Live in France. Not as a tourist, but as a local.

Move in with a host family, enroll in a French high school, and spend a trimester, semester, or full year immersed in everyday French life. Your French will improve because you're living it, not studying it from a textbook.

Study abroad Throughout France
Ages 13 to 17
Language French
Dates September to June
Length Trimester, Semester, Academic Year
From 5,270 EUR
Overview

Next available start dates: August 2027 and January 2028. Applications are now open.
Last minute for the Spring Semester 2027 starting in January 2027? Contact us now. 

Nacel’s High School Exchange in France is a cultural immersion program for students aged 13 to 17 who have studied French for at least two years. Students attend a local French high school and live with a screened host family for a term, semester or academic year. Placements are available throughout France, and students receive local support and 24/7 emergency assistance.

Live with a French host family and study in a local High School in France

Nacel offers a cultural exchange program in France for native English- and Spanish-speaking students who are already studying French at school. Students live with a volunteer host family and attend a French lycée (High School) for a few months or an entire academic year. This immersive high school exchange program gives students the opportunity to :

  • improve their French,
  • experience everyday life in France,
  • and become more independent and culturally aware.

Placements are available in communities throughout France. International students attend classes alongside local students and participate in school life just like their French classmates.

Please note that this cultural exchange program is currently available only to native speakers of English or Spanish. If your first language is different, please explore our other high school programs in France.

Subjects, Grades, and Academic Credits

Before enrolling, meet with your school counselor at home to find out how your home school or educational authority will recognize study abroad: the requirements vary, so it's best to confirm this early.

Earning academic credit

Want to earn academic credit for your time in France? We'll help make it happen. If you need a grade report at the end of your program (available for full-year or semester students only), just share the list of subjects your home school requires with your Nacel counselor, and we'll confirm which ones are available at a French school for your grade level.

In the rare case a subject isn't available while you're in France, you may complete it before or after your program, or through a summer course.​

Keep in mind that your French level may affect whether a teacher can grade you in a given subject.

What documentation you'll receive

Most host schools in France provide an official grade report, but this isn't guaranteed. If a grade report isn't available, many schools will instead provide a letter or other documentation on request, as long as you've maintained good attendance, behavior, and performance.

Graduating from a French high school

Students who want to earn a French diploma must generally complete Grades 11 and 12 in France and pass all required examinations. This is a separate track from earning credit toward your home school diploma.

If you don't need academic credit

That's fine too: your time in France will still build valuable international experience that strengthens your academic and professional profile going forward.

Although Nacel is not responsible for determining the requirements in a student’s home country, our experienced team will provide guidance and support throughout the process.

Learn more about the French High School System: 

What can I expect from my exchange program in France? 

  • Nacel’s Classic High School Exchange in France is specially designed for native English- and Spanish-speaking students who are learning French. Host families are interested in welcoming students who can introduce their family to a language and culture taught in French schools. This makes the placement a genuine two-way cultural exchange.
  • Students are placed with carefully selected volunteer host families throughout France.
  • Students who arrive in late August for the September school intake take part in a three-day cultural and language orientation in Paris. This is also an opportunity to meet other international exchange students before travelling to their host communities. A shorter orientation is offered in Paris to students arriving in January. 
  • Throughout the program, every student receives support from a local coordinator. A 24/7 emergency assistance line is also available.

Who is the Classic high school exchange program in France for?

This program may be a good choice for students who:

  • are happy to be placed in any region of France;
  • consider their relationship with their host family to be an essential part of the experience;
  • are looking for an affordable high school exchange program in France;
  • are flexible and willing to adapt to their host family’s lifestyle and customs;
  • are comfortable living in a small town, village, or rural community;
  • want an immersive experience within a French family and local community;
  • are ready to spend time with their host family and actively participate in everyday family life.

This program may not be the best option for students who:

Compare all our High School Abroad programs in France.

Need more guidance to choose your experience? 

