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Procedures and Guidelines

The Lake Oswego School District is interested in furthering international understanding through international education and student exchange programs. Foreign exchange students are admitted to our schools through recognized, district-approved exchange agencies. 

The superintendent assigns the number of spaces available for foreign exchange students at the high schools in order to assure that all District high school students have the opportunity to benefit from exchange programs, and that the numbers do not negatively impact the educational opportunities and resources available to District students. 

Exchange Agencies must be approved by the Executive Director of Secondary Programs, in order to qualify students to enter schools in the Lake Oswego School District.  Approval is granted to exchange organizations that provide evidence that the requirements listed in this document can be fulfilled.  It is the responsibility of the Exchange Organization to provide all documentation necessary.  Approval is granted on a yearly basis. The District retains the right to refuse admission of a foreign exchange student who does not meet District requirements regardless of the approval status of the Exchange Organization.

Exchange Agency Requirements

  1. Documentation must be submitted to the Lake Oswego School District annually verifying the Exchange Agency’s compliance with the following guidelines: 

    1. Exchange Agencies must be listed each year in the Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs published by the CSIET Council on Standards for International Educational Travel.
      No exceptions will be made. 

    2. Exchange programs or official "sister city” programs must provide bona fide opportunities for students in Lake Oswego Schools to participate on a reciprocal basis in similar full-time study experiences abroad with corresponding waivers of tuition. Information about the waiver of tuition must be contained in the printed materials describing the exchange program. 

    3. Exchange Agencies may not charge students significant fees for placement services. The criteria for determining appropriate charges will be the cost of programs provided by organizations that are known to have quality and cost control practices. Normal transportation and transportation related expenses are acceptable.

    4. Exchange Organizations must be able to show evidence of bonding and sufficient insurance to pay claims related to illness, accident, or death of an exchange student and possible liability to the host family. 

  2. Exchange programs must provide orientation sessions in the home and/or receiving country before and after the exchange experience. 

  3. Designated Exchange program sponsors are responsible for the selection of Lake Oswego host families. The Exchange Organization representative must personally interview each potential host family and visit the home before a family is approved to receive a foreign exchange student. Telephone interviews are not acceptable. The selection of the host family and home placement must be made prior to the student’s arrival in the state.  The Exchange Organization must designate an alternate home family in the Lake Oswego School District in the event the first host family is unable to meet the obligation for any reason.  Host families cannot be selected or solicited prior to the Exchange Organization’s approval by the District.

  4. If the student’s host family is unable to fulfill their obligation, the exchange student is subject to being withheld from enrolling, if the school year has not yet begun, or withdrawn, if already attending.   It is the Exchange Organization’s responsibility for ensuring a student is placed with a host family within the Lake Oswego School District boundaries for the duration of the exchange student’s enrollment.  If the host family changes, the Exchange Organization must provide the District with the new host family’s information for approval.  The District reserves the right to rescind approval to continue attendance.

  5. The Exchange Organization is responsible to ensure that the sponsoring family is in a position to contribute a significant share of the living expenses of the foreign student, including lunch and transportation. 

  6. Exchange Organizations must maintain an easily accessible representative who can provide counseling to the host family and the exchange student to assist in resolving problems that might arise. The representative must be available to assist in the return of the student to the home country in case of an emergency or for any other reason that may arise. 

  7. The District will enroll no more than two students from each Exchange Organization.  Because student applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis, enrollment is subject to space availability at the time of submission.  Total number of exchange students accepted by the District is set by the Superintendent. 

  8. Exchange Organizations shall be designated to limit foreign exchange students to a maximum of one full academic year of attendance.  Exchange students are accepted for a full academic year; no semester students will be accepted.  In order to qualify for the receipt of credit, the student must be enrolled for a minimum of one full year. 

  9. Students must be advised that a regular diploma will be issued if a student has obtained prior approval to pursue a diploma during the application process. The student must meet all requirements to receive a diploma. The student and Exchange Organization are responsible for costs incurred in the translation and evaluation of the student’s transcripted credit they wish to transfer into the District. Students not earning a diploma may be able to participate in commencement activities if they qualify as senior students.  These students may receive a Certificate of Completion.

Student Requirements and Information

The following guidelines should be observed to ensure that the student, the host family, the school, and the District enjoy a smooth, trouble free experience: 

  1. Approved Exchange Organizations shall submit the Foreign Exchange Student application and all materials relating to prospective exchange students to the Lake Oswego School District office for review and determination of initial qualification for admission. The required materials are: student application (program and district); copies of the student’s transcript; a current SLEP or ELTiS test with score; student letter to host family in English; immunization records required by the State of Oregon for school attendance on the official Oregon forms.  

  2. Student application packet must be submitted no later than July 1 for placement in September. 

  3. Only students with a SLEP test score in the 50-70% range or ELTiS score of 222 and above will be accepted. If it is determined that a student, after enrollment requires additional language assistance, the program representative must arrange for a tutor - ESL services are not provided for exchange students.  If the exchange student requires English language services the Exchange Program must provide a tutor for the student in the area of academic concerns.)

  4. Only students issued a J-1 visa by Immigration and Naturalization Services will be considered for enrollment on a tuition free basis. 

  5. Student shall not be over eighteen years of age on the first day of attendance. 

  6. Student shall not have graduated from any secondary school program or the equivalent.

  7. Student must reside with a host family within the Lake Oswego School District attendance boundaries. 

  8. Students must be advised that a Lake Oswego School District diploma will be issued if the student has obtained prior approval to pursue a diploma during the application process, the student has contacted the school administrator at the time of enrollment, and if the student meets all requirements to receive a diploma.  All costs of translating transcripts pursuant to evaluating credits for graduate requirements will be at the expense of the exchange student and/or Exchange Organization.  Students not earning a diploma will be able to participate in commencement activities if they qualify as senior students. These students may receive a Certificate of Completion. 

  9. Athletic eligibility requires record of a physical examination be a part of the application packet. The student must maintain academic eligibility and be responsible for all fees. 

  10. Exchange Organizations shall be designated to limit foreign exchange students to a maximum of one full academic year of attendance.  Exchange students are accepted for a full academic year; no semester students will be accepted.  In order to qualify for the receipt of credit, the student must be enrolled for a minimum of one full year.