Mission Statement
AYUSA promotes international understanding and leadership through youth exchange programs. We offer a unique, richly personal experience for students, volunteer families, host high schools and local communities. AYUSA reaches across interpersonal and international borders, celebrating worldwide community through the spirit, character and promise of our youth.
Description
What is AYUSA?
AYUSA stands for Academic Year in the USA. We are a non-profit 501.c.3 educational and cultural organization dedicated to promoting peace and personal growth through international exchange. We offer students aged 15 to 18 the opportunity to live with volunteer host families and to study in local high schools for an academic year or semester. Since 1980, AYUSA has provided opportunities for more than 37,000 students from the U.S. and around the world to live and study through our programs.
Overseas Partners
Through an extensive network of international staff and affiliates (AYUSA has over 40 different international partners), students are screened and prepared for their exchange experience. Selection criteria include: English proficiency, above-average academic performance, well-rounded interests, and evidence of maturity and adaptability.
San Francisco Staff
The team in San Francisco is responsible for selecting, training and supporting our overseas partners. The team is also responsible for program administration, including student admissions. All applications are mailed to the San Francisco office for processing and distribution. The San Francisco staff is composed of a highly dedicated team of people who are committed to supporting our field staff in their work.
AYUSA Field Staff
AYUSA maintains nine regional offices throughout the US, each headed by a full-time Regional Manager (RM), supported by a Regional Manager Assistant (RMA). The RMs are also supported by a team of part-time Regional Directors (RDs) and Community Representatives (CRs) who recruit, interview, select, and orient host families and serve as liaisons for students, schools, and host families.
AYUSA was first designated by the DOS in 1982.
What is the Council of Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET)?
The Council of Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET) is a membership-based, non-profit organization located in Alexandria, VA.
AYUSA is a founding member of CSIET and was recognized in 2004 as one of only five exchange programs which have received full listing (which essentially means full approval) with CSIET continuously since its inception.
