My son is going on an exchange abroad, what should we know? 2026

A circular has arrived from the school offering us the possibility of enrolling our son in an exchange program to learn English. For two weeks, a family will welcome him into their home and take care of him. You will also attend classes at a school in London, Oxford, Dublin, Sussex... Another possibility is to carry out the exchange through an agency.

Without a doubt, it is a great opportunity to improve your English, learn about another culture and interact with girls and boys from another country. But it is inevitable to feel certain fears before your first trip on your own. The most important thing? Be informed, but very well, of all the conditions. It goes without saying that under no circumstances should we allow our child to leave without knowing exactly what the program consists of, under what conditions they will travel, who will be in charge of picking them up, taking care of them, taking them to class, the type of school they will attend and the guarantees they offer us. And you must always demand accident insurance, liability for damage and loss of luggage.

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We must control the entire process

If the proposal comes from the school, the first thing is to talk to those responsible. The most common is a trip of at least two weeks, whose program includes sports activities, cultural visits, a class schedule and a stay with a family in the city.

It can also be a twinning system between schools. That is, the exchange is carried out with students from a foreign school with which the center maintains a direct relationship (there are foreign schools established in Spain that send their students to their sister centers in their countries of origin). In the case of the agency, we have to find out about the usual procedure it follows to find the host family, organize the trip, classes, visits, etc. It is possible that we know someone who has already completed a program of this type. Taking an interest in their experience is a simple and direct way to check their effectiveness. A good agency will take care of completing all the documentation, including civil liability insurance and, in some cases, the corresponding visa. If they travel in a group through the school, children taking part in the program must be accompanied by one or more teachers who are responsible for their well-being.

What should be included in the contract?

• In any case, the contract must specify the pick-up and delivery of the children at the corresponding airports, both on the way out and on the way back. They should not be left alone at any time: let us not forget that this is a strange country with a language that they do not yet speak.
• It is common that, during the months preceding the trip, the agency or school takes an interest in the characteristics and personality of the children in order to install them in the appropriate family.
• The document must also include the possibility of changing houses if the one they have been awarded is not satisfactory.
• The document must make it clear whether the children have a single or shared room, and whether the house has adequate conditions, both hygienic and general well-being.
• You have to know from the beginning whether travel, local transportation and subsistence expenses are the responsibility of the agency, the school or the children.

Obviously, all this depends on the final price, but the usual thing is the complete package. In the event that they do not comply with any of the clauses of the contract, we have the right to demand compliance.

In case of direct exchange

If it is a school that has agreed on a direct exchange of students with a similar one in another country, knowing the background is also a very important step. Good or bad experiences from previous courses will give us an idea of ​​what to expect from this adventure.

Nor in this case will they travel without the escort of teachers, at a rate of one for every 10 or 15 students. The guarantees must be the same, although in this case we may have to carry out some procedures on our own, such as formalizing the documentation (for Europe, DNI with a special permission from the parents; and for the USA, a visa) and the corresponding insurance. Whether through an agency or the school, the contract must always specify the program of extracurricular activities, visits, class schedules and attendance of a qualified teacher. We must ensure that they comply with everything agreed upon.