PROGRAMS

Student Exchange Adult Exchange Events

STUDENT EXCHANGE

Since 2014, SSCA has worked with the Iizuka Friendship Network and Iizuka City to bring over 300 Sunnyvale and Iizuka students together and promote international exchange. Iizuka to Sunnyvale (I2S) programs occurring in March bring students from Iizuka to homestay and experience daily life in Sunnyvale, California. In June, the Sunnyvale to Iizuka (S2I) program sends students from Sunnyvale to homestay and experience daily life in Iizuka.

2026 Student Exchange Program Important Dates

  • September 23, 2025 - Program Information Session Sunnyvale
  • September 30, 2025 - Program Application deadline
  • March 24-30, 2026 - Iizuka students hosted in Sunnyvale
  • June 16-25, 2026 - Sunnyvale students hosted in Iizuka

For a more on our program, application process, fees, requirements, and FAQ, please see our program details.

Eligibility

The Student Exchange Program is open to:

  • Current 7th and 8th grade middle school students
  • Current high school students

Sunnyvale residents and students attending a school in Sunnyvale will be given priority over other candidates.

How to Apply

Please submit the following before the application deadline on September 30, 2025.

  1. A completed online application including:
    2.
    • Basic information about you and your family
    • Contact information for a school teacher reference
    • A working YouTube URL to a short 3-minute or less self-introduction video
  2. Receipt of an emailed Letter of Recommendation from your school teacher.
    3.

Please give your teacher our Letter of Recommendation Guidelines (PDF) when requesting the letter of recommendation.

*If you leave the online application without submitting, your responses will not be saved and you will not be able to return.

For more information on how to apply, interviews, candidate qualities, participation requirements, and selection process, please see our program details.

2026 Fees

The 2026 Program fees are $3,699.

Fees can be refunded for applicants not accepted into the program. Fees are non-refundable for students who accept places in the program.

Payment

The fees are to be paid in two payments by check:

  • a $500 deposit due at the candidate interview in October
  • a $3,199 deposit due at the meeting in mid-January

Please pay by personal check. Cashiers checks will not be accepted. SSCA is currently investigating electronic payment options.

Make checks payable to Sunnyvale Sister City Association and write the student’s name in the memo line.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available for a limited number of Sunnyvale students on a need basis. Qualifying students will not need to pay the second deposit. To be eligible for financial assistance, please email SSCA at s2i@sunnyvalesistercity.org with one of selected income or benefit verification documents.

For more information about payment, fee calculation and coverage, and financial assistance, please refer to the fees section of our program details.

Participation Requirements

  • Completed application
  • Valid passport
  • Attendance at all predeparture meetings
  • Host for I2S
  • Youth Protection Policy compliance
  • Infectious Disease Prevention compliance

Students and parents/guardians are required to attend monthly meetings and preparatory classes prior to departure.

Predeparture meeting dates:

  • November 11, 2025 - Evening
  • January 20, 2026 - Evening
  • February 7, 2026 - Morning
  • March 10, 2026 - Evening
  • April 25, 2026 - Morning
  • May 10, 2026 - Morning
  • June 2, 2026 - Evening

Please see our program details for further description of our participation requrements.

For any questions about our the student exchange program, please email s2i@sunnyvalesistercity.org.