Prospective Students

Qualities Sought in Youth Exchange Participants

Through many years experience, which has made the Rotary Youth Exchange Program the largest in the world, we have found the following general qualifications useful:

1. Above average academic qualifications. (This does not mean the top of your class, but the upper third.)
2. Applicants should be good ambassadors for their town, for Rotary, and for the United States. During their year abroad, they may be called upon to address many groups. They must, therefore, possess a good personality and have the ability to communicate with other people and to express themselves clearly.
3. Applicants should possess well-rounded personalities with an ability to think through their problems and stresses of living in a foreign environment.
4. Applicants should have an inquiring mind and be actively interested in their own environment, and in the world in general and in world problems.
5. Applicants should be students who are active in their community through sports, hobbies, youth activities or church affairs. The successful students are invariably those who lead busy, active lives in their community.
6. Applicants should be well adjusted, particularly in their family relationships. The student who cannot adjust to his/her own family may well find it impossible to adjust to more difficult family situations in a foreign environment. The best students invariably come from happy, united homes where the Parents are 100% in support of the student’s participation in the Program.
7. No older than 18 years older when leaving the USA in July-August. Rotary encourages students to take their sophomore or junior year abroad. In this way, the return to their American high school for at least one year; however, seniors may apply, participate in the program, and defer college one year while they complete the exchange year. This often works very well.
   

Living Abroad

Students who are sent abroad under the Rotary Youth Exchange Program are required to accept the following obligations:

1. Students are expected to obey the laws of the host country at all times and accept the discipline of the host school and the host parents.
2. Students are required to give a statement that they will not riot, in any circumstances, drive any motor vehicle while under the supervision of the Rotary Youth Exchange Program.
3. Students will not be permitted to "go steady" with a boy or girl friend. Dating, preferably in company, will be tolerated, but for obvious reasons, romantic involvement is strongly discouraged to the extent that a student breaching the rule could be sent home.
4. The student is required to enroll at a high school nominated by the host club and attend classes regularly and participate fully in all school activities.
5. Students may be required to address Rotary Clubs, other service organizations, youth groups and community groups during their stay in the host country and will, on their return to the United States be expected to address similar groups on their experiences as an exchange student.
6. During their stay abroad, the students are expected to attend the annual Rotary Conference in their Districts as well as other official Rotary and Youth Exchange Program functions as directed by their host clubs.
7. The student is an ambassador for the United States and must at all times behave in a manner, which will reflect credit on his/her family, community or country.
8. Students must return directly to the United States on completion of their exchange period. Students will not be allowed to stay in the host country after the termination of the exchange period.
9. Most countries will send the student home for breaking these obligations.
   

Questions?

We hope this information is useful to you as you consider this opportunity. If you have any questions, feel free to contact one of the outbound committee members.