Every program below is an established U.S. exchange organization. They differ in program type (academic-year vs. semester), whether hosts receive a stipend or a tax benefit, and where they place students. Fill out one match form and we'll recommend the best fit for your family.
| Program | Type | Host benefit | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| EF Exchange Year | J-1 academic year / semester | Volunteer + tax deduction | Nationwide (near an EF partner school / coordinator area). |
| APEX (AIEP) | Homestay placement | Volunteer + tax deduction | Within 20 min of an APEX partner school. |
| CETUSA | J-1 academic year | Volunteer + tax deduction | Nationwide. |
| ISE (International Student Exchange) | J-1 academic year | Volunteer + tax deduction | Nationwide. |
| ICES (International Cultural Exchange Services) | J-1 academic year | Volunteer + tax deduction | Nationwide. |
| Greenheart Exchange | J-1 academic year | Volunteer + tax deduction | Nationwide. |
Details gathered from each organization's official materials and Verified: August 20, 2026. Always confirm current terms directly with the program.
What the columns mean
If you're new to hosting, the comparison above uses a few terms worth unpacking:
- Type tells you the visa and length. Most programs here run on the J-1 cultural-exchange visa for an academic semester or full year. A full year means your student arrives before the school year and stays through it; a semester is roughly five months.
- Host benefit is what you receive for hosting. The large majority of academic-year J-1 programs are volunteer: you don't get a salary, but you can typically claim a charitable tax deduction of around $50 per month you host, and the program covers the student's own spending money and medical insurance. A smaller number of programs pay hosts a modest monthly stipend instead.
- Where shows the regions each organization actively places students. Availability shifts year to year and by school district, which is one reason getting matched beats guessing.
How to choose the right exchange program
The organization you host through shapes your whole experience, more than most families expect. Two programs can both be reputable and still be a very different fit for your household. When you compare, weigh:
- Local support. Every J-1 program assigns a local coordinator who checks in on the student and helps if issues come up. The strength and closeness of that support varies. It matters most for first-time hosts.
- Student matching. Good programs let you read student profiles and choose a teen whose interests, hobbies, and personality fit your family, rather than assigning one to you.
- Timing and your school district. Placements depend on your local high school accepting exchange students and on the program's calendar. Academic-year students are usually matched in the summer for a fall start, so starting early gives you the most choice.
- Benefit type. If a monthly stipend matters to your family's budget, that narrows the field. If you're hosting for the experience and the tax deduction is a nice bonus, most volunteer programs are open to you.
How we compare programs
HostFamilyMatch is independent, we are not owned by, or exclusive to, any single exchange organization. The details in the table are gathered from each program's official host-family materials and re-checked regularly (last Verified: August 20, 2026). When you get matched, we look at where you live, when you want to start, and the kind of experience you're after, then recommend the program that genuinely fits, not whoever pays us most. That recommendation is always free, and hosting stays a personal choice you make with the program directly.