Schedule a Call​

Student Experiences in France

Imagine starting your day with breakfast in your French host family’s home, attending classes alongside local students and spending your evenings practising French naturally around the dinner table. Over time, unfamiliar routines become part of everyday life, new classmates become friends, and France begins to feel like a second home.

What will you take home?

Your exchange does not end when you leave France. You will return home with:

  • stronger French skills,
  • greater independence,
  • international friendships
  • and a deeper understanding of another culture.

These experiences can continue to shape your studies, career choices, and outlook for years to come.

Videos
Activities

Exchange students experience the everyday life of a French teenager. Classes generally take place from Monday to Friday, during both the morning and afternoon, and the school day may finish at 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. Most schools do not hold classes on Wednesday afternoons.

Students are encouraged to take part in extracurricular activities, as these are an excellent way to make friends, become involved in the local community and practise French.

Some schools offer sports and cultural activities. Students may also be able to join local sports clubs, music groups or other community organisations outside school.

Accommodation

Living with a French host family

During your high school exchange in France, you will live with a volunteer French host family. They receive a modest contribution toward the additional costs of hosting a student. They participate because they are genuinely interested in cultural exchange and in learning about another country, language, and way of life.

Students are expected to become active members of their host family. This means spending time together, participating in everyday activities and sharing information about life and culture in their home country. Open communication and a willingness to adapt are essential to a successful host family experience.

Before placing a student, our local coordinators carefully screen prospective host families and consider the student’s needs, personality, and interests.

Living with a French host family provides daily opportunities to practise French naturally. As your confidence grows, you may soon find yourself thinking, and even dreaming in French!

Host Family Screening

Every host family goes through a thorough vetting process before they're approved, so participants can feel confident they'll be placed with a suitable, trustworthy household. To qualify, prospective hosts must:

  • Pass a criminal background check
  • Complete an in-person interview with program staff
  • Agree to and pass a home inspection

Arrival in France

Flights are the student's own responsibility to arrange. Once accepted, you'll receive your program's start and end dates along with the recommended arrival and departure windows, giving you what you need to begin looking at flight options. Airport pickup on arrival is covered as part of the program. Before booking anything, though, you'll need to send us your proposed flight itinerary for approval.

Soft Landing Camp in Paris

During the Orientation Camp, students receive practical guidance about:

  • French school life,
  • host family expectations,
  • cultural adjustment,
  • communication and safety.

They also take part in language and cultural activities and meet other international exchange students before travelling to their host communities.

Meeting your host family

You'll be connected with your host family before you even set foot in France. Exchanging emails or having a call ahead of time helps you get comfortable with one another, so that first face-to-face meeting feels a little more familiar.

Ongoing support throughout your program

Nacel monitors your experience and progress through regular check-ins with you, your host family, and your host school. Your local coordinator will visit you and your host family at least once per term and whenever additional support is needed.

You can contact your national coordinator via a dedicated WhatsApp group on weekdays. You and your parents will also have access to a 24/7 English-speaking emergency assistance line throughout the program.

Fees & dates
Change Currency :

High School Exchange Program in France with Volunteer Host Families 2027/2028

Prices valid for August 2027 and January 2028 start dates.

Program dates 2027/2028:

Academic Term :

  • August 24, 2027 to December 18, 2027 (with orientation/ soft landing camp)
  • January 15, 2028 to April 22, 2028 (with mini orientation)
  • March 5, 2028 to June 10, 2028 (no orientation)

Academic Semester :

  • August 24, 2027 to January 15, 2028 (with orientation/ soft landing camp)
  • January 15, 2028 to June 10, 2028 (with mini orientation)

Full Academic Year:

  • August 24, 2027 to June 10, 2028 (with orientation/ soft landing camp)
  • January 15, 2028 to December 16, 2028 (with mini orientation and no accommodation during the summer break from mid-June to the end of August) = specific cost; please inquire

Optional Pre-School French Preparation Course: August 15 to 27, 2027
Orientation/Soft Landing camp: August 24 to 27, 2027

LAST MINUTE SPRING 2027: Interested in joining the Spring 2027 semester? Contact us now to check last-minute availability.

