• Phone: +(1) 763-200-4036
  • office@NorthStarRotary.com
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S.T.E.P.

Summer Short Term Exchange Program

A great way to get introduced to the Youth Exchange experience!
Program Details
Family-To-Family : Apply Now
Camps & Tours : Apply Now
Rotary International

Summer Short Term Exchange Opportunity

We are now offering Summer Short Term Family to Family or International Camps / Tours in addition to our long term youth exchange program. The Short Term Exchange Program (STEP) has two different formats to choose from:

Family to Family

This exchange involves the matching of a USA student between the ages of 15-17 with a student from another country. Typically age, interests and gender are factors that are considered when making a match.

The USA student travels to the host country at the beginning of the summer for a one month stay with their host brother or sister and their family.

The host brother or sister then comes to stay with the USA family for a month some time later in the summer.

The students have a two month exchange (one month abroad and one month hosting).

Example: “Student A” is from Minnesota, and “Student B” is from Belgium.  These students have been matched based on similar age and interests and have agreed to the match.  “Student A” travels to “Student B’s” home in Belgium and lives there with “Student B” and their family for about one month.  Then, “Student A” and “Student B” travel together to Minnesota and stay at “Student A’s” home with their family for about one month.  Afterwards “Student B” travels back home to Belgium.

International Camps & Tours

International Camps and Tours involve a structured one-way experience where USA students between the ages of 16-25, most commonly 18-21, participate in a camp or tour in a host country that is planned and sponsored by local Rotarians in that country.  Housing arrangements may include home stays or group accommodations.  Participants experience not only the country but also have the opportunity to be with other exchange students from around the world who are also attending the camp or tour.

New camps each year – approved applicants receive notice as camps for summer of 2026 are announced.  

You must apply & interview with North Star first (use the “Camps & Tours: Apply Now” button on this page).  When you see a camp/tour you want to apply for, notify the North Star STEP Coordinator and your application will be sent.

View List of 2026 Camps & Tours
View List of 2025 Camps & Tours for examples of the kinds of camps/Tours that are typically offered each year

This list will be updated as new Camps & Tours are added.

(Typically, we will receive camp announcements from December through April.)

North Star Rotary will provide orientation, materials, insurance coverage during your trip, a polo shirt and handbook as well as handle overall program administration.

Family-To-Family : Apply Now
Camps & Tours : Apply Now

Select one of the options below to learn more:

Summer Short Term Exchange Program (STEP) Details

Program Cost

Family-to-Family:

There is a $650.00 North Star program fee (payable to North Star Youth Exchange).  

North Star provides an insurance policy while the student is abroad, orientation, materials, a polo shirt, and handbook. Families are responsible for having a passport, purchasing their student’s airline ticket, and spending money. Host families provide room and board and welcome the exchange student as a member of their family.

 

Camps and Tours: 

There is a $400.00 North Star program fee (payable to North Star Rotary Youth Exchange).  

North Star provides an insurance policy while the student is abroad, orientation, materials, a polo shirt, and handbook.  The listed camp fee is payable directly to the camp hosts at the time of acceptance (cost varies but average is $200-$600). Families are also responsible for having a passport, purchasing the airline ticket, and bringing spending money.

Placements will be made in order received so do not delay in submitting applications for summer 2027 camps and exchanges.

EARLY APPLICANTS:  (Those who submit their application by November 15)

  1.  Interviews will be held on December 5, 2026
  2. Orientation is REQUIRED to attend in-person!  Two orientation dates are available: Jan. 23, 2027 and Apr. 10, 2027.  You must attend one of these in-person.
 
 

LATE APPLICANTS:  (Those who submit their application between Nov. 16 – Feb. 1)

  1. Interviews will be held on February 27, 2027
  2. Orientation is REQUIRED to attend in-person!  Orientation will be held on Apr. 10, 2027

EVERYONE:

  • Family-to-Family matching occurs February through April. Students and their families review and accept any potential match before match is finalized.
  • Camp/Tour postings occur December through April. Camp applications are accepted on a first come basis.
  • Travel dates occur from June through August of 2027. Exact dates are set by the families for Family-to-Family exchanges.  Camp/Tour dates are set by the Camp/Tour organizers.
  • Students should complete the application and contact their local Rotary club about their interest. Applications for STEP for the summer of 2027 that are received by November 15, 2026, will receive priority placement. Late applications will be accepted until February 15, 2027 as program capacity allows.
  • Students invited for STEP interviews will attend an informational meeting along with their parents to discuss country options for Family-to-Family exchange or a Camp/Tour.
  • Family-to-Family matching will be done by Rotary STEP Coordinators and once a good match has been found information will be reviewed with the families. Upon confirmation of the match, families may begin communicating and planning for the summer.
  • Family-to-Family and Camp/Tour fees to North Star will be due at the orientation.
  • Orientation is REQUIRED to attend in-person.  Two orientations dates are available: Jan. 23, 2027 and Apr. 10, 2027.  Students (and parent(s)/guardian(s) if under 18) must attend one of these orientation dates in-person.
  • Families are responsible for students having a valid passport, making travel arrangements and purchasing airline tickets. Exact exchange dates for Family-to-Family are agreed upon by both families based on their schedules. Camp/Tour travel dates will be communicated by the  camp/tour organizers.
  • North Star will provide each student with a CISI Bolduc Plan D insurance policy while they are abroad.

STEP Student & Family FAQs

Is the summer short term exchange new? why is it being offered now by north star rotary?
  • Short Term Exchange has been popular in Europe for decades.
  • North Star Rotary Youth Exchange piloted the program in 2017 and sent 20 students abroad that first summer.
  • There are two STEP types, Family-to-Family exchange and Camps/Tours.
  • North Star is getting involved with STEP to give more and younger students the
    opportunity to experience the life changing benefits of youth exchange.
  • Never has promoting world peace and understanding been more important. This is one of Rotary’s prime focus areas.
  • Students ages 15-1 who are excited to experience exchange as a freshman or sophomore or who may need to build confidence before applying for school year long term exchange sometime in the future.
  • Students who can’t make a school year exchange work due to family, school or extracurricular conflicts.
  • Students who have the time to spend with their matched sibling (not working or too busy with summer activities) and have a family that is excited to host and share their life and culture.
  • Students who are curious, flexible and excited to spend two months with their new sister or brother from another country.
  • STEP Family-to-Family (F2F) is approximately a two-month experience during the summer or school breaks versus a 10 or 11 month experience where you would attend school in another country. STEP camps or tours are 1-4 week experiences.
  • STEP generally does not require a visa and students will not be enrolled in school.  Some STEP matches may however visit school for a few days depending on how school holidays match up.
  • Family-to-Family exchange is just that – every F2F participant goes abroad and also hosts so the whole family is involved. The family must apply and be approved as a Rotary Host Family. Applications are available at https://northstarrotary.com/host-families/
  • Matched students and their families work out their exact exchange dates. Families book and pay for their own airline tickets.
  • Students complete and submit the online application available on the North Star website. Supplemental documents are sent after the online application is submitted. Applicants will need to contact a local Rotary club to sign sponsor documents. There is a brief medical questionnaire and a release form to use pictures and images.
  • Applicants and their parents must be interviewed at the Rotary District level to be accepted for the program. Information will be sent to the applicants about interview dates and times.
  • Approved applicants will be notified, and the matching process will begin for Family-to-Family, and the application process for Camps/Tours will begin for those students.
  • (For Family-to-Family): Families apply for Host Family Approval.
  • Orientation for all STEP participants and families is REQUIRED to attend in-person.  Two dates will be available.  Participants and families only need to attend one.
  • Preference will be given to applications received by November 15th each year.
  • Applications will be accepted through February 15th.
  • Family-to-Family participants pay a $650 program fee to North Star
  • Camp/Tour participants pay a $400 program fee to North Star and the camp/tour fee which is paid directly to the camp/tour organizers
  • Cost of airline tickets
  • About $200 in spending money
  • Check the Countries page on our website.
  • There are many partners in Europe.
  • New countries may be added to the list in the future.  Students will indicate their country preferences when they are interviewed.
  • Family-to-Family matches are more about finding a good match in interests and age versus country.
  • Country coordinators exchange participant information including the applicant’s sex, age, hobbies, and interests with preferred countries.
  • If coordinators believe that the two students/families would be a good match, they will share information with the families to approve the match.
  • Once both families approve being matched with each other, the match is finalized and students and families can begin communicating with each other directly to make arrangements and plans for the exchange.
  • Typically participants are matched with a same sex partner but mixed sex partners are possible and have been successful in the past.
  • Yes! Students are welcome to apply for Long Term exchange after completing their Short Term exchange, and in fact, many do!
  • We hope that STEP families enjoy the exchange experience so much that they may also want to host a long term student in their community.
  • For Family-to-Family exchanges, dates are worked out between the two families based on school vacation dates or family travel opportunities. Exchanges are typically about 30 days in each country.
  • Rotary Exchange Programs in many countries offer camps or tours that bring together students from around the world to experience their country and culture.  Rotarians host and often financially support support these experiences that offer language camps, bike tours, cultural camps, etc.
  • Camps and tours are announced during the spring and posted on the North Star Camp website.  Applicants need to check the camp google doc frequently.  Announcements include dates and costs of the camp.
  • To apply to a camp or tour of interest, notify the North Star STEP coordinator who will submit your application for you.  Camp applications are only accepted through through the North Star STEP coordinator.
  • Specific camp/tour information will be shared via a shared google doc once applicants have been accepted.
  • Camps fill very quickly once they are announced so applicants must monitor opportunities frequently and contact the North Star STEP coordinator right away if they wish to apply for a camp.
  • Applicants must apply to and interview with North Star first.  After acceptance by North Star, then your application is ready to submit to a camp/tour when it is announced.
  • Once accepted to a camp, applicants must stay with that placement and should not apply to others that may be published later.
  • Yes, families book their own student’s flight so frequent flyer miles or e-credit can be used to purchase the tickets.
  • Tickets should not be purchased until match or camp details are finalized and the student receives a final confirmation notification, either by email or phone call to the STEP coordinator.
  • STEP applications are open from July 1 to February 15 (preference given to early submissions).
  • Informational meetings and interviews with be posted for each year on the website.
  • Notifications of acceptance will be about a week after the North Star District interviews.
  • Camp/Tour information will be posted in a google doc to which you will receive a link.
  • Orientation dates will be shared – typically end of January and mid-April – it is REQUIRED to attend one of these in-person.
  • Program fee is due on or before the orientation date you attend.
  • Family-to-Family matches are made usually between March 1 and May 1.
Famiy-To-Family : Apply Now
Camps & Tours : Apply Now

Youth Exchange Officers
F.A.Q.

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Summer
Short Term Exchange Partners

Learn more

Discover new cultures, forge lasting friendships, and expand your horizons
through our exciting short-term youth exchange program

Enroll now and start your journey of a lifetime!

Family-To-Family : Apply Now
Camps & Tours : Apply Now