Six-Month Exchanges in Multiple Countries
En Famille organizes 6-month exchanges in Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, and the USA. Two children, aged 8 to 15, spend a full year together—six months in each child’s home. For older children, we may offer variable durations depending on individual circumstances.
Our exchanges are grounded in total linguistic immersion, which leads to extraordinary verbal fluency.
Beyond language skills, En Famille International provides children with a second loving family. By the end of the year, these bonds often last a lifetime!
As a French non-profit, En Famille International (EFI) has been organizing exchanges for over 40 years, with more than 3,500 successful exchanges to date.
Yes, there is a registration fee of €150.
See our Rates page for details. There is no financial exchange between families. Each family is responsible for covering the expenses of the hosted child as if they were their own. In the USA, there may be additional costs for private schools, which are arranged on a case-by-case basis.
The fee paid to EFI covers:
Organizing information sessions in each country
Preparing and conducting interviews with families
Visiting homes
Supervising exchanges
Supporting EFI’s permanent staff
The fee is due when the matching is accepted and the contract is signed between the family and the association En Famille International.
After reviewing this website and discussing as a family, if you are excited to proceed, contact the En Famille manager in your country. See our Contact page for details.
Exchanges typically start in August/September or February/March. We host meetings twice a year, in spring and autumn. Spring meetings prepare for late August/early September exchanges, while autumn meetings are for February/March departures.
Based on 40 years of experience, the ideal ages for long-term language immersion are 9, 10, and 11. However, we accept teenagers up to 16 years old, provided they are willing to follow the rules of an En Famille exchange. Motivated teens often have highly successful exchanges.
En Famille offers exchanges in multiple countries and receives many requests. While we prioritize matching motivated children with suitable families, we cannot guarantee placement in an English-speaking family. The more open-minded your child and family are about the destination, the better the chances of securing an exchange.
After the first week in their host family, children must stop speaking their native language. They cannot bring books in their own language or use computers for non-school purposes. Parents can call their child once a week for up to 30 minutes. Children may receive 2–3 letters but should avoid social media or texting.
While this may seem strict, it accelerates language learning and helps children fully integrate into their new family and community. Success depends on two key factors:
Communication and understanding
Building strong connections with the new family and community
Our experience shows that calls longer than 30 minutes can make children feel homesick, causing unnecessary sadness and stress for both the child and the host family. However, parents are encouraged to maintain positive contact with the host family through friendly emails and photo sharing.
Absolutely. En Famille International has stayed true to its founding values since its first exchange in 1978. Beyond language acquisition, the experience fosters openness, sharing, and respect. It helps children build confidence and develop a solid foundation in human connection that benefits them as adults.
Many families note the significant personal growth their child experiences during the exchange, along with the lifelong bonds formed with their host family.
Safety is our top priority. We carefully prepare each exchange by:
Interviewing all families
Conducting home visits through local representatives
Verifying references
With over 3,000 successful exchanges since 1978, our process ensures a secure and enriching experience.
Some host families in Canada or the UK practice home schooling. This involves parents taking responsibility for their child’s education, often with creative and enriching approaches, such as field trips to explore geography or special group programs like theater.
Children in En Famille exchanges who experience home schooling often enjoy the unique learning environment and return with a newfound appreciation for alternative education styles.
It’s normal to face skepticism when choosing such a unique experience for your child. Reach out to families who have already participated in an exchange—they can provide valuable insights and reassurance about the life-changing benefits of this adventure.
Yes, and always for the better! Children return more mature, independent, and open-minded, with greater tolerance and confidence.
A local representative family, authorized by EFI, will visit your home before your exchange begins. These families have successfully completed one or more exchanges themselves and can provide insights and answer your questions.
The representative visit ensures the environment is suitable for hosting a foreign child and helps establish a connection with an experienced family.
Do you have lots of questions? We are here to answer them and prepare your exchange projects in the best possible way. Our teams and ambassadors are here to inform you.