With clear program fees and several duration options, Nacel makes it easier for families to choose an exchange experience that matches their goals and budget.

* Price in Euros per participant.

Not included: Application Fees (65 EUR)

On offer: 

Payment Schedule

  • Application Fee: $300 USD, paid online when you submit your booking to officially begin the application process
  • Acceptance Deposit: €600, due shortly after you're admitted, to confirm and secure your place in the program
  • Final Balance: the remaining program cost is due 3 months before your arrival in France. If you're accepted less than 3 months before your start date, the full remaining balance becomes due immediately upon acceptance, alongside your deposit.

💰 What's Included in the Price?

  • Administration fees
  • School registration and tuition fees
  • Host family accommodation with all meals (including school lunches)
  • Pre-departure advice and support
  • Visa assistance: guidance and paperwork support for your visa application before arrival
  • Support from in-country staff upon arrival to France.
  • Access to a 24/7 emergency assistance line

🚫 What's Not Included?

  • Round-trip international airfare
  • Travel insurance (luggage loss, flight delay etc.)
  • Visa, passport and medical examination fees
  • Optional sports, excursions and activities organised by the school or other providers
  • Additional French language courses
  • Personal expenses and spending money
  • Domestic transportation at the end of the program

Mandatory fees to be added

  • Airport meet-and-greet and orientation: 500 EUR
  • Supervised arrival transfer to the school or host family: 300 EUR
  • Insurance: 450 EUR
  • Schoolbooks: 120 EUR ; No schoolbook fee applies to the special program for Grade 8 and Grade 9 students.
  • School transportation: Term 150 EUR - Semester: 200 EUR - Year: 250 EUR 

Just wanted to say thank you - Victoria had a wonderful experience on her exchange in France. It’s been really worthwhile!

Victoria R

Thank you so much for your assistance in making sure Nadia makes it safely to her flight.  We’re very much looking forward to seeing her, and also sad that she is leaving her kind host family that she has grown so close to. 


Nadia

We talked to our daugther yesterday and she was so happy! She loves it in Rodez-the town, the school, the school staff and the Nacel staff.  She also said she has girls to sit with at lunch and that everyone has been so nice to her. She also said that she is speaking French more and her understanding gets better every day. The experience she is having now is what she expected from the program so I think this is a good match for her. 
Thank you again for all you and the team have done to help with this transition

P. Mother of Kennedy

Our daughter had a fabulous experience with a lovely family and her French improved significantly! We have already recommended this program to other friends who are looking for an immersion experience. We will certainly book again with Nacel!

Mother of A.

Hanna is really sad to leave but has established great connection with her host family and is adamant to come back to visit (she’s going to study at the University College of Dublin in Ireland so might be even easier!) and maintain her French because she really even more loves the language. This has been an incredible experience for her and helped her to mature even more! 

Hanna

Dear all. Everything is lovely. I don’t understand everything in school but it’s only my first week. The food in the canteen is really good. You get a starter, main, dessert and extra cheese and bread! Everybody is really nice to me and they try to show and explain everything to me. I am right in the mountains, which means you can go skiing. Even for just an afternoon. We went on Wednesday and it was really fun. I’ve been to the next big city which is really nice. It has lots of little roads and shops. I went there with my host parents and we went to the cinema and afterwards we had dinner in a Thai restaurant. It was really nice. I take the bus to school which is very easy and only takes about 5 min! 

Sophia B.

“We have loved this experience and our family is making plans to go to France for the end of the program and meet Katreina’s host family!” Mother of Katreina P.

Katreina P.

“I am immensely grateful for this year. Our Oleksandra has a great experience with school and family, learned a lot about culture and language, and, because of the fantastic support in a tough and unexpected situation (war in Ukraine).” Mother of Oleksandra L., High school exchange in France

Oleksandra L.

