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PAX - Program of Academic Exchange is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange and is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.

PAX - Program of Academic Exchange is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange and is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor.

  • Students
      • Who Are PAX International Students?
      • Become a PAX Student in the U.S.
      • Become a PAX Student Abroad
      • Map of the PAX World
  • Scholarships
      • PAX Means Peace Scholars
      • FLEX Program
      • YES Program
  • Families
      • Host a PAX Exchange Student
      • Meet Our Students
      • Hosting Stories
      • FAQ for Host Families
      • Refer a Host Family
  • Institutions
      • Host PAX Students at Your High School
      • FAQ for High Schools
      • Become an International Partner
  • Coordinators
      • Work with Students as a Coordinator
      • Benefits of Coordinator Role
      • Coordinator Application
  • About
      • About Us
      • Exchange Stories
      • PAX Press Newspaper
      • Make a Donation

Courageous. Impressive. Driven.

You'd have to be to spend a year in another country as a teen, wouldn't you?


Meet Students

PAX Exchange Students

Each year, nearly 1,000 teenagers come to the U.S. through PAX for a semester or academic year. They attend high schools, live with volunteer host families, and change lives.

Fifteen to Eighteen Years Old
Money for Personal Expenses
Health Insurance Coverage
Demonstrated English Proficiency

Welcome to America!

Whether they hail from Europe, Asia, Africa, or Latin America, these citizen diplomats share a common goal: a sincere desire to experience and better understand the U.S. by participating in real-life activities as a student and family member.

What are the responsibilities of a PAX exchange student?

Most importantly, PAX exchange students are expected to be enthusiastic, involved members of their host communities and serve as young ambassadors for their home countries. Students are also expected to participate in activities with and respect the values of their host families, abide by all program rules, and engage with others in a positive manner throughout their exchange experience.

How are PAX students selected?

Students who come to the U.S. through the PAX program each submit a written application, pass a standardized English language test, provide comprehensive health records, receive all necessary immunizations, participate in a personal interview, and demonstrate appropriate maturity and motivation. For U.S. Government-sponsored students from the FLEX and YES programs, the selection process is especially rigorous and being chosen is a prestigious honor.

When do students know where they will be placed in the U.S.?

The answer varies depending on how quickly a good fit is found. PAX is always working to find the right student/host family match. In terms of “where,” the vast majority of PAX students are open to living with a great family anywhere in the country. Only a small subset adds a state or regional preference to their application.

What steps does PAX take to prepare students?

With the help of our international partners, all students participate in a pre-program orientation in their home country. Every PAX student also attends a PAX-led local orientation upon arrival in their American host community. In addition to the overall support structure, these meetings help set students up for a successful exchange experience.

What kind of activities do PAX exchange students participate in?

PAX students are active in all aspects of American life. They attend school, participate in extracurricular activities like sports and clubs, make and socialize with new friends, celebrate holidays and other occasions with their host families, and get together with other PAX students for enrichment activities with their PAX Coordinators. Exchange years are filled with opportunities, and each student finds those that best fit their experience.

Do PAX students volunteer?

All PAX exchange students volunteer in their host communities in some way. Some students join their host families in group volunteer activities; some join service clubs at school; others find opportunities through local organizations. PAX scholarship students go a step further—logging at least 30 hours of volunteer service and making cultural presentations.

How do students share their culture during their exchange year?

One of the biggest opportunities for culture sharing comes in November with the arrival of International Education Week (IEW). IEW provides a chance for students to make presentations in their host school and throughout their communities, sharing their culture and talking about their countries. PAX students find that some of their most impactful culture sharing comes with engaging host families and communities in their cultural traditions. Some students cook, while others celebrate festivals, bring traditional art forms to life, or share their cultures’ rich musical traditions.

What if a student needs help with a problem?

PAX provides support to students and families throughout their exchange year. Every student has a local Community Coordinator to help work through any issues they might experience with host families, school, homesickness, or anything else. You can learn more about what PAX Community Coordinators do and how they support the students in their areas here.

3 Scholarship Programs

Within each year's cohort of impressive PAX exchange students from all over the world are teens from three scholarship programs as well:

 

FLEX Program

Teenage Girl from Kyrgyzstan Traditional Clothing

YES Program

High school boy from Libya in traditional Libyan clothing sitting on map of the world

PAX Means Peace

Teenage Girl from Somaliland Red Hijab

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PAX - Program of Academic Exchange is a program of PAX Laurasian Exchange and is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program sponsor. ©2023 Privacy Notice
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