0 Shares

HIGH SCHOOL USA PROGRAM

HIGH SCHOOL USA PROGRAM ABOUT THE PROGRAM ORGANIZER PROGRAM APPLICATION CONDITIONS WHY APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM PRICELIST PROGRAM DYNAMICS AND STEPS HIGH SCHOOLS IN AMERICA HOST FAMILY IN AMERICA LOCAL COORDINATOR WHAT DOES THE PROGRAM INCLUDE? USEFUL INFORMATION GALERY MANUAL

The HIGH SCHOOL USA program is a cultural exchange program primarily for high school students in grades II, III, and IV. Accommodation is provided in American families, carefully selected by our Sponsorship Agency. In addition to quality education, the program provides an introduction to American culture, tradition and way of life. The program also aims to raise the level of English language skills. The departure of students for the exchange program is a great and unique life experience, as well as preparation for future life challenges and coping in new situations.

This program is directly approved by the State Department and as a desire to enable students to learn about the American way of life, culture and tradition through a stay in an American family during one school year. CETUSA, the sponsoring agency we work with, has been approved by the State Department to implement this program through its agents around the world. The sponsoring agency we work with has its regional managers and coordinators and covers the entire territory of America and directly with the help of its staff in the field finds suitable families and schools for the implementation of this program.

The choice of the student’s location is based on compatibility with the offered host families. The student can be accommodated in any location in the United States, including smaller cities and rural areas. The student can express a desire for accommodation in a particular region or country for an additional fee (if the choice of location is confirmed by our Sponsorship Agency).

School location: across the United States

Type of school: mixed schools (boys and girls), public schools

Curriculum: American High School – one semester or a full school year.

Council for Educational Travel, USA

Council for Educational Travel, USA (CETUSA) is a not-for-profit international student exchange organization coordinating exchange experiences for high school students, university students and young professionals. CETUSA is a US Department of State Exchange Visitor (J-1 visa) sponsor organization.

The mission of CETUSA is “to encourage a lifelong journey of global peace and understanding” for students, host families and communities that are part of the exchange experience.

Founded in 1995 by Rick Anaya and Terry Watson in San Clemente, California, CETUSA has coordinated exchanges for over 80,000 students. Those students and the communities where they live are forever impacted by the opportunity to understand and respect what makes each culture unique.

Programs with CETUSA include:

a semester or yearlong high school exchange with host family placement,
an outbound program where high school students in the USA can study abroad,
the American Cultural Experience (ACE) High School Prep summer program housed on a university campus,
a training program for young professionals and
an internship program for university students.

Each program has specific eligibility requirements with the opportunity to live in cities and towns across the United States.

CETUSA has offices in San Clemente, California; Bellingham, Washington; and Grand Rapids, Michigan with community coordinators located in the communities where the students are placed.

CETUSA’s management team has many years of experience in the student exchange field as well as a personal commitment to the CETUSA mission that they live every day.

○ Terry Watson, Chairman of the Board, has devoted more than 30 years of his professional life to this mission. In addition to hosting and placing exchange students, he founded a short-term program and administered programs for what was once the largest homestay organization in the United States.

○ Kim Carter, Executive Director, has lived abroad and is very passionate about our mission. Kim began working with CETUSA in 2014 and brings an extensive background in organizational development and communications.

○ Lisa Turnwall, High School Program Director, and her family hosted their first high school student in 1981. Lisa began her career in student exchange in 2006 after a number of years in the corporate world and succeeded her mother, Peg Spoelstra, as Program Director in 2015.

○ Kevin Watson, Director of the Trainee and Internship Programs, has lived and taught English for several years in China and has worked in the international student exchange field for more than 20 years. Kevin took over the Training & Internship Programs in 2012.

CETUSA is granted full listing in the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) Advisory List, and is a member of the World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation (WYSTC), the WYSE Work Abroad Association and IEE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative.