From my perspective, I would recommend Nacel to other students/families as our experience with Emily’s exchange was positive.  Nacel supported us through the entire process from initial application, to acceptance and payment to the visa application process.  The visa application process was the most complicated part of the process but the complexity with that was due to the requirement of the third-party provider here in Australia who assists with the granting of the French Visas.  The rest of the process was relatively smooth.  What we really liked was that the host families who Nacel found for the students were not compensated so they seemed to be participating for the right reasons and were genuinely invested in the process. Emily’s host family was just beautiful and welcomed her completely into their family. Her host sister’s were also a perfect match as they were the same age as Emily.  While school initially was challenging and there were very few other girls, Emily settled in and loved the school experience and was sad to leave!

Emily H.

Celine, we're golden! Christie and I want to thank you and the whole Nacel team for giving Carolina this opportunity to study abroad and taking care of her so well.  Vive la France! Mark & Christie A.

Carolina

Mailee couldn't be happier with her placement.  Your team has done an exceptional job in finding the perfect family for her!  They have already emailed each other and sent videos.  Now they are chatting via social media.  Lots of photos!  Thank you so much! Mailee's mom

Mailee

“We will be very pleased to speak with other families about the program.  We are particularly grateful to you, Celine, for your effort, attention and professionalism - it has been a pleasure dealing with you”. Father of Elizabeth H.

Elizabeth H.

I just wanted to give some great feedback on the experience so far for Ella staying with the Martin family. They are giving her the MOST wonderful time, embracing her as a part of their family , plus taking her all over France to incredible places and going out of their way to make sure she sees and experiences so much of the culture and lifestyle....The mum Isabelle sends me emails at least every other day- which I know she is not obligated to do at all! - and includes amazing photos of the things Ella is doing... Not just the sightseeing parts (which is lovely to see too) but everyday things like her teaching Ella to cook 'Boeuf Borguignon' from scratch, and playing boardgames at the kitchen table with the family.. The family are being incredibly hospitable and generous and just all round embracing of Ella. She is having the experiences of a lifetime!  A HUGE THANK YOU NACEL for facilitating all of this. We are very thankful she is with such a beautiful, hospitable family... Kind regards

Claire K.

“Hellooo! Thank you very much for all the help you all gave us! Fernanda is back home, very very happy with great experiences! It was a wonderful time she had at the school in France! Thanks, thanks, thanks. Tania 

Tania C

“Emma is really enjoying it there!” Mother of Emma M.

Emma M,

“You've been wonderful and we can't thank you enough.  We love his host family and really enjoyed spending time with them.  Tai had an amazing experience and his host brother Malo already has plans to come to the states in February.  I trust our relationship with his host family will remain strong throughout the years.   Thanks for all of your efforts!” Father of Tai P.

Tai P.

We are overwhelmed with the hospitality and kindness everyone including those in Nacel and, of course, the entire family has shown Hannah over these last months.  It is our feeling that Hannah really does love her host family and all the opportunities they have created for her and we believe that Hannah is gaining tangible and immediate benefits from this experience not only by improving her French but by learning about herself including her strengths and weaknesses.  

Hanna K.

Mariia has come to France and met with her host family. She is very happy! We believe, that Mariia will get excellent life experience. Mariia's way to France was very long, about 10 months :-) Thank you very much for your help on all steps!!! We will continue to stay in touch with you. Thank you very much, Julia.

Mariia

I appreciate hearing this positive feedback. I have also heard from Ella that she is very happy and really likes her host family. She gets along very well with all, including her host sister. She is enjoying participating with them in their family life. She is also playing in a local soccer club, and her family helps facilitate this. We are very grateful to Nacel for choosing such a great fit for Ella for a host family.
I also appreciate that one of your representatives went to meet the family and talk to Ella. Ella also said that it is getting easier to understand French spoken in her class, and she is doing above average in her grades. She has also made friends at school.
I have had some email communication with Christelle, Ella’s host mom, and she is also very positive. I like her very much. Thank you again for your efforts.

Mrs N.

“Thank you so much for all your help during his study abroad.” Mother of Holden C.

