Simply proceed with university and scholarships applications, as if you were going directly into college the following year. Then, when your acceptance for Rotary International Youth Exchange is official, request a one year deferral.

If you're still interested, please take the time to learn more about Rotary Youth Exchange or visit our contacts page to find a Rotary Youth Exchange contact near you  for more information.