Age: Students cannot be younger than 15 or older than 18.5 at the beginning of the program, which is either August 15 or January 15. Pupils for the autumn program must be 15 years old before August 15th. Pupils for the January program must be 15 years old before January 15th

Program Date of birth of the candidate

August 2018 01 / Mar / 2000 to 14 / Aug / 2003

January 2019 01 / Aug / 2000 to 14 / Jan / 2004

August 2019 01 / Mar / 2001 to 14 / Aug / 2004

January 2020 01 / Aug / 2001 to 14 / Jan / 2005

August 2020 01 / Mar / 2002 to 14 / Aug / 2005

Minimum 3 years of English language learning: Pupils must have a minimum of 3 years of English language learning behind them in previous schooling;
Motivation letter why you would like to participate in the program should write your interests, things you love, your hobbies to help our Sponsors from the USA to find you the most adequate family to stay in during the program;
Eligible grade levels: Pupils must be in the second, third or fourth year of high school. They cannot graduate before the program begins;
Schooling average: 3 + in the current year (there must not be a grade of 1 or 2 in the current year). We are looking for good and exemplary students. It is necessary to enclose grades from the previous 3 years and translate the list of grades (certificate) into English.
English: 6 or better (grades 1-10)
ELTIS: The minimum required is passed the ELTIS test with 215 points or more.
Mental / Emotional Health: We cannot admit to the program students who have the following health problems: ADD, ADHD, Bi-Polar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Depression, Eating Disorders, etc. Allergy: We also do not accept students who are allergic (cats, dogs) to the program and we cannot accept students who have asthma. Such illnesses are not covered by the insurance provided to students in the program.

Vaccinations – Students must receive the following basic vaccines before starting the program:

4 doses of Polio – the last dose must be in the fourth or after the fourth year;

4 doses of DTaP;

1 dose of Tdap – the last dose must be within 5 years from the end date of the program;

2 doses of MMR – the first dose must be on or after the first birthday;

2 doses of Varicella – the first dose must be on or after the first birthday. If the student had chickenpox, he / she must state the month / year when he / she had it. 1 dose of each for Hep A and Hep B;

1 dose for Meningococcal (meningitis) – the first dose must be after the age of 11 (ACW4Y only).

Tuberculosis test – must be done within 1 year from the start date of the program.

NOTE: If students do not have all vaccinations before arrival, they must receive the missing vaccines. The students bear the costs of that. Our insurance in the USA does not cover vaccination costs.

Program price: $ 6,600 + $ 95 program enrollment for the school year, ($ 5,600 + $ 95 program enrollment for one semester). The price includes classes, accommodation and food in the family)

Additional costs: visa costs ($ 160 application + $ 220 SEVIS), compulsory health insurance ($ 960 for the whole year and $ 480 for one semester), air ticket, personal expenses and teaching materials.

Choice of region or country (optional): The candidate has the right to choose the region or country in which he will reside and if the requested region or country is obtained, an additional payment is made:

Alabama $ 750
Arizona $ 750
California $ 1500
Colorado $ 1000
Hawaii $ 2000
Illinois $ 750
Michigan $ 750
Texas $ 750

Below you can see the surcharge if the candidate has a special wish to stay at a certain location.

REGIONAL GUARANTEES:

South East $ 550

Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida

North East $ 550

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Central $ 550

Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas

West $ 550

Washington, Oregon, Idaho, California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona

Great Lakes $ 550

Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois

Houston, Dallas, Seattle, Chicago, Detroit, Portland, Atlanta

Eastern US $ 500

Western US $ 550

INDEPENDENT FINDING OF A HOST FAMILY

If you have friends in the USA who would meet the criteria and conditions of the HSP program, would be willing to provide you with free accommodation and food during your stay in the USA and are willing to cooperate with our Sponsorship Agency / THERE IS A POSSIBILITY TO FIND YOUR HOST FAMILY.

The family in which you will spend time MUST NOT be related to you. Friends, on the other hand, come into play.

The price of the program is the same because the Sponsorship Agency invests the same perhaps even greater effort and working hours around the realization of the entire program, and the candidate will stay in a family he knows from before.

