Grandson as a foreign exhange student possible?

[Flaxen 2]

I am a US citizen, came to the US 7 years ago on the K1 visa. My 14 year old grandson would like to come and live with us for a year like an exhange student and attend school etc. We had exchange students live with us 20 years ago but they were always through an agency.

 

My husband and I are in our 50's, both with good paying jobs. I miss my family a lot and love the idea of a year with a grandson in the house.

 

Any ideas how I would go about this?

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

If it’s just for a year, you can apply for an F1 visa for him. He can study at a private school or at a public school that accepts international students - if at a public school you would need to pay the full unsubsidized cost of attendance for him. Some official information below.

 

https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/kindergarten-to-grade-12-students

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa/foreign-students-in-public-schools.html

 

[geowrian 22,337]

* Moved from Bringing Family Members of USCs to America forum to Student & Exchange Visitor visas. The question is an exchange student, not an intending immigrant. *

 

You cannot directly do this. Many people would be going this route if it was possible.

Most J-1 (Exchange visitor) prohibit a relative as a sponsor or host family.

I believe it is possible if somebody owned a business and would qualify as a valid employer for a licensed sponsor, although I do not know the specifics of how practical this is, nor if it applies here (no business was noted). Not to mention they are 14....so not really applicable here, sorry.

 

Edit: But an F-1 (student) visa is possible, if they meet certain requirements.

Edited February 13, 2020 by geowrian

[designguy 1,179]

If they come on an F1 they must be entering grade 9 if they wish to attend a public school. You cant attend a public school for K-8 on an F1. Based on the age he might be right on the cusp 

[Boiler 45,794]

Talk to the International Admissions Officer of the school you have in mind.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

35 minutes ago, designguy said:

If they come on an F1 they must be entering grade 9 if they wish to attend a public school. You cant attend a public school for K-8 on an F1. Based on the age he might be right on the cusp 

I did assume (1) most 14 year olds go into grade 9 (2) they would be looking at the next academic year, half a year away, so high school seemed reasonable. They can always go private if he is younger or they want him longer than a year.
Bottom line F1 is doable and a much more likely option than an “exchange student”.  Of course another assumption made was that the grandparents are willing to pay the school fees. I’m not sure if exchange students do pay fees or if not if that was why they wanted that route, but if they are not prepared to pay the fees it’s dead in the water.

Edited February 13, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Flaxen 2]

Thanks for the suggestions. The school would be the school his grandfather attended! so we will go and make an appointment with them to see if they would consider. We are a rural county so not alot of international students come this way. And I will look into the F1 visa. 

Yes we would be willing to pay fees. The exchange students we had did not directly pay the school for fees but they sure paid the organisation they were with a heap of money. We the family didnt receive any funding and didnt mind. The girls I had for that year are now a significant part of my extended family. 

Thanks again.