age

Hey everyone,

I’m 14 (turning 15 soon) and I live in Australia. I’ve been really interested in becoming an exchange student and spending time overseas, but I have a lot of questions and I thought I’d ask here to see if anyone has experience.

Some of the things I’ve been wondering:

• Are there programs that accept people around my age, or do most start at 16+?
• What countries are best for exchange students around my age (safe, welcoming, good schools, fun experience)?
• How long are exchanges usually (like a few months vs a full year), and what’s the best length for a first-time exchange?
• How do schools overseas treat exchange students — do you get graded, or is it more about the cultural experience?
• What was the hardest part for you (homesickness, making friends, the language, the school system)?
• If you’ve done an exchange, what would you do differently or what advice would you give to someone my age thinking about it?

I’m just trying to get an idea of what it’s like, and whether it’s something I should start looking into now or wait until I’m a bit older.