Registration for the program is done according to the following: until 31.03.2021. for the next school year or semester – the start is from August 2021 or until 30.09.2021. for the semester of January 2022. The number of places is limited.

Program steps:

Informative interview with a representative of American Adventure (interview is scheduled the day before the desired date);
The candidate must come with one parent to hear details about the program;
After the interview, the candidate decides whether he wants to participate in the program. If the answer is yes, a Service Agreement is signed with American Adventure LLC and upon signing the agreement, a $ 95 application fee and a $ 1,500 program advance are paid;
The forms for filling in are received and the candidate is obliged to fill them in within 5 working days. American Adventure DOO provides assistance in filling out the form.
Upon confirmation from the Sponsorship Agency that the candidate has been admitted to the program and that the forms have been filled in adequately, the procedure for finding a family (HOST FAMILY) is entered;
The procedure of finding a family can take from 3 weeks to several months. It happens sometimes that the family finds itself in July for the beginning of the school year in August. Under U.S. law, a candidate must have a family before going to the embassy, and in any case, getting a family must be completed by July 31 if departure is in August, or by December 31 for departures in January.
After finding the family and obtaining information about the school that the candidate will attend, the candidate gets in touch with the family and regularly corresponds with it until departure.
The candidate pays the rest of the program costs.
The candidate goes for a visa to the Embassy / American Adventure LLC provides a full visa service (filling out DS 160, creating an order on the US Embassy website to schedule an interview, issuing an order to pay the embassy costs of $ 160 and paying SEVIS costs of $ 220).
Book a ticket for the flight according to your placement to the nearest international airport. American Adventure DOO mediates in the purchase of airline tickets.
The student sets off 7 days before the start of school.

American Adventure DOO DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE OBTAINING A VISA, BECAUSE IT IS THE DISCRETION RIGHT OF EACH EMBASSY TO GRANT OR REFUSE A VISA TO AN INDIVIDUAL.

A CANDIDATE MAY BE RETURNED FROM A PROGRAM WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO REFUND IN THE FOLLOWING CASES:

Smoking, consumption of alcohol, drugs and narcotics;
Non-compliance with legal regulations, school rules, rules of the family in which he resides;
If the Sponsorship Agency assesses that the participant in the program poses a threat to himself or the environment;
If the candidate drives a motor vehicle / during the stay, the student has no right to drive someone else’s motor vehicle or to buy his own, but he can take the ride at a valid institution;
Sexual intercourse (prohibited during the program);
Independent travel without family, representatives of the Sponsorship Agency or school – is not allowed by the program.

IT IS OBLIGATORY TO RETURN TO SERBIA AFTER THE END OF THE PROGRAM. IN THE EVENT OF A VIOLATION, THE SPONSORSHIP AGENCY HAS THE RIGHT TO RETURN THE CANDIDATE TO SERBIA WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO REFUND BECAUSE OF THE EARLY END OF THE PROGRAM.

CANCELLATION COSTS

For cancellations:

After applying and before getting a family, there is a $ 700 + $ 95 application for the program
After providing for the family, $ 1,500 + $ 95 applications for the program are retained
If the candidate does not receive a visa, the cancellation fee is $ 1,000 + $ 95 to apply for the program
After obtaining a visa and cancellation for any reason (even family), the candidate is not entitled to a refund. In case of termination of the program and early return to the country for any reason, the candidate is also not entitled to a refund of the funds paid.
If the costs of the SEVIS program are paid at the time of the candidate’s withdrawal, the cost of $ 220 for SEVIS is not refundable.

Potential costs:

If the candidate is late with the application and does not send the application by March 31 for the beginning of the school year in August or by September 30 for the beginning of the semester in January / the candidate is obliged to pay an additional $ 550;
If a candidate rejects a family he or she has received based on his or her interests and affinities, he or she must pay an additional $ 400 for the service of finding a new family;
If the candidate loses the DS 2019 form, re-issuance of the same costs $ 200.