Holden C.

Hailey has definitely thrived in this experience. The family has been wonderful to her and she has loved every minute of it. This has been such a fabulous experience for all of us and we are so pleased that Hailey has done this exchange.

Hailey

I know Katherine has had a FANTASTIC experience made so good by her host family - we were so very very lucky to end up with the Barriendos family, they have treated Katherine as one of their own and shown her so much.  School has been fabulous, the teachers so very kind and Katherine has made many new friends.  Her host sister has been simply amazing!  And most importantly, and the reason for her travel, Katherine's French has improved beyond expectations. Thank you again. 

Bisika F.

We were all very happy to welcome Hannah to our family! A very nice young girl, very calm and invested. It was a great experience for our family. It is with pleasure that we will repeat this experience!

Hannah

On behalf of my daughter Andrea and myself I want to thank you both for giving Andrea the opportunity to have an incredible inter-cultural experience for a year during her stay at Cholet. Be sure that your efforts have definitely contribute of making of Andrea a better human being. Best Regards.

Aldo

Studying in France is the best! The Nacel team is very close to you and you are always listening. I had a lot of support from my local coordinator, Amelie! The advice I could give to students interested in doing a school exchange in France is to make the most of their time! It doesn't matter if you don't speak French very well, the important thing is that you try and don't watch videos or listen to the radio of your country of origin. 

Lorena R.

Thank you very much for arranging the assistance for Lukas! He is (almost) ready to leave, and it all feels very bittersweet - he will miss his French family!.. 
We are very grateful for the amazing experience he had in France - thank you very much for your support and your patience! It did take Lukas some time to get accustomed to school and life in France (and get comfortable with the language) - he is leaving on a good note and we know that this experience has brought him a lot of personal growth and maturity. 

Natalia

My exchange to France was a wonderful experience and one that I will cherish forever. Though at times I found the organizations rules to be controlling, I think Nacel did a great job at placing me with the best host family possible. I would totally recommend the organization and I think an exchange is something everyone should do!

Ruby (google)

During my trip with Nacel, I really learned how to set out of my comfort zone by traveling alone and joining a school I didn’t know people in. However, this experience brought me so many good friends, I was able to travel around France with my host family, and to top it off, my language skills improved immensely.

Ema (google)

My daughter had a wonderful, life-changing experience doing study abroad with NACEL. We could not be happier with the program!

Emilie (google)

I am the mother of Adrienne. All went well with her time in France. Nacel was an excellent support. Her host family was perfect - kind, warm and supportive - Adrienne remains in contact with them and will see them this summer again. Her school was great! the teachers were kind and supportive. The only problem was that Adrienne was homesick. But that is her nature and she worked hard to deal with this. Thank you so much for all you have done. This has been a life changing experience for Adrienne. All the best.




Adrienne (world camps)

Google Go Overseas World Camps
Deadline
February 28th for arrival in August, August 31st for arrival in January.
Eligibility

A minimum of two years of French language study (A2 level) is required to attend a High School exchange program in France. We can unfortunately only consider English or Spanish native speakers for this student exchange in France.  

Participants must show that they are mature enough to participate in the school exchange in France that requires:

  • Interest in learning about the French language and culture: this is a cultural exchange in France. 
  • Deep desire to integrate into a different family and actively share their everyday life
  • Enthusiasm for improving French language communication skills
  • Willingness to make new friends among their French local community
  • An open and flexible attitude towards a school year in France

If you speak no or very little French, we advise you to consider a French international school in Paris area: Notre-Dame International High School.

Frequently Asked Questions

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The base price covers administration fees, school registration and school fees, host family accommodation with full board (including school lunches), and support/assistance with a 24/7 hotline throughout the program. It does not include international airfare, travel insurance, visa/passport/medical exam fees, extracurricular activities or extra language courses, personal spending money. A supervised arrival transfer is arranged for students and is subject to the mandatory transfer fee listed in the Fees and Dates section. Departure transfers are not included.

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