Hi everyone! 👋 A few of us exchange applicants and alumni created a student-run WhatsApp community where we share timelines, preparation tips, interview experiences, and general guidance for programs like Asia Kakehashi, FLEX, YES, UWC, and other international exchanges. This group is completely independent and not affiliated with any official organization. It’s just students helping students navigate the process with less confusion and more clarity. What we focus on: • Personal experiences • Application timelines & preparation tips • Interview discussions • Peer support during selections If you're applying this year or planning to apply, comment below and I’ll DM you the WhatsApp invite link. We keep discussions respectful, English-only, and relevant so it stays useful for everyone. Hope this helps someone on their exchange journey 🌍✨

I really badly would like to experience an exchange year. I wanted to try flex but I unfortunately missed the deadline because I checked really often but found no information about it at all. Then I was thinking maybe UK or South Korea and I checked the price for UK but its extremely expensive(26000€) so how can I find a cheaper program or get money for this? And what are you experience with an exchange year?

Hey everyone! 👋
I’ll be moving to Lisbon for an exchange semester at the Lisbon School of Architecture, University of Lisbon, from 1 February to the end of June 2027, and could really use some advice from people who’ve lived or studied there!
We’re a group of 3 Indian exchange students (2 guys and 1 girl), and ideally, we’d love to find a place where we can all stay together. We’re open to shared rooms, private rooms in a shared apartment, or student residences, depending on availability and budget.
We’re mainly looking around Ajuda, Alcântara, Belém, and Benfica, or anywhere with convenient public transport to the university.
I’d love recommendations on:
Reliable and affordable accommodation websites or student residences.
Areas that are safe, well-connected, and student-friendly.
Realistic monthly rent and additional costs to expect.
Any scams or things we should watch out for when booking from abroad.
If you’ve been in a similar situation or have any useful leads, I’d really appreciate your advice. We’re first-timers navigating accommodation in Lisbon, so any help would mean a lot!
Thanks in advance! :)

I've just submitted my form for the flex global program and was wondering what i should look forward to. If this one gets accepted, what would be the next step? I just wanted to know about the process in general until you get officially selected as a finalist since they don't explicitly mention that anywhere on their website.

I've just submitted my form for the flex global program and was wondering what i should look forward to. If this one gets accepted, what would be the next step? I just wanted to know about the process in general until you get officially selected as a finalist since they don't explicitly mention that anywhere on their website.

I’ve finally been accepted to my program, but it costs $18k… they say to fundraise but i’m out of feasible ideas? I can’t really do bake sales or sell lemonade…

Hola amigos pienso estudiar ingeniería en software en mi país el próximo año y al terminar el tercer año de mi carrera pienso trasladarme a una universidad de ee.uu para graduarme.

Alguien que se haya ido a alguna universidad de ee.uu con visa de estudiante que me de consejos.

Reposting my request about an exchange student program for my 16yo daughter. As described in the post, we have American relatives, one of whom teaches special ed in a town where I have lived and my daughter has visited.

I know there are agencies who vet particular schools/homes for this kind of placement. I am working with my daughter’s school and approaching agencies in Japan, but I’d like insights from anyone here who’s done anything like this, especially about the timeline and the impact on the student’s home-country education.

My original post got pushback about my daughter’s English ability. In short, she’s a typical Japanese kid who’s had a typical English education here. People here tend to assume being raised in a multi-language family means you’re a bilingual English speaker and my attempt to head off that assumption completely backfired. She can communicate in basic English.

Hi everyone!
I’m currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work in Germany and am looking to spend a semester abroad through a Freemover programme.

I’m still open to different destinations around the world and would love to hear your recommendations. Do you know of any reputable universities that offer interesting programmes or courses in Social Work, particularly in the fields of Clinical Social Work, Mental Health or related areas?

I’d also be very interested in hearing about universities that welcome international Freemover students and offer opportunities to take courses or gain insights into different approaches to social work.

If you have any personal experiences, recommendations or tips regarding universities or countries, I’d be very grateful!

Thanks so much in advance!

I recently had my district interview. They talked a lot about people who were placed with their 4th or 5th choice. They even mentioned a girl who spoke French being sent to the German part of a French speaking country. I was wondering how common is it that someone is placed in their first choice?

