The first step is to submit a preliminary application, which can be done online here

The preliminary application gives TWO WORLDS UNITED your basic details, like your name, age and school, as well as the exchange program you’ve chosen – the country, departure month and program length. A $95 non-refundable administration fee accompanies the preliminary application.

Now is a good time to discuss with your teachers and school the program you have chosen and how this can be best managed with your local school commitments. With enough notice, many U.S and Canadian schools can support Year 9 and Year 10 students to complete a semester or year exchange program with minimum disruption to your local schooling.

The family home is the oldest classroom for cultural understanding and is at the center of the TWO WORLDS UNITED exchange experience.

The unique opportunity to live as a family member in another country is only available to young participants on exchange programs. It is a rare chance to gain a second family and make lifelong friendships in another part of the world.

Volunteer TWO WORLDS UNITED host families may be the families of doctors, teachers, farmers, mechanics or park rangers. Their home may be a cottage or a castle, in a rural area, small town or a city suburb. The one thing all host families have in common is a willingness to voluntarily share their home, culture and language, and accept you as a member of the family.

TWO WORLDS UNITED exchange programs seek to engage your sense of adventure and determination to succeed – to live in another culture, to speak another language, to grasp foreign customs, to learn a different history and most of all, to understand its people.

In doing so, you will appreciate the world of difference between a temporary tourist and a temporary resident. A TWO WORLDS UNITED exchange program will grant your wish to explore this difference by living in a country and experiencing it as a local on a day-to-day basis – being a member of a typical host family and attending a local school with fellow students.

WHAT IS A HIGH SCHOOL EXCHANGE STUDENT?

You have probably felt the urge to do something.  To chart your own path.  Becoming a TWO WORLDS UNITED exchange student gives you more than knowledge about another country and its language and culture. Time away from home, whether it is a month or a year teaches you about building friendships, taking responsibility for yourself, respecting differences and tolerating the beliefs of others.

Life isn’t only about what you see and do in your own country, hometown or school, or even with your friends. What is beyond? You need to challenge yourself, to take a chance; you can dare to be different!

You’ll discover that every moment, every conversation and experience, challenges the way you look at the world. You’ll see differences as well as similarities in people and their actions, in their beliefs and values.

Suddenly you’ll realize what it means to belong to a certain country and culture.

You’ll learn about yourself as you learn about others.

TWO WORLDS UNITED exchange students develop leadership skills, self confidence and a greater understanding of the complexities of the world around us. This is why the best universities, as well as corporations and professionals, look favorably on students who have spent a school year abroad. They know that former international exchange students bring a higher level of maturity and a global frame of reference to their university studies and activities.

TWO WORLDS UNITED host families feel they benefit from the experience as much as you do!  They want to learn about your culture and introduce you to theirs. Many TWO WORLDS UNITED host families have children your age.

Every TWO WORLDS UNITED exchange student has a local area representative who is conversant in English and who will plan some social activities and be available to help you during your stay.

For more information about the TWO WORLDS UNITED student exchange programs, please follow this link

Deadlines for all Two Worlds United 2010 Programs is April 1st 2010

Each Summer Two Worlds United welcomes high school students to the beautiful country of Norway.  As a Two Worlds United student in Norway you’ll learn about the culture firsthand.

Tuition includes:

• Homestay accommodation including meals with your host family
• School Tuition included in all programs which have an Academic component including Year, Semester, Trimester and Summer Language & Culture Programs
• Events and Excursions including entrance fees and transportation
• Chaperones and Local On-site staff support and supervision
• Airport transfers on arrival and departure
• 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance throughout the program
• Pre-departure and in-country orientations
• Student Handbook

Program does not include:

• Airfare- students are met at the airport by a program representative
• Passport and visa application fees as applicable
• Personal expenses (e.g., toiletries, clothing, internet, calling card, activities)
• School expenses (e.g., uniform/lunches, if required, supplies, bus pass)
• Any other item not specified

Applications for the progrom are online at the Two Worlds United Website at http://www.twoworldsunited.com/preapplication.html this form should be completed and returned to the Two Worlds United Office along with your $95 Registration Fee.This is not the same as filling out the pre-application online; please do not resubmit the online pre-application.  In order to receive your full application, you must mail in a hard copy of your pre-application with the Registration Fee.You will then receive your Two Worlds United Full Application Form.  After we get your full application form the next step will be forTwo Worlds United to send your full application overseas.  The Coordinators will then begin to make your placement arrangements based upon the information that you include in your full application form.

Please mail your application to:

Two Worlds United

503 E. Jackson Street

Suite 250

Tampa, FL  33602

Two Worlds United offers partial scholarships are from $250 up to $1200. Qualified students may apply based on criteria which may include: academic grade point average, financial need, number and level of courses attempted in high school, rank in class, and information included on the International Awareness Scholarship application. Each scholarship is based upon meeting the individual scholarship requirements and the application competition.

After applying with the preliminary application, you will receive your Two Worlds United Full Application Form and a Scholarship Application Form.  Please keep in mind that applications are handled as first come – first serve basis, so the sooner you apply the better chances to get a better destination city, and placement.

If you’d like to find out more about fundraising there is a Fundraising Information Kit online athttp://www.twoworldsunited.com/fundraising.pdf