The government prejudices that American schools are easy, but they are just different. The advantage of the American school system is that it provides students with a choice and an alternative, so that everyone can find themselves, develop and educate themselves in accordance with their talents and needs. Emphasis is placed on the application of theoretical knowledge in practice. The American system provides for six to eight subjects, which the student chooses with the help of a school counselor. The school year, depending on the country, starts from the end of July to the middle of September.

In addition to compulsory school attendance, students engage in sports, social and extracurricular activities where they have the opportunity to show their talents.

In order to successfully end the school year, it is necessary to constantly learn and engage in school activities throughout the school year.

Extracurricular activities (sports, music, acting, collaboration with school newspapers, choir, business club, etc.) represent a very important segment in the American education system. They are organized by the school after school and it is very important to actively participate in them.

It is important to note that most American schools, at the end of the successful completion of the last grade, issue a certificate of completion to the program participants. Issuing a high school diploma is not common.

Sport is very important to American society. We hope you take every opportunity to play the sport you love or try your hand at sports that are not popular in Europe (American football or baseball, golf). If you play sports in your country and want to continue training in America, that is usually not a problem, but it can happen that the sport you train does not exist in the school that enrolled you. No one will stop you from training what you want. In addition to all the above, we must add that if anyone wants to participate in sports activities, play for school or just train, they must do a mandatory medical examination that is not included in the medical insurance program and the price of that examination will be paid by the candidate.

Unlike our schools, the American system implies a smaller number of subjects per semester, but a similar number of subjects during one school year as in our country. American schools are similar in subjects to our high schools, but in addition to general subjects, there are subjects in the field of art (from singing in a choir, playing an instrument, participating in drama, musicals, sculpture, to film production), economics, law and the like. . The only thing you will certainly not find in American high schools are those in the field of medicine and medical sciences. The rules of the school are completely different from the rules in our country. First, a class teacher does not exist. Each student is taken care of by an “advisor”, who will help you choose the appropriate subjects before starting school. During each semester, as a foreign student, you can choose subjects according to your interest. You should know that no one will warn you that the subject you are taking is not adequate for your class, so you always ask to attend subjects that are adequate and correspond to the level of teaching you would have in Serbia. You can choose between 6-8 subjects per semester. In the last 15 years, American schools rarely and less often issue diplomas to foreign students (graduates), so if you finish the last grade in America, take care that the school reserves the right not to issue you a Diploma. Usually the reason is very rational, you spent most of your schooling in Serbia, so it is logical that your school is the one that should issue you a Diploma. This does not only apply to students from Serbia, but also to students from all over the world. If the school does not issue a diploma, which is in 90% of cases, what is certain is that you will receive a certificate with grades for that year. It is very important that in that case you attend adequate subjects for the 12th grade (ie subjects for the 4th year of high school), that the school issues you a certificate at the end of the year that it does not issue Diplomas to foreign students, but that you have completed the 12th grade. or if you are not enrolled in an adequate grade that you have attended 12th grade subjects which is possible in America for exchange students) and that you can apply to any college in the U.S., or take a passed SAT or GED test instead of a Diploma. Each student is responsible for choosing the subject, and it is the discretion of each school to assess which class to enroll the student in. Each student is responsible for bringing original documents to the country at the end of the school year for nostrification. All documents must have APOSTLLE – a stamp obtained at the local Home Office. Without this seal, our Ministry will not take into consideration the certificate and the Diploma for nostrification.

