Rotary Youth Exchange is a renowned provider of sponsorships and scholarships as part of its foreign exchange student programs. These programs are coordinated by the Rotary Clubs in multiple Rotary districts globally. Rotary Youth Exchange administers its programs locally, while all the applicants must be sponsored by a Rotary Club and district. Each district has its application and selection process. The main offerings from Rotary Youth Exchange include high school abroad, gap-year abroad, and summer abroad programs.
While addressing the attendees at the latest cultural event, the spokesperson of Rotary Youth Exchange shared, “We commit to the safety and protection of every student who desires to become a member of the global community and ambassador for their country. At Rotary Youth Exchange, we now offer short-term summer abroad exchange programs that are open to students who are 15 to 19 years old. This type of program is ideal for the students who have a spirit of adventure but who are not ready to spend an entire school year abroad.”
Summer exchange is also great for those students who do not want to be bothered about paying the study abroad high school fee yet want to enjoy a cultural exchange with people in a foreign country. This program ranges from several weeks to a few months. It usually takes place in the summer season, when the school is not in session, and does not include an academic program. The summer exchange program typically involves a Rotary district-organized exchange of a son or daughter between two families.
The spokesperson additionally informed, “Summer exchanges offer wide opportunities, as they may also take the form of international youth camps or tours that bring together students from many countries. As the time spent in the host country is relatively short, the tourist visas and cheaper airfares make this extremely convenient and affordable. As far as the expenses to be covered by the parents or guardians are concerned, we ensure to keep them low. However, the program expenses may vary based on the district and country where they occur.”
Under the summer exchange program, family-to-family exchanges happen for around two months. However, the timing and length of stay are mutually decided by the host families. When international youth camps are organized, they mainly happen in Europe, with some camps also in India, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and the US. The summer camps bring together participants of similar ages from 10 to 20 different countries into various cultural and social exchanges. Each camp has its theme and focus, such as arts, sports, peace building, or sightseeing.
About Rotary Youth Exchange:
Rotary Youth Exchange operates under Rotary International, which has more than 1.2 million members in over 33,000 Rotary Clubs around the world. This global network brings together business, professional, and community leaders, who provide humanitarian services to build peace and goodwill in the world. Rotary Clubs coordinate almost 10,000 student exchanges per year for students to understand people in different countries. In line with this, Rotary Youth Exchange sponsors many high school students every year under its various programs, including the students who enroll in summer exchange programs .