One of the most common questions students and parents ask before starting a high school exchange year is simple:
“Can we choose the host family?”

It’s an important question. After all, the host family plays a central role in the exchange experience. They are not just providing a place to stay, they become part of the student’s daily life, offering support, guidance, and a sense of home in a new country.

The answer, however, is a bit more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

How host families are actually selected

In most high school exchange programs, students do not directly choose their host family. Instead, host families go through a careful selection and screening process managed by ASSE.

Families volunteer to host because they are interested in cultural exchange and welcoming a student into their home. They are interviewed, background-checked, and evaluated to ensure they can provide a safe and supportive environment.

Once approved, ASSE works to match each student with a host family based on compatibility.

Trusting the process

It can feel uncomfortable not having full control over such an important part of the experience. But ASSE has years of experience creating successful matches between students and host families.

Many students arrive feeling uncertain and quickly find themselves building strong relationships with their host family, sometimes even describing them as a second family by the end of the year.

So, can exchange students choose their host family? Not exactly, but they are carefully matched with one.

And in most cases, that thoughtful matching process leads to something even more valuable than choice: a genuine connection, a supportive environment, and a place that truly feels like home.