Exchange during the holidays

Youths visit each other during the holidays and spend one to two weeks with the families of their peer in another language region of Switzerland. Not only do they learn the language, they also form lasting friendships – free of charge.

Next steps

To register

To register on match&move

To register

To register on match&move

Overview

For whom

  • Youths aged between 11 and 18 who are residents in Switzerland

Duration

  • 1 or 2 weeks with both exchange partners

Where

  • In another language region of Switzerland

What we fund

  • Finding exchange partners in another language region

What to do

  • The parents or interested youths submit an online application, and we do the matching with a suitable exchange partner. 

Deadlines

  • January 31 for the spring holidays, April 30 for the summer holidays and August 31 for the fall holidays

Next steps

To register

To register on match&move

In detail

The best way to learn a foreign language is when being immersed in real-life situations. During a holiday exchange, youths spend their holidays with peers in another language region of Switzerland. They live with the family of the exchange partner for one to two weeks. Not only do they practise the foreign language during their holidays, but they also make new friends and get to know the customs of the region. Free of charge!

Learning a language on site 

A holiday exchange offers the opportunity to practise a language you may have only known from school lessons so far in everyday situations. An exchange with peers makes it much easier to speak the language, and the youths recognize the importance of mastering the foreign language. Thi exchange boosts their motivation to improve their language skills. However, an exchange also means leaving your own comfort zone and immersing yourself in the lifeworld of another person in another region of the country. Since this experience gives your CV a boost, the youths receive a certificate of participation at the end of the exchange.

Finding a suitable exchange partner

We support youths in their search for a suitable exchange partner. Create a profile on our registration platform. When looking for a partner, we take into account the preferred language region, age, gender, hobbies, and possible holiday periods. Other criteria such as allergies can also be specified. 

Holiday exchange planning

The families of the two youths we have matched agree on the duration and timing of the exchange. The youths live with the family of their peer for the agreed period, first with one family and then with the other. For example, the first week of the fall holidays they spend in Geneva with one family and the second week they spend with the family in Kreuzlingen. Or they might spend two weeks in Bellinzona during the spring holidays and two weeks in Delémont during the summer holidays. The exchange can take place during all school holiday periods, it can even extend over several holiday periods.

Prepare and get to know each other

The two exchange partners introduce themselves to each other before the first meeting, for example by writing messages to each other. Regular contact allows for good preparation.

The partner families should also get to know each other personally before the exchange and discuss important issues such as eating habits, use of the cell phone or pocket money . In principle, the host family pays for the costs during the stay and for any activities. Excursions are not mandatory, but are offered by the families depending on the options available. We recommend that families exchange views on their expectations in advance. 

Link zum Flyer

Volantino Scambio durante le vacanze (PDF, 654 KB)

Testimonials

Zwei Familien im Austausch

Aline aus Malters (LU) und Hélène aus Pully (VD) haben im Frühling 2019 gemeinsam ihre Ferien verbracht. Zuerst mit der einen, dann mit der anderen Familie. Die jungen Frauen haben sich persönlich sofort gut verstanden, auch sprachlich waren die Schwierigkeiten kleiner als befürchtet.

Read more

Unsicherheiten überwinden und eine neue Freundschaft gewinnen

Michelle Tschan aus Birsfelden (BL) und Léantine Piquerez aus La Chaux-de-Fonds (NE) haben an einem Ferienaustausch teilgenommen. Aus eigener Initiative meldeten sich die 14- und 15-jährigen Mädchen an und überwanden ihre anfänglichen Bedenken. Innert wenigen Tagen entwickelte sich eine enge Freundschaft.

Read more

Gemeinsame Freizeitaktivitäten sind wichtig

Coraline und Nicolas aus dem Kanton Jura haben an einem Ferienaustausch teilgenommen. Beim Entdecken der Region und gemeinsamen Freizeitaktivitäten fiel es ihnen nicht schwer, sich mit ihren Kollegen aus der Deutschschweiz zu verständigen.

