What Is An Exchange Student?

The students from high school or post-secondary background go abroad to spend a few weeks in a foreign country. The duration of staying abroad could be a year. During that time, students try to learn a new language and experience the new culture through observation. This is the concept of an exchange student. 

The students travel abroad as a student of their school’s or college’s partner institution in the host country. 

Exchange Student Organization 

Several individuals go on exchange through large and well-known organizations that are specialized in exchanges. The organization’s job is to arrange some host for the student alongside arranging visa, tickets and insurance. 

The host could be a family. In the first step, these organizations interview the potential exchange candidate/student to evaluate if they are suitable for an exchange program.

Also, the students need to attend different orientations about pre-exchange. This is the way they prepare for living abroad for a particular time. 

Read More: What is the Postsecondary Education?

Become a Part of the Host Family

Most of the exchange students reside with the host families for a particular period, it could be up to a year. The host families need to provide exchange student with food, shelter and other needs.

In other words, they treat exchange student like one of their family members. Similarly, the exchange students should respect the family norms, traditions and rules of the host family. 

Educational Institute for Exchange Students 

Generally, students attend a public school on exchange. In school, the students study in the host language. In that context, several exchange students face difficulties in the foreign country as they have no prior idea about the foreign language.

To overcome these issues, exchange students consider participating in extracurricular activities. 

However, some hard-working and intelligent students show interest in learning the foreign language and familiarize themselves with the norms. Subsequently, they make friends in a foreign land. As a result, they get help from their friends in their studies. 

The conversation with people in the host country always helps because you learn new things about their culture. Additionally, you can understand the instructions in the host language.

So, good social skills are necessary for the exchange of students. Learning a new language is always beneficial for you as it may count as an extra qualification. 

Travelling Within the Host Country

On many occasions, exchange students avail the opportunity to travel with their host families or exchange organizations. They may get a chance to explore their host country, particularly in big countries such as the United States and Canada. The exchange students may visit the nearby country with a host family. 

Spending time in a host country is a wonderful experience for the exchange students. They have exposure to the world, which broadens their thinking and overall approach toward life. Change of environment and experiencing new culture positively impact the mental health of individuals. 

Awareness 

For some students, going abroad and spending considerable time there without their immediate family is difficult. However, it is an excellent opportunity for them to learn new things about the host country.

Exchange students also learn how to live independently in a foreign country. Living abroad with host families often creates a sense of responsibility among students. 

In a foreign country, exchange students should act responsibly. Host families take care of students and provide them with meal and shelter. They also help them in other things such as laundry, but exchange students should demonstrate that they are capable of doing necessary things.

 Notably, students are responsible for their finances. The exchange students should keep in view that they are fortunate as they are going to experience a wonderful occasion. When students are on exchange, they become more responsible and self-confident.

These characteristics benefit them in their studies and general life. Several exchange students have made statements that they have spent incredible time in their host country, and it was the best time of their life. 

Advantages of Exchange Programs

The exchange programs for students is a prevailing trend. Several educational institutes have developed a student exchange program by establishing alliances with schools, colleges, and universities in different countries. They know the importance of providing their students with the opportunity to travel abroad. 

The exchange students can have the following advantages: 

1. Travelling Within the Host Country

The affordable or low cost is the salient feature of the student exchange program. Typically, foreign education is expensive, which costs thousands dollar. Hence, studying abroad is not affordable for several students.

Nevertheless, students can get the exposure of studying and living abroad at relatively less cost when they travel in a foreign country via a student exchange program. 

2. Have Exposure to Alternative Ways of Learning

Every country has its way of teaching students. When a student from a specific country travels abroad, they get exposures to alternative approaches of leaning. They can carry this experience back to their homeland. After going back to their homelands, the exchange students pass on their experience to their fellows. 

3. Opportunity for Personal Development 

When students live on their own, they are in a position to evaluate themselves. Away from home, many students evaluate their shortcomings and try to overcome them. In this way, the exchange program also serves as a personal development program for them. 

Even if students stay abroad for just a term, they get enough exposure. 

4. Get an insight into the job market

While staying abroad on a student exchange program, students get knowhow about the job market. Some students explore as to what skills are in demand in their host country.

They prepare themselves according to the market trends. Getting an insight into the international market is always helpful for students as they can prepare themselves in a better way for their future. 

5. Develop Social Networks

Through the student’s exchange program, students manage to develop life-long bonds. By staying with their host families, they become global citizens. Integrating with people from the host nation helps the student to decide whether to live and settle abroad after completing their education. 

A Final Word

Student Exchange Programs are the wonderful and life-time opportunities for students as they can study and live abroad for a particular period. Students go abroad through the partnership of their educational institute with the educational institute. 

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