Live an enriching experience in France by participating in a homestay and high school exchange in France for a few weeks. This is a mini high school exchange program in France.
This Homestay and High School in France program allows you to be an exchange student for a short period of time during the school year. Live with a host family and discover the French school system and the life of a French teenager!
Live with a welcoming French host family, and go to a local French High school through our French Homestay and High School integration program in France!
This is a program that allows you to live a firsthand living experience in France, for the duration of 2 to 10 weeks. Even though this is a cultural program more than an academic one, students attend a local school, and participate in class assessments, in order to enrich their French knowledge. This is a great introductory program for those interested in completing a full academic year exchange in France at a later stage.
Highlights of the French homestay and French school exchange program:
- The aim of this program is to discover the French school system and to experience social integration with French teenagers. The student is exempt from doing homework and taking examinations, and it is generally not possible to transfer credits to the home school.
- Students are placed with warm and welcoming volunteer French families, who are looking for an intercultural experience.
- Students have a 24/7 Hotline.
You are an exchange student in France, even for just a few weeks and as such, you attend school every weekday. The school day may be quite long in France: don't be surprised to stay at school up to 5 or even 6pm! The Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to extracurricular activities, such as participating in a club, attending a music school, or doing sports training. You spend your weekends with your French host family sharing their habits and usual activities. You really integrate as a new member of the host family! They immerse you in their family lives!
Find out more about French mealtime habits and what to expect in a high school. Read our blogs on these subjects: www.nacel.org/en/blog/homestay
In need of French language immersion classes? Opt for our French homestay experience with French homeschooling!
Interested in visiting Paris during your stay in France? Book your Discovery Tour program in Paris on top of your summer French homestay experience!
Interested in a long term exchange program in France? Look at our French high school exchange program in France!
Live like a French teenager in France
As an exchange student in France you are placed with a volunteer French host family offering full board. This means that all meals are included during your stay, including those taken at school!
Our French host families volunteer to host you, which means that they do not receive money to provide you with room and board. The host families welcome their exchange students for several weeks, in the hope that the experience will lead to a lasting friendship. They look forward to share not only their language but also their everyday life with someone eager to participate! Our French host families live all over France and you will go to the high school your host siblings attend.
Read more about meal times during your French immersion or ' how to deal with culture shock when going abroad'
✈️ Transfers
Starting February 2026, students will have the option to choose between 2 services:
1. Experienced traveler:
Students must demonstrate they:
- Have traveled alone.
- Can transfer on their own between international and domestic flights at CDG Paris Airport.
Travel dates available: between September and May.
The host family will pick up/ drop off the student at the closest airport (Arrivals and departures only during the weekend).
2. First-time travelers:
For students who are traveling for the first time, we can assist at CDG Paris airport upon arrival. The assistance includes guidance on how to transfer between international and domestic flight terminals.
Travel dates:
Spring: 4 weeks: March 7th, 2026, to April 4th 2026
Fall: Assistance on Arrival only: August 28th, 2026 (departure must be done unsupervised)
Winter:
- Arrivals on: November 21st, 2026 or December 5th, 2026
- Departure on: January 9th, 2027 or January 17th, 2027
The host family will pick up/ drop off the student at the closest airport (Arrivals and departures only during the weekend).
* Price in Euros per participant.
Not included : Application Fees (65 EUR)
💰 What's Included in the Price?
- Administration fees
- Host family accommodation with full board (including school lunches)
- Host school placement and tuition fees if any
- Support, assistance and 24/7 Hotline during the whole program
🚫 What's Not Included?
- Round-trip international airfare
- In-land transportation to/from Host Families
- Travel insurance (luggage loss, flight delay etc.)
- Visa, passport and medical exam fees
- Extra activities organized by the family or others
- Extra language courses, specific subject fees, school material
- Personal expenses and spending money
- Medical, Liability, and Emergency Repatriation Insurance
Even though this mini High School program is a cultural one, students are required to have a minimum of two years of studies of the French language, as well as being between 13 to 17 years of age at the time of the arrival.
Participants must show that they are mature enough to participate in the French homestay and school immersion in France, which requires:
- Interest in learning about French culture and the French language
- Deep desire to integrate with a different family and share actively their everyday life
- Enthusiasm for improving language communication skills
- Willingness to make new friends
- An open and flexible attitude during the French homestay in France
- Between 13 and 17 years old
