Welcome parents!

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Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE): Through RYE, Rotary International hopes to create a more interconnected and understanding world. One of Rotary's primary goals is promoting peace around the world, and
through RYE cultural exchanges we aim to make the world a more peaceful place one exchange at a time.
We believe that if students experience different cultures and meet people from all over the globe, they will be more understanding of foreign people and countries in the future, and that this understanding will lead to a more interconnected and peaceful world. RYE is a true exchange program, in that for each student a Rotary Club sends abroad, they receive a foreign exchange student in return. Almost 10,000 students participate annually. 

 RYE offers various types of exchanges:

Long Term Exchange Program (LTEP): Students spend 10-11 months (a school year) living abroad. LTEP students live with 3 different host families (~3.5 months each) and are required to attend high school.
Short Term Exchange Program (STEP): Typically 8-12 weeks (1/2 in foreign country, 1/2 in home
country) with a foreign student. This is a direct family to family exchange where both young people are
together during the whole exchange, typically over the summer.

Camps: Typically 1 -2  weeks, students can travel with a group of like-minded people to a country abroad where they can experience an organized camp that suits their interested (sports, music, nature, etc.)

New Generations Service Exchange (NGSE): NGSE is geared for post-graduate students and young professionals seeking additional vocational or volunteer experience abroad. This can be through a job shadow or service project organized through Rotarians for 1 - 3 month opportunities. 

 We see an exchange year through Rotary as a scholarship. The scholarship includes Room and Board, School Tuition and a Monthly Stipend.
Our Fee includes round trip airfare, costs associated with coordinating your student visa, health insurance, a Language Learning program, Multiple trainings and Orientations, Rotary Youth Exchange materials, sweatshirt and other cool Rotary stuff! - everything a student needs to get there and back again 

•   LTEP: $7,000 - $9,000 USD (+ up to US$2,500 for optional tourist trips)
•   STEP: $2,000 - 4,000 USD (most of this is airfare and insurance)

For those families that cannot afford these fees, additional scholarships may be available that can offset part to all of the cost.
RYE is one of the most cost-effective youth exchange programs in the world. It is non-profit and entirely run by Rotary volunteers. In addition, RYE offers a lot of value that other programs don’t, such as an emphasis on local service projects and opportunities for the students to get involved in community events through their host Rotary Clubs. In addition, our safety and support network is unique.  

 Safety and Support: RYE students have the backing and support of both their home Rotary Club and their host Rotary Club, which means that there is a large group of dedicated adult volunteers looking after the welfare of the students. All Rotary Club members and host families who work with RYE students have undergone youth training and background checks, and there are dedicated Rotary Club members who check in with each student regularly and file reports on their status and welfare. In addition, Rotary Clubs tend to be made up of local business and community leaders, therefore, in the unlikely event that the RYE student should encounter a serious problem while on exchange, they have access to a large number of locally influential people to help them navigate the local system and sort things out. In addition, students receive a monthly stipend (~US$100) from their host club for incidental expenses. 

 Rotary offers exchanges to over 100 countries. The list varies a bit year to year

depending on local conditions. Students rank their top 4 choices from that year’s list and the vast majority of students get sent to one of their top picks. A willingness to go to any country is typically an advantage on your application.

 Exchange credits are generally accepted by local schools, although this requires
coordination ahead of time with your school counselor. Past RYE students have largely been able to graduate on time with the rest of their class. 

Apply online for LTEP or STEP.

More info can be found on our Exchange Program Overview Page

Local students age 15-19 are eligible. We are looking for open-minded, adaptable, tolerant, supportive, and enthusiastic students who we think will make good peace ambassadors. We are not necessarily looking for the best students academically; we are looking for the people who will be most successful in a cultural exchange and reflect well on our country and communities. You do not need to be affiliated with Rotary to apply. 

 • Learn a new language and culture
• Build lasting friendships with young people around the world
• Become a global citizen
• Develop lifelong leadership skills
• Better admissions to college and scholarships 

 • Local students get exposure to people from other parts of the world (inbound international students)
• Local students learn to build relationships with those who are different from them.
• Local students become more aware of youth exchange programs and may choose to participate.
• Youth exchange programs can help to build bridges between different cultures and promote peace and understanding.

Each inbound international student placement gives an opportunity for a Local student to study abroad