Host Families Sought For International High School Students

The application period for Anne Arundel County families interested in hosting an international high school student is now open through ASSE, previously known as the American Scandinavian Student Exchange. According to the organization’s website, “the history of ASSE goes back to 1938 when the Swedish Ministry of Education instituted an exchange program for Swedish and German students. In the post-World War II era, this was expanded to include Great Britain, France, Spain, and Switzerland and later the United States, where ASSE was established in 1976, by the Swedish government, as the American Scandinavian Student Exchange.”

Katie McCord, a guidance counselor at Severna Park Elementary School, serves as ASSE’s area representative and would love to welcome international students to Maryland to experience the county’s exceptional area high schools. She said families make amazing life-long connections and often visit the countries the exchange students are from. The students are top scholars, often taking Advanced Placement courses, and gifted athletes or musicians. They are bilingual and fluent in English.

“We encourage exchange students to join sports, clubs or drama activities,” said McCord, noting that Broadneck High School is hosting a student from the Czech Republic this year. “The host families love the connection with the exchange students and families. The lasting relationships created may also lead the host family to visit the exchange student’s family.”

To be eligible, the host family needs to have space for the exchange student, either a bedroom or a bed in the room of one of the host family’s children of the same age and gender as the exchange student. They also need to have space to do their homework in the home. Family members over the age of 18 will undergo a criminal background check. It’s not a requirement that the host family have children in the home.

McCord’s family has welcomed ASSE students in the past. “I’ve hosted two exchange students who participated in cheerleading, and even got to cheerlead at Walt Disney World,” McCord shared. “In school, they took advanced U.S. history and government classes and really became more comfortable and fluent in English.”

Host families receive an education, too. Students help with cooking and share their native foods. Throughout the year, they may celebrate their country’s traditions and share those with their hosts.

If your family is ready to host a student for the 2026-2027 school year and completes an application, ASSE area representatives will visit your home to talk about the experience and expectations in depth. Host families have an opportunity to view information on the potential exchange students to find the best fit for both family and student.

Once a student is matched with a host family, they will arrive with their own funds and insurance. Exchange students receive many trip options with the other exchange students in Maryland and Delaware, for which the area representative provides transportation, and they may also go on domestic vacations with the host families.

For more information, visit www.asse.com or contact Katie McCord at kmccord@aacps.org. Ready to apply? Visit bit.ly/ASSEapply.