Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Foreign Exchange Student Program

KISD is a participant in the Foreign Exchange Student Program. The foreign exchange program provides students from other countries the opportunity to learn about the history of the United States, the working of our government, and to become more fluent in both the written and spoken English language. 

Enrollment and Eligibility Guidelines

I. Foreign Exchange Agency 

a. Each agency must be on the current Advisory List of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). KISD reserves the right to examine any program prior to commitment to participate. 

b. Foreign exchange organizations must be able to take a student via a J-1 Visa. KISD will not issue I-20 forms for a student to obtain an F-1 Visa. 

c. Each agency is limited to two (2) students per campus. 

d. Placements will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis. The foreign exchange agency representative will contact the KISD foreign exchange student contact after March 1 and prior to July 15 to begin the placement process. 

e. Waiting lists will not be maintained to hold an agency’s or student’s request for enrollment. Only completed documentation will be accepted. 

f. Foreign exchange students will only be accepted for one calendar year and they must be enrolled before the first day of school. Foreign exchange students will not be approved for a single semester. 

g. If a foreign exchange student is returned to his/her home country or is moved to another district during the school year, no new foreign exchange student will replace the withdrawn student.

II. Host Families 

a. Host families must be residents of the accepting high school’s attendance zone. Host families must provide proof of residency at the time of enrollment. 

b. A KISD host family must be designated prior to acceptance into KISD. No more than one (1) Foreign Exchange student can be placed with any one host family. Students cannot change host families during the school year. 

c. Exchange students will not be accepted as transfers from other school districts. 

III. Foreign Exchange Students 

a. The foreign exchange student must be at least sixteen years old and a junior at the time they enroll in KISD. KISD does not accept college students.

b. Keller ISD does not award diplomas or allow Foreign Exchange students to graduate from high school. Foreign Exchange students will not be calculated into class rankings.

c. No exchange student who has completed the equivalent of the 12th grade in his or her home country, has received a diploma or certificate of graduation, or is considered eligible for college or university placement will be eligible to attend a KISD high school.

d. Students must have a complete vaccine record per the State of Texas requirements at the time of application. 

e. Foreign Exchange students wishing to participate in athletics, fine arts, and other activities/competitions governed by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) must submit to the UIL rules and regulations governing participation. 

f. Foreign Exchange students are subject to KISD attendance and discipline regulations and policy. Students must be in attendance at least 90 percent of the days each course is offered to receive credit. 

Agencies, host families, students, or student families will not contact the prospective high school until the District Foreign Exchange Director has authorized the acceptance of the student. 

No Foreign Exchange student shall be brought to KISD by the sponsor unless he/she has been accepted in writing by KISD prior to the student leaving his/her home country. No Foreign Exchange student will be accepted after the first-day-of-school deadline.


Foreign Exchange Student Placement Process

 1. The foreign exchange agency shall contact the district foreign-exchange contact person after March 1 and prior to July 15 to inquire whether any openings are available at a particular high school.  

  • Placements will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.  
  • Waiting lists will not be maintained to hold an agency’s or student’s request for enrollment.  
  • Only completed documentation will be accepted 
  • KISD is limited to a maximum of 5 foreign exchange students per comprehensive high school.

 2. If an opening is available, the agency representative shall email the application for enrollment (see KISD Acknowledgement of Foreign Exchange Student Guidelines & Application for Enrollment), including all required documents/records to the KISD Foreign  Exchange contact. Faxed or incomplete application packets will not be considered for placement. 

3. Once the required documentation has been received and verified, the application will be signed by the foreign exchange program director, thus approving the exchange student for enrollment. The director will also sign any form required by the agency at this time. 

4. The agency representative and/or the host family will receive a copy of the approved application. This document will also be provided to the high school campus lead counselor in preparation for enrollment. 

  • The host family should contact the counseling center at the approved KISD high school before arriving on campus to enroll the exchange student. Campuses have different enrollment procedures, which may include scheduling an appointment.

Application for Enrollment


For additional information, please contact: 

Esmeralda Puente
KISD Counseling Programs Administrative Assistant
esmeralda.puente@kellerisd.net
817-743-8110