• Have received and are up to date with immunizations (This is mandatory for school enrollment in Europe)
• Have received medical clearance to participate in the suitable exchange
• Be recommended by their teachers and school principal
• Be able to greet their partner upon his/her arrival (late August)

• Are enthusiastic and eager to participate in new activities
• Have a desire to learn and can benefit from enhanced language skills
• Are not overly committed to time-consuming extracurricular activities, work, or social media
• Have been away from friends and family before without great difficulties, such as attending summer camp
• Demonstrate an interest in learning about the history and culture of their desired destination
• Are outgoing, personable and responsible

The applicant’s parent(s)/ family must:

• Have a home that: is clean and orderly; has adequate space for the visiting partner; is free of substance abuse, physical abuse, or any other form of abuse
• Be warm, caring and open; can host a student in a supervised, safe and comfortable atmosphere; can provide for all meals and the cost of family activities for the student during the hosting period
• Be willing and able to speak only English at home during the hosting period
• Commit to the reciprocal nature of the exchange program (hosting a partner for the time designated is required)
• Assume responsibility for ensuring their child has the travel documentation required for travel to/from Europe
• Submit a clear Vulnerable Sector Check for each adult aged 18 and over living in the host home(s) (dated within one year of the start of the hosting period) (Toronto Residents- Toronto Police Services will not provide a VSC and ISE will accept a criminal record check instead)
• Maintain regular communication with the exchange partner’s parent(s)/family throughout the exchange period

International Flight
All Ontario students fly internationally from/to Toronto accompanied by ISE chaperones. Domestic European connections (if arranged by families) will not be chaperoned. Details of connecting travel within Europe are provided once they are confirmed, approximately two weeks prior to departure. The beginning and end destinations for European international travel must remain the same. Any personal travel will not be managed by ISE or the travel agency. A separate ticket will be required for liability reasons.

Domestic Flights
All exchanges are based into/out of Toronto Pearson Int’l Airport. ISE Ontario does not arrange for/or cover the cost of domestic flights or shuttle services for students to/from Toronto. All families are responsible for getting their child to/from Toronto Pearson Airport at the time specified.

Families who opt to book a flight or shuttle for their child to/from Toronto are responsible for ensuring the ISE office is aware (including sending the e-ticket) so that we will be able to greet/assist him or her with his/her connecting travel. Families who opt to book a flight or shuttle for their child are also solely responsible for any associated costs, including but not limited to, checked luggage, and any costs associated with a delayed or cancelled flight that may impact the student arriving in time for the next flight. 

Luggage
All-inclusive pricing supports one standard checked-in luggage. For information on additional fees and allowances, please visit the airline’s website.

All participants who are Canadian citizens require a Canadian passport that is valid at least 3 months past their return date in order to travel to Europe. Participants who are not Canadian citizens are responsible for determining what documentation they will require (i.e. visa) in order to travel to Europe. It is the responsibility of the family to ensure any supporting documentation is obtained for travel. Any costs associated with such documents are the responsibility of the family. ISE cannot be responsible for any flight refusal if documents are not secured/correct for travel.

If documentation (e.g. passport, visa, resident card) is lost, stolen, incorrect or insufficient it is the parent(s) responsibility to cover any costs incurred (e.g. obtaining proper documents, new airline ticket, hotel nights).

Travel requirements and regulations can vary depending on the personnel you are dealing with. We can only offer you guidance and do recommend you visit the site and contact customs directly.

Recommendations
Bring a passport, immunization proof, a copy of the return ticket and parental authority form. These are generally accepted if driving across the border BUT it is your responsibility to understand the requirements and any changes to the policy. The following website should be visited www.cbp.gov.

ESTA
Most European students travel with an ESTA. You may want to ask your partner family if they have applied for this. (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta)