WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

• Students must have completed year 12 and be aged less than 18 years 6 months when they leave Australia.

• Students usually depart in late November or early December following year 10, 11 or 12.  The duration of the exchange is to be negotiated with the parents of the overseas host family.

• As part of the short term student arrangement, Australian families who send a student overseas must be prepared to reciprocate and host a student from the overseas family.

• Short term students do not have to go to school overseas, however because students in many countries will still be at school between November and January, short term students from Australia do often spend some of their time at school.

• Applicants must have above average academic ability and must have an outgoing and pleasant personality to fit them for the role as an Ambassador for Australia. They must have the ability to accept discipline and be capable of adjusting to new and strange conditions.

• Applicants must be of good character and reputation.

• Sons and daughters of Rotarians are eligible for Youth Exchange, but receive no special preference in selection. All applicants are selected solely on merit.

• Students must hold a current Australian passport on departure.

OBLIGATIONS

• Students are required to obey the laws of the host country at all times and accept the discipline of the host school and the host parents. Students are required to adapt to the home environment of the host family - the host family is under no obligation to adapt themselves to the student.

• Parents are required to provide the cost of transporting the student to and from the host country.  This cost varies and depends on the final destination of the student. This travel is arranged by the parents.

• An approved comprehensive Travel Insurance Policy which covers the students for the duration of their exchange, is provided as part of the overall fee charged by Rotary.

• Parents will provide for day to day personal living expenses including clothing, telephone, postage, and travel on organised tours etc. for the student while abroad.

 ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM TIMETABLE

• Applications for an exchange must be lodged in writing using the Initial Application Form on the Prospective Students page.

• Applications should be lodged with the Rotary Club or clubs generally in the area in which the student resides or attends school before MARCH 31st in the year prior to departure.

• A local committee appointed by the Rotary Club may interview students and their parents during APRIL and will select a suitable student/s for consideration by the District Youth Exchange Committee no later than APRIL 30th.

• The final application for successful students must be completed and forwarded to the District Youth Exchange Committee for consideration by early MAY (date to be advised). Applications received after this date may be rejected.

• During May the District Youth Exchange Committee will assess and interview all applicants selected by individual Rotary Clubs within the District.  A final endorsement of students to be sent abroad will then be made, subject to the District Youth Exchange Committee being able to obtain a suitable family overseas.

• The District Youth Exchange Committee will conduct several briefing sessions for parents and students during the time leading up to departure.

• The District Youth Exchange Committee will endeavour to meet the wishes of applicants by sending them to a country on their preference list, but where the committee deems this to be impossible or undesirable to arrange, reserves the right to arrange placement with a Rotary Club in another country.

• The overseas family provides board and lodging for the duration of the exchange.

• No student is regarded as an Exchange Student until officially accepted by a family overseas.