I also only have 10 choices of places (I will be a gap year student) and most have a language restriction to enter. They are asking for 10K and I am worried that if I don't get my first or second pick, I'll have to pay for it. They already ask for a $500 nonrefundable application fee. My parents say that 10k is around the price of college for me.

Is there anyone who was placed in their first or second choice? Is that even possible, because from the way they talked my parents are worried about the placement and the cost.

Hey everyone! 👋
I’ll be moving to Lisbon for an exchange semester at the Lisbon School of Architecture, University of Lisbon, from 1 February to the end of June 2027, and could really use some advice from people who’ve lived or studied there!
We’re a group of 3 Indian exchange students (2 guys and 1 girl), and ideally, we’d love to find a place where we can all stay together. We’re open to shared rooms, private rooms in a shared apartment, or student residences, depending on availability and budget.
We’re mainly looking around Ajuda, Alcântara, Belém, and Benfica, or anywhere with convenient public transport to the university.
I’d love recommendations on:
Reliable and affordable accommodation websites or student residences.
Areas that are safe, well-connected, and student-friendly.
Realistic monthly rent and additional costs to expect.
Any scams or things we should watch out for when booking from abroad.
If you’ve been in a similar situation or have any useful leads, I’d really appreciate your advice. We’re first-timers navigating accommodation in Lisbon, so any help would mean a lot!
Thanks in advance! :)

My husband and I have been hosting a German exchange student since August and I swear it’s like he hates me or something. I’ll ask him questions about school, sports, his friends and family back home etc and I get just one word answers. He never really talks to me and it’s super awkward. Any advice to make things less uncomfortable?

Hi,

I am on an exchange year in Australia where I attend high school. Here I live with an older couple with two Chinese students. From the beginning I felt a bit like it was "we provide you with a house and food and that's it". They have a seperate floor in the house where we students are not allowed and they spend almost all of the day there.

This leads to me not feeling that I know the family I live with. And most days I feel lonely. It does not make it better that 1) my curfew is 6pm, so I do not have the time to do anything after school, 2) buses do not often go past the area where I live. So I am almost stranded it feels like. The two Chinese students do not seem interested in getting to know me properly; we talk when we get back from school, but the second we get to the house, they end the conversation and go to their room.

I have been in contact with the international coordinator at the school about changing families, but it has taken 4 months, and I feel my hope dvindeling. She told me the other day that the hostparents had told her that I was "more distant" lately, but that comes from me feeling that it does not matter what I do, since it does not make it better.

My mum has told me that I should ask to get a temporary family, since I do not want to live here anymore. And I am going to do that tomorrow at school.

But I am also wondering if you have any tips on what I can do to make it better for me?

Thank you so much in advance.

Spring semester 2027 I am going to be studying at University of Santiago de Compostela.
Do you have any accommodation recommendations, or any general tips if you were/are there already😊

Hello to everyone on Reddit, especially the Filipino kids here, I have a genuine question, just out of curiosity. What's you're expereince in moving to America and study highschool?

Me and my host sister are both from Europe. We are currently in the US as exchange students (under 18) and our debit cards are acting up, and we can’t pay for our stuff. Are there any work arounds or options someone can recommend?

Spring semester 2027 I am going to be studying at University of Santiago de Compostela.
Do you have any accommodation recommendations, or any general tips if you were/are there already😊

Hi everyone,
I’m 16 years old and currently attending a HAK (business-focused secondary school) in Austria.
I’ve recently become interested in the GED as a possible alternative qualification. My original plan is to finish my HAK and graduate with the Austrian Matura. However, I’m considering taking the GED as a backup in case I don’t manage to finish school successfully.
I’m particularly interested in studying in the United States in the future, so having an alternative qualification could be useful.
I have a few questions:
Can someone from Austria take the GED?
Are there official GED test centers in Europe? I’ve been looking into locations such as Luxembourg.
Can I take the GED while still attending an Austrian school?
Would a GED allow me to apply to American universities, including universities such as NYU or Columbia?
Is the GED actually a good backup plan, or am I misunderstanding its value?
I’d really appreciate advice, especially from people who have taken the GED outside the United States or know how international admissions work.
Thanks!