Za razliku od naših škola, Američki sistem podrazumeva manji broj predmeta po polugodištu, ali sličan broj predmeta tokom jedne školske godine kao i kod nas. Američke škole su po predmetima slične našim gimnazijama, ali pored opštih predmeta tu se mogu naći predmeti iz oblasti umetnosti (od pevanja u horu, sviranja instrumenta, učestvovanja u drami, mjuziklu, preko vajarstva, pa do filmske produkcije), ekonomije, prava i slično. Jedino što sigurno nećete naći u američkim srednjim školama to su predmeti iz oblasti medicine i medicinskih nauka. Pravila škole su sasvim različita u odnosu na pravila kod nas. Prvo, razredni starešina ne postoji. Brigu o svakom učeniku vodi “savetnik”, koji će Vam i pomoći pre početka škole da izaberete adekvatne predmete. Tokom svakog polugodišta, kao strani učenik možete izabrati predmete prema Vašem interesovanju. Trebalo bi da znate da Vas niko neće upozoriti da predmet koji uzimate nije adekvatan Vašem razredu, zbog toga uvek tražite da pohađate predmete koji su adekvatni i odgovaraju nivou nastave koju biste imali u Srbiji. Možete izabrati između 6-8 predmeta po polugodištu. U poslednjih 15 godina američke škole retko i sve ređe izdaju diplome stranim đacima (maturantima), tako da ako završavate poslednji razred u Americi, vodite računa da škola zadržava pravo da Vam ne izda Diplomu. Obično je razlog vrlo racionalan, Vi ste većinu svog školovanja obavili u Srbiji, pa je logično da je Vaša škola ta koja bi trebalo da Vam izda Diplomu. Ovo ne važi samo za učenike iz Srbije već i za učenike svih zemalja sveta. Ukoliko škola ne izdaje diplomu što je u 90% slučajeva, ono što je sigurno je da ćete dobiti svedočanstvo sa ocenama za tu godinu. Vrlo je važno da u tom slučaju pohađate adekvatne predmete za 12. razred (tj. predmete za IV godinu srednje škole), da Vam škola na kraju godine izda potvrdu da ona ne izdaje Diplome stranim učenicima, ali da ste vi završili 12. razred (ili ukoliko niste upisani u adekvatan razred da ste pohađali predmete iz 12. razreda što je u Americi moguće za učenike na razmeni) i da možete aplicirati na bilo koji fakultet u SAD-u, ili da umesto Diplome donesete položeni SAT ili GED test. Svaki učenik je odgovoran za biranje predmeta, a diskreciono pravo je svake škole da proceni u koji će razred upisati učenika. Svaki učenik je odgovoran da na kraju školske godine donese originalna dokumenta u zemlju radi nostrifikacije. Svi dokumenti moraju imati APOSTLLE – pečat koji se dobija u lokalnom Home Office-u. Bez ovog pečata naše Ministarstvo neće uzimati u razmatranje svedočanstva i Diplome za nostrifikaciju.

USLUGE VALIDACIJE I OVERE APOSTLLE PEČATOM

Sponzorska agencija može da pruži usluge đacima oko kompletiranja potrebne dokumentacije koji zahteva Ministarstvo prosvete radi nostrifikacije. Naknada za ove usluge se plaća direktno Sponzorskoj agenciji.

KAKO NOSTRIFIKACIJU VRŠI MINISTARSTVO PROSVETE, OVA PRAVILA SE MOGU PROMENITI. AMERICAN ADVENTURE NE GARANTUJE DA ĆE KANDIDAT DOBITI DIPLOMU ILI REŠENJE O MATURI PO POVRATKU IZ AMERIKE, TE MOLIMO KANDIDATE DA SE O SVEMU INFORMIŠU NA SAJTU MINISTARSTVA PROSVETE NA VREME I PRE POVRATKA IZ AMERIKE.

