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In recent years some inbound students have expressed interest in formally graduating from the U.S. or Canadian school they attend while on exchange.  Although this has been possible for some students, for others it has not - due to circumstances beyond our control - and those students have been very disappointed.

All inbound students will be enrolled in public schools, which are operated by elected School Boards in each community. District 5080 covers portions of two states in the U.S. and one province in Canada.  As well as administering the educational policies of their particular state or province, each School Board has jurisdiction over various aspects of school policy and operation.   School Boards are responsible for determining whether to accept exchange students, how many they will accept, what the students may study, and whether they may formally graduate.

Some school districts have a policy that exchange students cannot take Grade 12 or Senior Year courses - and therefore cannot graduate.  For this reason, it is essential that students who wish to study in Grade 12, the senior year, and hope to receive a graduation certificate (if they successfully complete those studies) Must:

(a)     Include that request with their application, and

(b)     Forward in advance, or otherwise bring with them, transcripts of marks in all subjects taken in their last 2 years of studies.

If that is done, District 5080 will attempt to place the exchange student in a school district where   graduation will be possible, and it will enable the school to determine if the student is capable of taking and passing courses required in the senior year.   In all cases fluency in English will be a requirement.

No guarantees can be made that students will, in fact, be placed in a district where graduation is possible.

Inbound student wishing to graduate in the U.S. or Canada should be aware that studying in a second language, while adjusting to a foreign culture - and maintaining their obligations as a Rotary ambassador - is a very difficult task.

The Rotary District 5080 Youth Exchange Committee reserves the right to require students to modify their course selection at any time if this is considered to be in the best interests of the student or the school.