Private Boarding School Program

Live with your friends with your once-in-a-lifetime boarding house exchange

Stay at school with your friends during the week at a boarding school, then hang out with a host family on weekends and holidays. By signing up to our private boarding school experience, you’ll get a taste of every aspect of life as a French high school student.

We work with a small number of carefully chosen boarding schools across France. This means places are strictly limited and best suited to someone looking for a longer stay.

If you choose our boarding school experience, you don’t have to host a student here in Australia.

How it works ?

Every student who signs up for an exchange gets a French host family. This family will have a child, but they may not be the same age as you because you will already have so many friends from the boarding house. They will however, be a wonderful, warm, welcoming family who is very excited to share the French language and culture with their new Australian friend. It’s our goal to find the perfect French boarding school and family for you. That’s why when you apply, we try to get to know a little bit about who you are, what you like and the kind of experience you’re hoping to have. If you choose a private boarding house experience, you’ll live in the boarding house during the week and attend classes like a regular high school student. Then, on weekends and during holidays, you’ll live with your host family. While you’re there, you’ll improve your language skills, experience another culture first-hand, make lifelong friends, eat amazing food, see incredible things (do we need to go on?). A private boarding school experience is ideal for you if you: Want to experience a French boarding school Want to make lots of French friends your age Want to live with a warm & welcoming French family on weekends and during school holidays Are interested in travelling to and from France with our group (not essential) Want flexible dates and durations for your program (up to a full French school year)

How to find the perfect match?

It all starts with connecting you to the right French correspondent – because when you click, everything else falls into place. More chats, deeper cultural immersion, skyrocketing language skills, and hey, you might just make a friend for life! You're not just another participant to us. You're a unique blend of interests, quirks, and dreams. That's why we bring you into the heart of the selection process. Together, we'll find that perfect French match who's just as excited to meet you as you are to meet them. Think of your host family's home as your cozy, safe haven. Your own bedroom? Check. A family that’s been carefully chosen for their warmth and safety? Absolutely. We go the extra mile with police checks, in-person interviews, and even home visits. Curious about how seriously we take your safety? Dive into our child safety policy for the full scoop.

Program Requirement

You must be an Australian high school student in Year 9 to 11 (between the ages of 14 and 17) when the program commences.

Program Lenth and Dates

This program offers you full flexibility of dates and durations during the French school year (September to June). We offer programs with both group and individual travel options.

Get Travel Insurance

All AFX Student Exchange programs include comprehensive travel insurance. Insurance will be purchased after you pay the second instalment of your program fees so that you are covered in case of cancellation due to health emergencies. However, if you would prefer to utilise your own cover, we can remove this from our program fees.

Traveling to France: your journey, your way !

If you’re flying out as part of a group, an AFX representative will be with you all the way. The moment you land in Paris, our friendly French team or your nearby host family will be there to welcome you with open arms.

For those of you destined for regional France, don’t worry. We’ll smoothly handle your transfers from Paris. And when it’s time to say “au revoir” to France, we’ll be at the airport to see you off.

If you’re not leaving from Melbourne, rest assured, we have flexible options for you. We can provide chaperones for flights departing from various cities, based on how many travelers are in your group. Alternatively, you can fly independently, possibly with other participants from your location, and then rendezvous with the main group and our chaperone at a connecting airport. From there, you’ll all travel together to Paris. Regardless of your starting point, we’re committed to making your journey to France both comfortable and secure.
Flexibility is key. Want to join the group for the flight to France but have different return plans? Or the other way around? We can make it happen. Your journey to France is all about you – tailored to fit your plans and dreams. Let’s make your French adventure as unique and special as you are!

24/7 Support

Embark on your French journey knowing we're just a call away, 24/7! Need assistance or have queries while in France? Our team is always ready to support you, ensuring a worry-free and enjoyable experience. Your adventure, our dedicated care!

Cultural Immersion

Get ready to dive into the heart of French culture! While living with your French host family, you'll experience a world different from your own, from the way you speak to what you eat. We will guide you through these differences to ensure you're fully prepped for an enriching, fun, and authentic French adventure.

School in France

Get ready for an exciting school adventure in France! You'll join your French correspondent at their school, diving right into the heart of French student life. Go to school from 8am to 5 or 6pm and learn about new teaching methods, new lunchtime traditions, and make new friends.

Uniquely French

We are a franco-australian team and we’ve lived the experiences you’re about to embark on, as parents and/or students. This isn’t just knowledge; it’s lived experience.

