WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — Exchange student programs were on pause during the pandemic, and now that programs are allowed again across the state, applications to study abroad are at an all time high.
International student exchange programs allow teenagers a global perspective, and right now there's an influx of students from Poland, Spain, Brazil and other countries wanting to study in South Carolina.
"In past years, I mean it's still been a good bit, like over a thousand. We have over two thousand this year that have applied and that are waiting and a good many of them have been matched, but there are still maybe a little less than half of them that we are still working on getting their placement," said Carrie Williams, International Student Exchange regional advisor.
Williams works for a non-profit designated by the state department to work with exchange students. She supervises kids here in the Midlands and beyond. She tells News 19 she's in search of host families to sign up this summer for the next school year.
"A host family would fill out an application, which will include pictures of the home, just some interests of the family and hobbies because we want to make sure that a student and a family are a good match. We do a background check on all adults that live in the household and then we'll do a home visit," Williams said.
Williams explains the program helps strengthen students' English, it adds international experience, independence and provides them a home away from home.
"It's also good for the schools because a lot of the kids in our schools are not ever going to leave their home country, some maybe not even their state, so having exchange students in the school gives them a chance to just get to know another world that they may not otherwise see," Williams said.
Sofia Diaz studied here in the state this year and flies back to Spain tomorrow.
"I've been more independent in this year than I've been my whole life. My whole life my parents have been there and they weren't here, so I had to do stuff by myself. I've gotten to know a new culture. They've taught me a lot about how American Life is. The lifestyle is much different to what I was used to," Diaz said.
Williams tells News 19 she hopes to match 15-20 students with host families by the end of the summer. She adds that typically, each school accepts two to five international students each school year.