Becoming a  PARTNER

Foundation for Intercultural Travel is always on the look-out for cooperating programs around the globe.  We are quite selective and would expect any prospective partner program to be the same.  F.I.T. takes great pride in standing out from the crowd in respect to American student exchange programs.  The students F.I.T. accepts on program are our one and only concern, from the time we accept their application right up until the student's cultural experience is complete and they are re-patriated back into their own country.  We only work with cooperating programs that feel as we do in this regard.  F.I.T. recognizes three different 'types" of partners, SENDING AGENCIES, RECEIVING AGENCIES and SPONSORS.  A partner may be one or more of these "types."  Our program is run very professionally and yet possesses a very warm family attitude toward our students, host families, program volunteers and cooperating partner programs.  Our growth is managed carefully so as not to cause F.I.T. to lose its warm appeal. We invite you to apply to become a F.I.T. partner and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.

 
 

Our primary focus is on Academic Exchanges, however, F.I.T. not only facilitates academic exchanges in the U.S. for 15-18 year old teens like other exchange programs, we also offer cultural exchanges for 10-18 year olds who are not seeking an academic exchange. The applicant only need possess simple conversational language skills for this type of exchange.   Our programs range from 1 week to a full summer (6-8 weeks).  We match your child with an American host family for the term agreed and set up cultural experiences for the child.  He or she may go on sightseeing trips with the family or a F.I.T program representative, will experience American foods and customs and will have a memory that will last a lifetime!  F.I.T. will take responsibility for the applicant from the moment he or she lands at the airport we designate right up until we make sure the applicant is en route home.  We are very proud to offer this easy to set-up cultural experience for your country's youth.

F.I.T. is a U.S. State Department designated exchange visitor program which enables us to issue the required forms necessary for your student(s) to secure a J-1 student visa.  In addition, on the basis of material submitted and reviewed, the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel grants FULL listing to Foundation for Intercultural Travel, Inc. in the 2008-2009 Advisory List.  The CSIET mark certifies that this organization complies with the standards set forth in the CSIET’s standards for international educational travel programs.

Those interested in becoming a F.I.T. partner as a sending agency must;
1) Have been in business for at least one placement cycle, with references
2) Place what's in their student's interest first above all else
3) Support F.I.T.'s rules and guidelines in respect to all the students they send to us
4) Sign a partnership agreement which outlines both parties responsibilities between each other and to the student(s)
5) Complete the preliminary application on the bottom of this page

 
 

For our applicants who are wanting an academic exchange (15-18 years old), aside from identifying a host family of course, we would ask a partner receiving agency to, depending on the student's language skills either a) place the student in a local school where your language is spoken, or b) identify an English school our student would attend.  In the latter case, if the school charges a tuition, F.I.T. would check to see if the student's natural family would/could pay the tuition.  We ask this because despite American teen's lack of foreign language skills, we recognize that there are fine young American ambassadors who have much to share with foreign cultures and who themselves are eager to learn your culture.

For our applicants who are wanting a "simple" cultural exchange, F.I.T. now offers American youth aged 10-18 the opportunity to experience international culture even if they are not prepared to undertake an academic exchange.   We offer programs ranging from 1 week to a full summer (8 weeks).  Our applicant will be provided with simple conversational language training before leaving the U.S., but will NEED to have access to an English speaking representative from your program throughout the exchange.  As a partner Receiving agency, we would expect from you;

1) To identify a host family
2) Set up cultural sightseeing tours
3) Provide support and assistance from the time the applicant arrives at your gateway airport until his or her departure

 
 

Not every child deserved of experiencing a cultural exchange can financially afford to do so.  To assist in this, F.I.T. has set up this Student Sponser program.  Through our program, philanthropic individuals and corportations may donate either an academic exchange, or simple cultural exchange for a specific child/teen be they from the United States or abroad.  F.I.T. being a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, for individual tax filers who itemize federal income tax deductions,  a cash donation to this public charity is fully deductible up to 50% of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income (AGI). Special rules may apply to certain noncash donations and to contributions not made by individuals; consult your tax adviser. Just apply below and we will provide you with more details about this great opportunity, OR, click on the DONATE NOW banner above!

 
 

1) What are you interested in learning more about becoming; sending agency, receiving agency, sponsor, other (explain in comments below)
2) Your Name
3) Your Age
4) Your Date Of Birth
5) Whether you are Male or Female
6) Your Street Address
7) Your City
8) Your State
9) Your Country
10) Your Phone # with Area Code
11) Your email address
12) Program name if you direct a program
13) How long has your program been in business
14) What other U.S. programs do you work with
15) How many students did you send and receive last year
16) Comments / questions
17) How did you locate our program's website

Click here to Email your inquiry to partnerinfo@fitamerica.org