Personalised

We treat every student as an individual with their own distinct personality and passions, and then carefully match them with the perfect French correspondent.

Transparent

We’re committed to transparency from the start. Expect a detailed price list and clear program structure, ensuring no surprises. Building a trustful relationship is key.

Safety First

Our accreditations, partnerships, and affiliations stand as a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensuring your child’s safety every step of the way.

Uniquely French

We are a franco-australian team and we’ve lived the experiences you’re about to embark on, as parents and/or students. This isn’t just knowledge; it’s lived experience.

Personalised

We treat every student as an individual with their own distinct personality and passions, and then carefully match them with the perfect French correspondent.

Transparent

We’re committed to transparency from the start. Expect a detailed price list and clear program structure, ensuring no surprises. Building a trustful relationship is key.

Safety First

Our accreditations, partnerships, and affiliations stand as a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensuring your child’s safety every step of the way.

Let's do this !

Pricing

Ready to dive into details? Click below for a whirlwind tour of prices and dates. Your French adventure is just a click away!

Apply

Ready to start your French adventure ? Click below to access the enquiry form. It takes less than a minute to complete!

Webinar

Discover More in Our Info Webinars! Explore our programs and get your questions answered. Register now for an insightful session!

Emma Fisher

2 months ago

I had an absolutely wonderful experience on the One Way French exchange program. I stayed with a beautiful, welcoming family in Nantes that made me feel comfortable and included from the beginning. I loved experiencing French culture, improving my language skills and becoming a part of my host family’s daily life.
AFX was extremely helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. They communicated clearly, regularly checked that I felt safe and comfortable and were always available to answer questions or provide assistance. Their care and attention gave my family and I great peace of mind. I am very grateful for the experience and would highly recommend this program to other students and families.

CHRISTIE-ANN WILLIAMS

6 months ago

This was such an amazing program for my son. Highly recommend AFX. They were always so professional to deal with and I felt very assured my son was in great hands. They matched him up to a wonderful family who suited me son to a tea. We can’t wait to reciprocate when we get our French exchange staying with us.

Brezun Jullien

"We were fortunate enough to host Australian students twice with AFX. It was a fantastic experience that we highly recommend. The AFX association was perfect in supporting us throughout the entire process! It was perfect and we highly recommend them as well!"

Stirling Hookway

Our son had a fantastic 6week stay with a perfectly matched family and has returned almost fluent.

Lilian Zhang

My daughter spent six weeks in France as part of an exchange program via AFX. She was very lucky to have a kind and welcoming host family and a supportive exchange class. During her time there, she made many friends at school and experienced two different cultures, especially from a teenager’s perspective.

The French school system is quite different from Australia’s. Students study several foreign languages, and science classes can last up to three hours, with each hour carefully planned. However, she felt that the mathematics level was generally lower than in Australia. Most French students travel to and from school by tram, and she enjoyed walking to the tram stops and chatting with friends along the way.

During the Christmas holidays, her host family took her to large extended-family gatherings with grandparents and relatives. This was very different from family gatherings in Australia. Even at home, men—including children—often wore suits and bow ties. She also noticed that French people eat dinner quite late. Because of this, families usually gather around 7 pm to have drinks and snacks together, followed by dinner, and then dessert—often chocolate. She shared how much French people love chocolate.

Overall, this was a wonderful experience. It not only improved her French, but also allowed her to live independently in another country and experience daily life in a different family and culture.

jenifer nguy

7 months ago

My daughter did the exchange program in France with the Berque family. We feel so grateful for how well they supported and cared for our daughter. She enjoyed her experience thoroughly and could not recommend them highly enough. Thanks again so much for everything. She will never forget her 6 weeks with your beautiful family.

Sally Brown

Our 17 year old daughter has just returned from her 6 week exchange in France and I can honestly say from start to finish AFX have been brilliant. Such a well run, well rehearsed operation. Our daughter was well matched with a lovely warm French family and we felt very comfortable throughout the entire journey, from the first application to her safe return home. AFX definitely exceeded our expectations and the end result is an incredible experience and lifelong memory. Probably for both families.

Nazanin Amini

I am extremely grateful to AFX for organising my son Archia’s four-week exchange to France. As a parent, I was naturally nervous at first, but AFX made the entire process smooth and reassuring from the beginning. Once we were introduced to the host family, I felt completely at ease. Throughout the exchange, Archia was well cared for, safe, and supported, and he returned with wonderful memories and new experiences. AFX was professional, attentive, and genuinely caring. I highly recommend AFX to any family considering a student exchange program.