Read more

Added value

  • The youths practise a language they have learned at school and get a boost for their motivation to improve it.
  • They discover the culture and language of another region of Switzerland.
  • They get to know youths of the same age and make new friends.
  • They become more independent and broaden their horizons.
  • They receive a certificate of participation for this enriching experience.

Requirements

  • The youths are aged between 11 and 18 years old.
  • The exchange is reciprocal: Both families take turns in hosting the exchange partners. 
  • A visit lasts for one to two weeks, both visits last the same amount of time. 
  • The language spoken during the exchange is one of the Swiss national languages (English, French, Italian or Romansh).
  • We advise against hosting several exchange partners at the same time. 
  • Holiday exchanges usually take place during the school holidays. If all parties involved agree (participants, parents or guardians, schools, teachers), an exchange can also take place during the school term. 

Procedure

Youths aged between 16 and 18 years old can register independently and create a profile to search for an exchange partner. However, they must first make sure that their parents agree to their participation in a holiday exchange. Younger youths complete the application together with their parents. 

This is how you can proceed:

  1. 1

    Create a profile

    • You must register once on our platform.
    • You then create a profile. This includes a photo, information on your age, gender, hobbies and family situation.
    • You can also specify when an exchange is possible for you. Enter as many dates as possible to increase the chances of an exchange actually taking place. Find out about the dates of the school holidays in other cantons. 
    • Based on this information we look for a suitable exchange partner.  
    • The protection of data privacy is guaranteed on our tool. 
  2. 2

    Find an exchange partner

    • Once we have found a suitable exchange partner for you, you will receive an e-mail from us no later than two weeks after the deadlines, i.e. on 15 february, 15 may or 15 september. In this e-mail, we will present you the exchange partner.
    • We only suggest one exchange partner at a time. There is no obligation to do the holiday exchange with this person. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to offer you another suitable exchange partner.
    • If we cannot match you with a suitable exchange partner, you can choose whether you want to participate again at a later stage or whether you want to withdraw your application.
  3. 3

    Contact partner family and fix timing

    • Once the two youths have been successfully matched, contact the partner family as soon as possible and determine the exact duration and the timing of the two visits.
    • If the holiday dates or periods specified by the partner family do not exactly match those of your family, contact them anyway. Solutions can usually be found.
    • If you cannot find dates suitable for both or if the exchange cannot take place for any other reason, please contact us as soon as possible. We will try to find a new exchange partner for you.
  4. 4

    Organize Holiday exchange

    • We strongly recommend that families meet the partner family at least once before the holiday exchange takes place. This allows the exchange partners and the families to get to know each other and talk about details of family life, such as eating habits, cell phone use, pocket money, etc. A physical meeting is ideal for sharing expectations and allowing the youths to get to know each other.
    • The following tips will help you prepare (only in German): 

    Tips for parents (PDF, 119 KB)

    • There are also helpful documents for youths (only in German):
    • Before the holiday exchange, discuss within possible challenges of an exchange with your family, such as dealing with family idiosynchrasies and cultural differences. 
  5. 5

    Certificate

    • After the exchange all participants can request a confirmation of participation. Such a certificate can be useful for an application for an apprenticeship, for example. To request a certificate, fill in a short feedback form. 
    • Your answers will help us to improve and promote the holiday exchange funding opportunity.

Q & A

No, the decisive factor is the age at the time of the exchange.

We cannot guarantee a successful matching as this depends on the youths registered, their age and their exchange plans. If a matching is not possible, you can choose to remain registered for the matchmaking process for the next date.

We recommend that you contact the other family anyway. It is often possible to find a solution to organise the exchange by discussing alternative options. If there are no options at all, we can look for a new exchange partner. 

Contact

Similar funding opportunities

  • Individual exchange during the school year

    Pupils live in another language region of Switzerland or abroad for up to a year and attend school there.

    Learn more
To all funding opportunities