http://www.mpn.gov.rs/enicnaric-srbija/

Sponzorska agencija takođe ne garantuje kandidatima dobijanje diplome, ali ukoliko škola ipak izdaje diplomu (mada niko ne može imati zahtev da bude plasiran u školu koja izdaje diplomu niti će Sponzorska agencija o tome izveštavati porodicu ili kandidata), može se desiti da škola ima posebna pravila za strane učenike i da neki predmeti ako ne i svi budu obavezni prema planu i programu škole. U tom slučaju učenik je dužan da uzme predmete koji su obavezni za dobijanje diplome, jer u suprotnom će morati da polaže maturu kad se vrati u zemlju za razliku od njegovih vršnjaka kojima američka škola ne izdaje diplomu, a koji poseduju dokaz o tome. Svako svedočanstvo i dokumentacija donesena iz inostranstva predaje se uz prateću dokumentaciju Ministartvu Prosvete kako to propisuje Ministarstvo, a nostrifikacija i razmatranje molbe za nostrifikaciju se vrši za sva dokumenta posebno, te je nemoguće predvideti da li će se matura priznati ili ne. Shodno reciprocitetu o priznavanju škole između naše zemlje i Amerike ne bi trebalo da bude bilo kakvih problema za nastavak školovanja ukoliko je dokumentacija kompletna. Pored redovne nastave, škola nudi učenicima niz drugih aktivnosti. Naš je savet da se učenici uključe u aktivnosti kojima se bave ili u aktivnosti u kojima žele da se oprobaju, jer će na taj način lakše i brže steći nove prijatelje. Najčešće se dešava da škola vrši pozajmicu knjiga svakom učeniku koji će iste na kraju polugodišta vratiti. Svaki učenik će takođe dobiti i svoju kasetu za knjige i imaće pristup svim mogućnostima u školi koje se nude i ostalim đacima. Često se dešava da naši učenici mogu uplatiti ručak u školi. Iako ova opcija nije obavezna, mi je toplo preporučujemo jer se radi o kuvanom obroku i većina Amerikanaca je koristi. Nije obaveza porodice da Vam ovaj trošak pokrije, ali je moguće da deca iz vaše porodice već imaju uplaćen ovaj obrok. Ukoliko želite, uplatite ga za sebe. On iznosi oko 3 dolara. Neke škole naplaćuju pozajmicu knjiga i laptop računara i za to treba imati izdvojeno oko 300$. Posebni predmeti koji iziskuju dodatni materijal ili poseban materijal za rad mogu finansijski opteretiti kandidata, jer svaki kandidat (tj. prirodni roditelji kandidata) je dužan da snosi troškove školskog pribora koji se u toj školi ne dobija na zajam. Većina učenika će imati organizovan prevoz do škole žutim školskim autobusima koje ste sigurno viđali na filmu. Ukoliko živite u delu mesta ili malom mestu gde autobus ne ide ili pak živite blizu škole, biće Vam ponuđen drugi prevoz.

The sponsoring agency, which is also the organizer of the program, very carefully selects American families interested in accepting a foreign student into their home. When choosing a family, care is taken that the family meets all the conditions provided by the program for the admission of foreign students. Special attention is paid to the interests of both family members and foreign students.

American families participating in this program are aware of the values of cultural exchange and are motivated to help a foreign student to adapt as easily as possible to the American way of life.

Families can be families with one or both parents, with children (students’ peers when they receive them in their home or younger than them) or without children. One family can accept two students at the same time (“double placement”). In that case, the students must be from different countries.

Families that accept students are full of enthusiasm and want their children or themselves to learn about other peoples and cultures as well as to share their culture and way of life with a new member, and above all they love children. Because of all this, every student is expected to respect his family and to try to adjust to the new rules of the house in which he resides as soon as possible. Your family will in turn provide you with an open heart as well as support throughout your stay. After completing your school obligations, you will be expected to spend your free time together as well as to perform small duties within the family (tidying up the room, your belongings, helping at home, etc.) no more than what the members themselves do. You will certainly have the opportunity to show what you know, to explain to them how we live, to prepare a national dish or similar. The family will want to know about your country and will help you understand theirs. The families themselves are located throughout America, mostly located in smaller cities and towns in rural areas, but there is a possibility that you can be accommodated in larger cities as well. Our advice is not to choose the location of your stay (there is an option to choose a certain area or even a country for an additional fee), but it is much more important to get a family in which you will fit in most easily. Families are checked, they are checked by the staff of the Sponsorship Agency with which we cooperate. Every family must have recommendations from the community in which they live to participate in the program. The family must also have the basic financial conditions to receive a child from another country. The cultural differences between the two countries are huge, so our advice is to talk to your family whenever you have a dilemma, because that is the easiest way to overcome misunderstandings. Each candidate is obliged to respect the family rules that apply to other children or generally apply to family members. It is also important to note that most American families are religious and that you are expected to respect their order when it comes to the church, that is. to go to church with them on days when they go too. Of course, going to church is not obligatory.

