UK Cultural Exchange
A British state school. A British family. A British town. For one term or one semester, students stop being visitors and start being locals.
Where you will live
Choose one of our premium destinations, or let us place your student anywhere in our seven regional networks across England and Wales.
Bournemouth
Seven miles of sandy beach, a big student population and a famously friendly seaside town.
Brighton
England's most colourful seaside city: the Lanes, the pier, and an hour from London.
Eastbourne
A calm, safe South Coast town beneath the South Downs, popular with younger students.
Oxford
A world-famous university city of spires and museums, an hour by train from London.
London
Outer boroughs (zones 3–4): suburban family life with the capital on the doorstep.
Cambridge
Colleges, cobbled lanes and the River Cam, with King's Cross under an hour away.
Canterbury
A walled cathedral city in Kent, small enough to feel safe and rich in history.
How long can students stay?
One term or semester per UK visit, as one continuous stay. Stays must end before the 6-month visitor limit; we recommend up to 5 months.
Live it. Don't just study it.
Students join a local state school or academy as visiting exchange students, sharing lessons, clubs and teams with British classmates, and live with a carefully chosen host family.
It is a cultural and educational exchange, not a course of study: students do not work towards UK qualifications or sit UK exams. They receive a host school report and/or an ABC participation certificate.
School choice and family choice are available in selected areas. Ask your ABC sales representative.
Your host family
- DBS checks on every host family in our network
- Every home visited and inspected by a trained local coordinator
- Own bedroom with a desk and Wi-Fi
- Breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal on weekdays; full board at weekends
- Under-16s placed with experienced families; ABC notifies the local authority under private fostering rules
- Local coordinator in every network and a 24-hour emergency line
Welcome Camp
Optional, September arrivals. Four days and three nights in London before school starts:
- Airport transfer and full-board residential stay
- Guided tour of Westminster, the London Eye and Covent Garden
- Cultural orientation workshops with an ABC teacher
- Meet the local coordinator, then travel on to the host family
Student requirements
- Ages 11–18, enrolled in full-time secondary education at home and returning to it afterwards
- English at B1 (intermediate) or above, and average 'C' grade or better in core subjects
- School leavers are not eligible: see UK Select
Travel and visas
Students travel as visitors on an ETA or Standard Visitor visa, depending on nationality. ABC provides a confirmation letter but does not give immigration advice. See Immigration & Visas and GOV.UK.
Talk to our team
Agents can find net prices and availability in the Agent Zone, or contact our sales team for a quote.