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[[File:Pakistan-U.S. Student Exchange Program 2011.jpg|thumb|Pakistan to US Student Exchange Program, July 2011]]
A '''student exchange program''' is a program in which students from a [[secondary school]] (high school) or universityhigher education [[study abroad]] at one of their institution's partner institutions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2006 |title=Stella Ting-Toomey, PhD |url=http://www.ces.uc.pt/icopromo/documents/02%20Stella%20Ting-Toomey%20-%20Developing%20Intercultural%20Communication%20Competence%20-%20A%20Mindful%20Systems%20Perspective.pdf |access-date=25 October 2014}}</ref>
A student exchange program may involve international travel, but does not necessarily require the student to study outside their home country.
Foreign exchange programs provide students with an opportunity to study in a differentanother country and environmentexperience experiencinga thedifferent history and culture of another country,environment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Daly |first=Amanda |date=1 April 2011 |title=Determinants of participating in Australian university student exchange programs |journal=Journal of Research in International Education |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=58–70 |doi=10.1177/1475240910394979 |issn=1475-2409 |hdl-access=free |hdl=10072/63753 |s2cid=144999878}}</ref> givingThese themprograms provide opportunities that may not be available in theirthe participant's home country, such as learning about the history and culture of other countries and meeting new friends to enrich their personal development. International exchange programs are also effective to challenge students to develop a [[Global Perspectives (journal)|global perspective]].
The term "exchange" means that a partner institution accepts a student, but does not necessarily mean that the students have to find a counterpart from the other institution with whom to exchange. Exchange students live with a host family or in a designated place such as a hostel, an apartment, or a student lodging. Costs for the program vary by the country and institution. Participants fund their participation via scholarships, loans, or self-funding.
Student exchanges became popular after [[World War II]], and are intended to increase the participants' understanding and tolerance of other cultures, as well as improving their language skills and broadening their social horizons. Student exchanges also increased further after the end of the [[Cold War]]. An exchange student typically stays in the host country for a period of 6 to 12 months; however, exchange students may opt to stay for one semester at a time. [[International student]]s or those on study abroad programs may stay in the host country for several years. Some exchange programs also offer [[academic credit]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2019 |title=Foster School Exchange Programs |url=https://foster.uw.edu/centers/gbc/undergraduate/exchange-programs/ |access-date=18 October 2019 |publisher=University of Washington}}</ref>
Students of study abroad programs aim to develop a global perspective and cultural understanding by exitingchallenging their comfort zonezones and immersing themselves in a different culture. Studies have shown that students' desire to study abroad has increased, and research suggests that students choose programs because of ___location, costs, available resources, and heritage.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Naddaf |first=Mariana |last2=Marie |first2=Jakia |last3=Mitchell |first3=Donald |date=2020-01-01 |title=Heritage (AnguloSeekers,2008; EderIdentity, Smithand &Study Pitts,Abroad: 2010;A Moreno,Phenomenological 2009)Exploration |url=https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/education_fac_pub/13 |journal=Journal of College Student Development}}</ref> Although there are many different exchange programs, the most popular are the programs that offer academic credit, as many students are concerned about traveling ifhindering it means getting them off track withtheir academic and professional plans.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Angulo |first=Sarah Kathryn |date=2008 |title=Identity change in students who study abroad |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/194154897 |journal=The University of Texas at Austin ProQuest Dissertations Publishing |id={{ProQuest|194154897}} |via=ProQuest}}</ref>
== Types of exchange programs ==
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