AFS Host Family FAQ

Supported by dedicated volunteers and staff, families help students navigate their new school and community, make friends, learn the language and enjoy their year abroad. Sharing culture and traditions helps families bond, creating lifelong friendships. 

• Welcome your AFS student to participate in your family’s daily lives and events
• The same care, support, and comfort you provide to other members of your family, including meals.

AFS students come from more than 99 countries, and are seen as role models and leaders in their home communities by demonstrating maturity and motivation to study abroad.

AFS students are screened and selected by the AFS organization in their home country. AFS students are:

• Usually between 15-18 years old on arrival
• Committed to actively participate in their AFS program
• Considered a good student in their home school
• In good general health
• Curious, flexible and open-minded.

All types of families are encouraged to apply; there is no “typical” AFS host family. Some AFS families have children at home; some are same sex couples while others are empty nesters with adult children or are couples with no children at all. Single adults and single parents are also welcome. Even busy families find time to enjoy hosting students!

The health, safety and well-being of our students is the number one priority for AFS. AFS volunteers and staff are committed and trained to support students and their families throughout the AFS experience. AFS has consistent guidelines that apply to all AFS Organizations.

• 24 hour emergency contact
• Local volunteer or staff support for both the host family and AFS student
• Additional support from the national office of the AFS Organization in that country
• Facilitated intercultural learning programs by trained volunteers and staff for both the host family and AFS student
• All living facilities and situations are inspected and closely monitored by AFS throughout the exchange experience.

• High School (semester, trimester or year-long)
• Summer and Short Study (a few weeks up to three months)
• Language Learning (a few weeks up to three months)
• Volunteer Abroad

AFS students arrive with their own spending money for social and school activities, clothes, etc. As a host family, you will not need to provide spending money or an allowance. The AFS Organization in your country will discuss how school related costs are handled.

No, your student will come with secondary medical insurance so that, in an emergency, the student can be treated as soon as possible. There is also a 24-hour support phone number in case of any emergency.

Yes. AFS students are expected to obey all the AFS rules and policies that are applicable while on their program. Should a student break a rule such as driving or taking illegal drugs, they will have their program terminated. Hosted participants are expected to obey all local and national laws. We also limit independent travel by students. You will be provided with a Host Family Handbook, which contains information on these rules and safety information, at or before your pre-arrival orientation.

1. Being an AFS host family provides a fun, rewarding and transformative experience for the whole family—a global family adventure without leaving home.
2. AFS host families share cultures/learn about new cultures—creating a lifetime of memories and friendships. You and your family will have friends to visit in another part of the world.
3. Hosting encourages families to open up their mind and gain better insights into the perspectives of people from other cultures.
4. AFS host families help young people achieve their global and personal ambitions.
5. Hosting helps family members and host students experience personal growth—and growth as a family.
6. Hosting provides an opportunity for young children in the family to bond with a new sibling as a big brother/sister or role model.
7. Hosting an international student helps everyone in the family develop more effective communication skills and practice another language.
8. When you host with AFS, you support the AFS mission of helping individuals and communities become more comfortable with and adapt to cultural and other differences. You also join an organization and a community dedicated to creating a more just, peaceful and inclusive world.

The AFS Host Family Intercultural Learning Journey program will help you become more comfortable with your new family member, and develop skills and understanding to communicate with people from different cultures. The journey is:

• Facilitated by trained AFS volunteers and staff.
• Based on the well-established AFS Learning Objectives for Host Families that have been designed and approved by experts in intercultural learning from around the world.
• Made of engaging and informative orientation sessions and useful learning materials you can use on your own or in group settings.

The AFS Host Family Learning Journey covers the AFS experience before, during and after the hosting program. The program’s primary goals are to help your family:

• Explore and build your intercultural awareness and understanding as individual global citizens and as a family and
• Better support your hosted student’s integration into a new culture and intercultural educational experience.

The AFS Host Family Learning Journey is based on the 14 AFS Learning Objectives for Host Families (developed by AFS international experts in intercultural learning) and is facilitated by trained AFS volunteers and staff. It Includes engaging and informative orientation sessions, monthly learning reflections, activities with the host student and a newsletter written specifically to enhance your hosting experience. The AFS Learning Objectives for Host Families are designed to help your family improve in four areas:

• Self-Awareness
• Communication Skills and Empathy
• Intercultural Competence
• Global Concern.

