International exchange
Plymouth has welcomed international exchange students since the 1950s and has hosted 260 students from 63 different countries since 2004.
Exchange students studying here
Our 2026-27 visiting students
- Karlína from Czechia
- Sarah from France
- Marie, Zoe, & FInya from Germany
- Moreno from Italy
- Tomoki & Taiga from Japan
- Sophia from The Netherlands
- Magdalena from Portugal
- Elsabet & Clara from Spain
- Hjalmar from Sweden
- Lea from Switzerland
Most students are hosted by Plymouth High School, with others placed at area high schools.
Meet them!
Visiting students will give presentations about their home countries and share a treat with the community at Christian Life Church, 300 Rustic St., Plymouth.
4pm Sunday Nov. 1- Marie, Zoe, & Finya from Germany
- Lea from Switzerland
- Karlína & from Czechia
- Sophia from The Netherlands
- Tomoki & Taiga from Japan
- Magdalena from Portugal
- Moreno from Italy
- Elsabet & Clara from Spain
- Hjalmar from Sweden
- Sarah from France
Exchange programs
AFS
The Plymouth AFS chapter is one of the oldest and most active in the state, dating to 1949 (when PHS hosted students from Germany and Japan).FLEX
Future Leaders Exchange is a merit-based scholarship program funded by the U.S. Department of State for students from Europe and Eurasia.ISE
International Student Exchange & participants live with a volunteer host family and attend their local high school.YES
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange & Study Program provides scholarships for secondary school students from countries with significant Muslim populations.We need you!
Be a host family: More than providing a bed and meals, host families welcome a new member into their home, share their everyday lives, and grow as they get to know one another.Be a liaison: Liaisons are volunteers identified as the primary contact for each host family and individual AFS participant for the duration of his or her program.
Be an AFS student: Spend a year studying abroad in one of more than 50 AFS countries.
Learn more: Contact Pat Gafney at patrickgafney@gmail.com.
Study abroad opportunities for PHS students
CIEE
PHS students are able to spend part of the summer learning and exploring in a foreign country, thanks to Council on International Educational Exchange Global Navigator Scholarships administered by the U.S. Department of State. Contact PHS Spanish teacher Laura Koebel to learn more.
AFS
The Plymouth Education Foundation AFS Travel Scholarship is a generous donation and funding-based scholarship. Awards in the amount of $500 for summer travel and $1,000 for year-long program travel are available. To apply: Complete the AFS Travel Scholarship Application at least 6 weeks prior to travel.
AFS also offers a scholarship program to make study abroad programs accessible to students from all financial backgrounds, with more than $1 million in merit and need-based awards to support students in summer, semester, and year programs.
Countries represented
2026-27: Czechia, France, Germany (3), Italy, Japan (2), The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain (2), Sweden, Switzerland2025-26: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, France, Germany (2), Iceland, Indonesia, Italy (2), Kosovo, Mozambique, Sweden, Thailand, Turkmenistan
2024-25: Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nigeria, Norway, Switzerland
2023-24: Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey
2022-23: Germany, Greece, Israel, Macedonia, Spain, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland
2021-22: Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Dominican Republic, France, Moldova, Norway, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Suriname, Sweden
2019-20: Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
2018-19: Albania, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain
2017-18: Austria, Dominican Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Turkey
2016-17: Austria, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, Portugal, Saudi Arabia
2015-16: Argentina, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Jordan, Moldova, Spain, Turkey
2014-15: Chile, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Germany, Russia, Spain, Turkey
2013-14: Chile, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, Spain, Turkey
2012-13: Australia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Germany, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Spain, Yemen
2011-12: Chile, Germany, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Norway, Portugal
2010-11: Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, India, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
2009-10: Germany, Japan
2008-09: Austria, Germany, Chile, China, Italy, Norway
2007-08: Denmark, Germany, India, Italy, Norway
2006-07: Argentina, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Korea, Venezuela
2005-06: Colombia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, Thailand
2004-05: Chile, Germany, Mexico, South Korea