Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Students

It is the goal of Celina Independent School District to provide international students from diverse cultures, who are approved for enrollment, the opportunity to experience the rewards of participating in quality educational programs, to meet and interact with students with a variety of interests, and to become more fluent in both written and spoken English. 

Due to the rapid growth in our area, Celina ISD has a limit to the number of foreign exchange students at the high school to a maximum of five (5) per year. Acceptance is granted on a first-come/first-serve basis after all required components of the application process have been met. 

The following guidelines have been developed to assist nationally recognized foreign exchange organizations, foreign exchange students, and host families regarding the requirements and expectations for application, acceptance, and participation as a foreign exchange student in Celina ISD.

  • All sponsoring/foreign exchange organizations shall meet the requirements of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel.

  • Any cost for student records required by the sponsoring/foreign exchange organization or home country is the responsibility of the foreign exchange student.

  • Sponsoring/Foreign exchange organizations need to keep in mind that a student who has completed the equivalent of his/her home country’s high school education, received a diploma or a certificate of graduation, or is considered eligible for college or university placement, is not eligible for the foreign exchange program in Celina ISD. Falsification of a student record in this regard will result in immediate withdrawal of the student.

  • The host family must reside in the Celina ISD attendance zone. Falsification of a student record is a felony in the state of Texas. Any falsified documents will result in the foreign exchange student being withdrawn immediately from Celina ISD. 

  • The approved host family is responsible for enrolling the student. A representative from a foreign exchange student will be accepted for a single semester. 

  • Foreign exchange students will be at a distinct disadvantage if they do not  have adequate skills in written and spoken English.

  • Foreign exchange students are not eligible to receive free or reduced meals as part of the foreign exchange program. 

  • Coaches and sponsors of extracurricular activities will be responsible for obtaining and evaluating proper credentials to determine a foreign exchange student’s eligibility for participation in a UIL activity for which the student expresses interest. 

  • If a foreign exchange student is returned to his/her home country or is moved to another district after acceptance into Celina ISD, the foreign exchange organization will not be allowed to replace the student who has been withdrawn. 

  • Application forms and all required documentation must be received no later than July 15th prior to the academic year for which acceptance is being requested. This includes an official transcript of the student that has been translated to English.

  • The foreign exchange student is responsible for providing an English translation of an immunization report that includes the month/date/year of all required immunizations, along with the application for admission.

  • Foreign exchange students will be classified at a level no lower than 10th grade and no higher than 11th grade because of the difficulty in interpreting course description equivalences from schools outside the United States. These students will not be included in a high school’s class rankings or graduation, except when a transcript reflects successful completion of all required credits for graduation and End-of-Course exams. The student, classified as a 10th or 11th grader, excludes them from participation in senior related activities including but not limited to prom and graduation. 


Note: Representatives of foreign exchange organizations are encouraged to contact the District Student Services Representative at (469) 742 - 9100 regarding questions about the application process, identification of the potential host family’s high school attendance zone, or any other issue pertaining to the foreign exchange program. Representatives of foreign exchange organizations should not make contact with individual campuses prior to approval by the district’s Foreign Exchange Administrator.