In response to questions that have arisen regarding “Direct Placements” of AFS-USA’s hosted participants, we want to clarify the definition and process. In general a “Direct Placement” is defined as a placement where the student is placed in a particular school or with a particular host family, at the request of the student, host family, a school official, or any other party, often because of a pre-existing relationship between the student and the host family or the host school.

Complete information about the definition of Direct Placements may be found on MyAFS Help & Learning, here.

For hosted participants whose placement is determined to be a “Direct Placement,” AFS-USA is required to submit their name to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA).

In most cases, students whose placement is defined as a “Direct Placement” will have more limited opportunities to participate in school sports and other extracurricular activities. It is up to the individual states and individual schools to determine the eligibility of the AFS student to participate in school sports.

More detailed information may be found on MyAFS Help & Learning, here.

If you have questions, please contact your Regional Field Specialist.