FAMILY CHANGE

The family cannot change without objective reasons. Regardless of race, economic status, family religion, this program is intended for those who can accept all the differences between people. Consequently, if you feel you might not be able to accept the big differences, don’t even sign up for the program.

A local coordinator is a person who, during the program, provides support to both the student and the American family and school, so that the process of adapting to each other, as well as the student to a new environment and a different way of life, is as easy as possible.

The local coordinator is in charge of resolving any problems that may arise in the family or school during the program. His task is to contact the student, family and school at least once a month, and usually several times a month, in order to check if everything is OK.

Each program participant has a free contact phone, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for emergency calls and providing additional support when needed.

The role of the local coordinator is primarily to find a suitable family for the child participating in the program. The coordinator is the person who first inspected the family before your arrival and found that he or she had valid recommendations for participating in the program. Then, the coordinator is in charge of explaining his role upon the child’s arrival and to make an orientation meeting in which he will explain to the candidate what the representative is doing and remind the student of his rights and obligations. The local coordinator is the person who is an hour or two away from the family and the students and constantly monitors the students’ integration into the family and the school. Each representative is trained and has extensive experience in working with exchange students. It is very important that your attitude towards your environment is correct, honest and open. The only way to overcome a problem is through a representative (if you can’t talk about it with your family). Talking to your friends, relatives and even parents sometimes simply cannot solve the problem, and their advice can make relations worse. It usually happens that when students discuss any problem with people who are not included in the program, the situation becomes complicated. To avoid this, first sit down and talk to the American family, so if you can’t solve the problem together, consult the local coordinator. They are there to help you and to find the best possible solution together with you. Local coordinators are there to help with potential problems, but you also have to take responsibility, because only you can make your stay a success.

OUR TEAM IN THE USA HAS 30 REGIONAL COORDINATORS AND 400 LOCAL COORDINATORS. LOCAL COORDINATORS ARE NO MORE THAN 60 MILES FROM OUR CANDIDATES.

Meet our team members:

INSURANCE

Every family in Serbia is responsible for the health of their child and before enrolling a child in the program, they must consider whether this program can endanger his / her health in any way. Also, the Sponsorship Agency from the USA, based on the health card filled in by the doctor of each child, can decide not to accept a candidate for the program if it considers that the health condition is such that it can be endangered by this program. As we mentioned, each student is insured under the laws that apply to this program. The insurance does not include dental diseases, hereditary diseases, vision correction, preventive medical measures… It also does not include medication, physical therapy and the like. Participation is mandatory in America and is paid from $ 50-250, and examinations related to students’ sports activities are also paid separately. Everyone who plays sports must pay on the spot insurance in case of sports injuries because it is not included in the price of insurance.

POCKET MONEY

The parents of each candidate are obliged to provide pocket money for their child during their stay. This allowance is necessary for notebooks and utensils, personal hygiene, going out, excursions, travel or even additional food (if the student, for example, likes to eat more and the family has different habits, and the candidate wants to supplement their meals – it can certainly be from his pocket money, and cannot ask the family to supplement their habits). The allowance must be between $ 300-350 per month. Upon arrival in America, each candidate will go to the bank with his family and open his own account. On that account, the natural parents of the students can pay a pocket money, and the candidate can withdraw money in the amount he needs. When starting the program, the student should take with him the amount of at least 2 pockets. Never keep money in the family account. Students are not allowed to borrow money from the family and must pay their telephone and personal expenses.

TRAVEL

During the program, the student is prohibited from traveling outside the host family or with a representative. Therefore, independent travel, visits by natural parents are not allowed during the stay in America. The student also cannot return to Serbia or leave America during the holidays. Travel is, therefore, only allowed with the family (although the family is not obliged to pay for accommodation for the student) if the student wants to go on a trip and can afford it if the family does not pay for it. The student can also choose to go on one of the offered trips organized by the Sponsorship Agency, accompanied by a coordinator (optional – paid separately) or on a trip organized by the school.

0 Shares