Rotary Youth Exchange District 9640 is registered with both Queensland and New South Wales Education Authorities to provide Secondary Student Exchange Programs.
The first step in becoming a Rotary Youth Exchange Student is completing an online expression of interest form (if applications are not yet open) or an application form if applications are open.
This official application that the student needs to complete obtains the following details which are then made available to the potential host Rotary district and club:
- Personal particulars and background
- General information relating to the applicant – who they are, what their interests are, why they want to go on exchange.
- Applicant’s school activities
- Principal/school reference report and school transcript
- Medical and dental reports
- Endorsement of sponsoring Rotary club and district
- Guarantee form signed by applicant and parents
- Signed rules and conditions of exchange.
- Copy of current Passport with at least six months validity from the proposed return date (i.e. 18 months after departure)
The process once your application is submitted:
- Local Rotary Club Interview, Selection and Sponsorship
All long term students must be sponsored by a Rotary club in order for the exchange to be possible. Once we receive your application we will contact your local Rotary club/clubs to seek potential support for your application. The Club’s Youth Exchange Officer will then arrange an interview for the student and their parents with a selection committee from the club. Successful applicants who progress through this initial club interview are then referred to the District Youth Exchange Committee for a more comprehensive interview.
To help ensure the best chance of success for your application, we strongly recommend you do everything you can in advance of the application deadline to make yourself known as a Rotary Youth Exchange candidate with a local Rotary Club who could potentially sponsor you. While we will assist successful students to find a sponsor club, it makes this job a lot easier for us if you are already known to the club when we approach them. Sponsoring an outbound exchange student is a very big commitment for a Rotary Club as it means they must host an inbound student in return for 12 months!
To find out who might be a local club that could sponsor you, visit our District 9640 website here. Find the clubs that are local to you, and then we suggest you and at least one of your parents attend an upcoming club meeting. When you are there, ask to speak to the Youth Director, and introduce yourself to them and let them know that you are interested in becoming a Rotary Youth Exchange student. Have a conversation with them about the club’s involvement in Rotary Youth Exchange, and see if they might be interested in sponsoring you if your initial application is successful.
We recommend you visit as many clubs as possible, noting that other students will also be seeking sponsor clubs so the interview process for any one club might be competitive. The more clubs you have visited the better chance you have.
If you would like any advice or guidance on Rotary club meetings to attend, please email us on yep@rotary9640.org.
2. District 9640 Youth Exchange Committee Interview and Selection
Once you have been selected by a local Rotary club who have agreed to sponsor you, you will then participate in a district interview with the youth exchange committee. At the district interview, students will take part in a group interview with other students as well as a panel interview with the youth exchange committee. At least one parent/guardian must also attend for an interview. This process usually takes around three hours. During the interviews students will have the opportunity to discuss their preferred countries and why they have chosen them.
We usually hold one interview day on the Gold Coast, and one in the Ballina region. Please refer to our key dates here or the dates of the district interview/s.
Students who successfully pass the District Interview are then formally accepted into the Youth Exchange Program, and will be invited to attend two compulsory orientation briefings prior to their departure. If the student is unable to attend both of these briefings they will not be able to go on exchange. The District Youth Exchange Committee will then form an agreement with another international district and Rotary club to host the student.
Students are advised of their host country just prior to the first orientation camp in August.