Skilled professional AFS  staff and volunteers will select a suitable young person who will be interested in you and your family’s way of life. AFS is about people rather than a particular nationality. You may indicate whether you would prefer a boy or girl; AFS will send you the student’s application to review. Most AFS students are between 15 and 18 years old; placements are made based on your family’s interest and individual characteristics. Once you have accepted the suitable student he or she will be notified of your family details

You can benefit even more from having the companionship of an AFS’er, and will see the world through the eyes of a teenager from another culture. For some AFS’ers, living in a family with no children is an advantage since it allows them to stand on their own two feet and be more independent. It all depends upon a good placement – the right student for you!

Certainly. A growing number of single-parent families enjoy the experience of hosting an AFS student.

If you have young children, a new older brother or sister may be just right. In fact, some AFS’ers express a preference for placement with a young family.

You supply love, moral support, and basic needs – just as you would for a child of your own. Your AFS’er will not expect to be treated differently, but as part of your family. The cost depends on a number of factors, one being your own family’s level of expenditure.

Families are not paid to host AFS students. However, AFS families consider having the company of the AFS’er for the year payment enough.

No, although AFS requires that each AFS student has his or her own bed, a large proportion of AFS’ers shares a bedroom with their new brothers or sisters. These young people are selected for their adaptability, and have chosen the challenge of living abroad for a year with a new family.

The Ministry of Education has given permission for host parents to choose which school they want their AFS students to attend. It might be the same school their children attend. Please approach the school you have in mind and they will assist you in filling up the necessary school information form. If you are not sure, AFS will help you approach the nearest appropriate school

Since AFS’er fits in with your daily life, it will depend upon what your family usually does. After all, this is an experience to be shared.

Most families prefer to make adjustments if an unanticipated situation arises. However, if necessary, another family in the area would take over for you, allowing you to stay in touch with your AFS’er. If another family cannot be located in the area the student will be moved to another appropriate family in another area but they will still be encouraged to keep in touc

You’ll wish it were longer when the time comes to say goodbye! The Year Program is approximately 11 months; arriving in January and leaving in December. If you are unable to host a student for an entire year, you may wish to consider a short term placement.

AFS takes the responsibility for a student to be moved to another family if the placement is not successful. Each year about 50 young people are placed in homes all over Malaysia. Occasionally, some students and families prove incompatible.  A move is most often the result of unforeseen personality clashes or insufficient information about either student or family. Thus, it is important for placement purposes to be as complete and candid as possible in your application form.

The student’s natural parent remains the legal guardians. However, AFS is responsible for the student’s welfare and safety. While you have responsibility on a day-to-day basis, local AFS staff can be reached 24hours a day. While initially you may feel overly responsible and protective, eventually you will find it easier to treat him/her as you would your own child.

AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia and AFS International voluntarily agree to pay the full costs for any medical treatment required during the time the student is a participant on the program. AFS Antarabudaya Malaysia and AFS International do not cover any treatment required for pre-existing conditions or preventive purposes, or dental or eye care. In these instances the natural parents must pay.

Apart from expanding your horizons by enriching your family life, AFS provides local contacts that will help your family and AFS’er to get the most from your year together. Local AFS volunteers may also organize events throughout the year which provide everyone with opportunities to meet other people who are involved with AFS and who are enthusiastic about making a practical contribution to peace and international understanding.

Apply as soon as possible. AFS needs adequate time to carefully place students with families. Fill out our Host Family Application Form today!

We are confident in our ability to manage complex and challenging situations because we have 70+ years of experience doing so (including evacuating participants from Japan following the 2011 earthquake, from Venezuela and Egypt during political crises, and managing epidemics like H1N1 and SARS). During the current pandemic, we safely and rapidly evacuated over 6,000 AFSers from 90+ countries.

As a global network of organizations, AFS is actively re-assessing the conditions on a country-by- country basis, and will continue to do so throughout the duration of the program. We will determine how well AFS can continue to support participants on the program in case of another outbreak, and assess if the program can continue in the best interest of the participants’ safety.

Because the pandemic is still evolving and changing on a daily basis, we understand it is difficult to make any firm commitments and that your circumstances may change. We will be in constant contact with you to inform you about all AFS procedures and decisions that will provide more certainty and clarity on how our programs are running. At the same time, we ask you to contact us any time you have a question or concern – we are committed to keeping an open dialogue with you.

While we are planning ahead for the future, we are dedicated to only restarting our programs when it is safe and possible to do so. This means that the start date of your hosted student’s program will depend on the situation in your country, and in their home country. At the earliest, we expect to begin running a limited number of programs in August. We are constantly assessing AFS hosting readiness and are committed to keeping an open dialogue with you and keeping you updated as we make decisions. Please reach out to us to discuss your specific situation. We will notify you in advance about the exact arrival dates of your hosted student.

Kuhan Kandiah Chelvanathan at [email protected]

Tel: 03-78876866