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2WayExchange Experience

Jump to France | Italy

Choose France or Italy

Twice the Experience - at a Fraction of the Cost

2WayExchange

The 2WayExchange Experience involves you in a unique exchange program where Australian students are ‘matched’, with a student in either France or Italy. You choose which country and spend 3 months with each other’s families and attend school. It amounts to twice the experience and at a fraction of the usual cost of a 3 month exchange program. 

You Host

Your family host a carefully matched exchange student for 3 months from May - Aug for France and Jul – Oct for Italy (before you travel for your 2WayExchange experience). Your matched exchange student will attend your school or a local school and become part of your family. Host families welcome their exchange student into their family life - with all the rights, responsibilities and privileges of other family members. Hosting is on a voluntary, unpaid basis.

You Go

You travel to France or Italy from November – January. You will partake in an orientation and you will live with the family of your exchange partner. You will attend their school or a local school and become part of their family. You will be expected to fit in with normal household routines including chores.

Benefits

  • You'll establish close ties with your host brother or sister and each others families.
  • Avoid interrupting your schooling. You’ll be back in time to resume your studies.
  • You’ll attend a local school where you’ll have the opportunity to try new subjects or extend your understanding of familiar subjects.
  • Spend your summer holidays in the Northern hemisphere winter. Experience a wintery Christmas, snow (hopefully!) for the New Year, home life and indoor activities with your host family and new friends instead of the usual hot summer we so often experience.
  • Gain new skills and confidence. Pushing beyond your comfort zone is a great way to lift your horizons and gain experience. Give yourself a competitive edge in your future career or studies.
  • Extend your network of friends. There will be many prospects for future contact and travel, with places to stay and people to visit.
  • Being an exchange student can be one of the most exciting & rewarding experiences of your life. Hosting an overseas student will not just enhance your knowledge of the world, but allow your whole family to enjoy the 2WayExperience

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you are:

  • still at school when you apply
  • in good physical and mental health
  • maintaining the equivalent or better than a C grade average since Year 9 (Australia).
  • mature and open-minded
  • flexible, adaptable, responsible and ready to learn
  • between 15 and 18 years old when you start your exchange program (exceptions may be made for 14 and 19 year olds)
  • an Australian resident
  • have been fully vaccinated for COVID19

Deadlines for Applications

The application deadlines for our 2WayExchange programs are:

France & Italy - January 15, 2024

If you are considering applying for one of our 2WayExchange programs, please note that we have limited places available for each destination.

France

Italy

Matching & Confirmation of Acceptance

Matching or ‘pairing’ of students is carried out by experienced staff taking in to account:

  1. sporting and cultural interests,
  2. family background,
  3. age & gender,
  4. academic interests.

The aim is to achieve a match, as close as reasonably possible, from within the pool of available student applications.

We will provide you with confirmation of your application status 6 weeks after the published application deadline. Please note there is no guarantee of acceptance because we are dependent on finding a suitable ‘pairing’ from amongst student applicants overseas. If, in our sole opinion, we are unable to match you with a suitable exchange partner overseas, you are refunded in full, or you can change your 2WayExchange destination or switch to a standard short program. 

If you are not ready to go on your own exchange program but would like to welcome an overseas student into your home, please click here to view the profiles of students arriving soon.

Hear from past participants