4-H International Inbound and AYP Exchange Programs for 2024!

North Carolina 4-H is offering two unique cross-cultural hosting experiences for families this year: our Inbound (3.5 weeks) and Academic Year-long (10 months) exchange programs! Apply NOW for the chance to invite an amazing young person from another country into your family for one of these incredible and time-honored programs.

To learn more about these programs and hear from some past and current North Carolina host families, join us for an informational session on Zoom!

• Tuesday, January 23, 6:30-8:00 pm

• Contact Caitlin Clineff at cadavis7@ncsu.edu with any questions!

Inbound Exchange Program

Each summer, North Carolina 4-H offers families the opportunity to host a youth or an adult chaperone from another country. The delegates stay in NC for about 3.5 weeks during the summer to experience daily American life and culture. Special trips and tourism are not required to host a delegate. These young people are here to be a member of the family for a month, not tourists. Take them to the grocery store and around the local area, let them do chores like feeding the animals, take them to 4-H club meetings, etc.!

Participating countries in 2024:

• Costa Rica - 5 families needed (5 youth, or 4 youth and 1 chaperone) -- June 26 - July 21

• Japan - 20 families needed (18 youth and 2 chaperones) -- July 22 - August 16* (these dates are subject to shift a day or two)

Age Requirements:

• To host a youth delegate: The host sibling must be between 9-18 years old, and within 2-3 years of the delegate’s age

• To host an adult chaperone: Any age! Even families with young children/no children/children who have aged out can host a chaperone. Will your college-age kids be home for the summer? This would be a great way to spend time together as a family!

Applications will be accepted until April 15 or until all students are placed.

Host family selection is subject to the completion of the online application, an in-home interview, a background check, and delegate availability.

Academic Year-Long Program (AYP)

The AYP program allows NC 4-H families the opportunity to bring a Japanese or South Korean high school exchange student into their family for a whole school year (10 months, August-June). Students are enrolled in public high schools and participate in school activities as members of their host families. 4-H staff provide support services for host families and exchange students throughout the school year. AYP students are provided their medical insurance, have their own spending money, and are eager to immerse themselves in American life. Host families come in all shapes and sizes and reflect the diversity of the United States. Although students must attend public high school, they can stay with homeschooled or private school families!

AYP students from Japan and South Korea are selected to participate in the program based on their performance on the ELTiS test, their application materials, and an interview conducted in English. Some of these students previously visited the USA as part of Inbound Summer programs. They arrive in August and leave in June.

Age Requirements:

• There are no age requirements for 4-H host families! Even families with young children/no children/children who have aged out can host an AYP student.

Applications will be accepted until April 15 or util all students are placed.

To apply, visit: Smarter Select

Host family selection is subject to the student’s acceptance in a local public high school, completion of the online application, an in-home interview, background checks, and delegate availability.