The Outbound Program at the Club Level

The following information is provided to assist the Club YEO as the Outbound Student aspect of the RYE Program develops within the Club. Remember that the District Committee members are always available as resource people should you have any problem or situation that is not addressed during the following section.

Outbound Student Recruiting and Club Application

In winter each year, the District will send out an intent to participate form to Club YEO’s. They will also ask for a Club Compliance letter to be completed in order for the clubs to participate in the following year’s exchange program. Once these forms are received, the Club can continue with the outbound selection process.

Outbound Student Club Application

The District recommends that clubs begin searching for Outbound Student applications before the end of the school year. Many clubs wait until the start of the fall semester, but please remember that the selection process should be completed by the end of October.

  • The first step of any selection process is to advertise the availability of the exchange program with the schools. Most clubs utilize the school counselors/administrators and the foreign language teachers as a resource and referral source to locate applicants. Stories in the school newspaper about a current outbound or inbound may help draw attention to the exchange program potential for the students at the school. (link to sample Press Release)  Handout for Recruitment
  • All applicants must fit within the requirements established by Rotary International. Students must be between ages 15-18 and must be in high school when they apply. There are only a few countries that will accept Grade 12 students who are finishing school and will go on exchange after they have completed high school. These students will still have to continue on in high school while on exchange. Preferably the student chosen would not yet have graduated.
  • Adaptability is a keyword to apply to all applicants. We have found that the top ranked student in their school may not be able to adapt to life in a small town in Brazil, whereas the C average student may be able to easily adapt based upon their life experiences, maturity, independence, and outlook.
  • Students applying should fill out a Preliminary OB Application  to provide the necessary information to the club to screen for qualified students. Clubs should provide necessary printed information about the program and if necessary hold announced information sessions to provide a forum to answer student inquiries. Provide website addresses to help students satisfy their curiosity about our Program.
  • Club interviews with the student applicants and parents should be conducted by mid-October at the latest. Parents and students should be provided with all the necessary information for them to be able to make a decision if chosen. Final club selections must be completed no later than the end of October. (sample Outbound Application Link)
  • Once your Club has selected a student, the long term application must be completed very quickly. All applications are available for download at the RI Careful attention must be paid to obtain all signatures in original blue ink or you will find the application sent back for repairs. Follow all the detailed instructions to minimize problem areas and possible rejection at the District Interviews.
Conducting the Outbound Selection Interview (link to sample interview questions)

Your club should have an interview committee that should meet together before any interview is conducted to read and become familiar with the information in the Preliminary Applications. The members should agree upon the basic questions to be asked of each student and their parents, and any other questions that the interviewers feel necessary. To avoid any bias or discrimination, each applicant should be given the opportunity to answer the same general questions.

It is recommended that the student be interviewed separately, then talk with the parents alone, and conclude with the parents and student together. Look for basic changes in attitudes when alone and then together. Students who are independent can usually handle the exchange situation better than those who are overly dependent on the parents for all decisions, or those students who are just doing the exchange routine trying to please or escape their parents. (link to sample parent interview questions)

The District Committee cannot guarantee students the country of their choice. There are a finite number of exchanges available to any given country as controlled by the number of Inbound Students received by our district. Some countries are more popular and appealing than others. Students are encouraged to realize that the exchange experience will be the same in Europe, as in South America, and so on. Each applicant must rank all exchanging countries and can typically expect to receive one of their top 5 choices. Note that some countries have a requirement of some familiarity with their language before the start of the exchange.

The key trait to look for in the student is adaptability.

  • Does the student have the desire to adapt to a different language, culture, food, and way of life?
  • Do they have an interest in learning the language by immersing themselves into the culture?
  • Will this student be a good ambassador of the Rotary ideals, an ambassador of our community, school, and country?
  • Will this applicant be flexible in accepting a country assignment? Reject an applicant willing to accept only a specific country assignment; they’ve missed the point of the Program.

The students and parents should also be clear that the student will most likely have to double up on classes or take online classes prior to their exchange to ensure they are able to graduate on time when they return. The parents and students should also be made aware of what the approximate costs to go on exchange would be. Costs include an open ended or changeable plane ticket (could be $2,500.00), medical insurance (normally $800.00 – $900.00). Also many countries run language camps when the students arrive and there is often a cost for these language camps. There are also costs to obtain the student visa and the everyday costs for clothing, spending money, and any optional trips.

  •  Selection Committee 
    • It is recommended that the selection committee use a rating system form with all the criteria involved in the selection so that all members of the committee are judging the students on identical factors. The ratings should be quantified and the highest scoring student chosen. It is usually good to discuss the top choices within the committee and get a definite majority opinion on the selection of the primary student. (link to sample selection criteria)
    • If your applicant has a handicap, please discuss that factor with the District Coordinator to determine if an exchange would be feasible for that student. In most cases an exchange may be possible.
    • Once the decision has been made, the students should be notified. Usually this contact should be made the same day as the interview or as soon as practical. It is a good practice to notify the best student first. If for some reason the best candidate does not accept the nomination, then the next student can be offered the primary sponsorship position immediately.
    • The YEO should immediately notify the District Coordinator with the contact information of those students selected. Critical information is the Student and Parents contact address, phone numbers, including cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
  • Completing the Formal Application

 The District Committee will conduct an in-person training session to assist students and parents in completing the online formal application. Be sure you mention this date to the student so they can prepare to attend. It is at the beginning of October.

    • All signatures on the applications must be original blue ink. No stamps or copies are acceptable.
    • The YEO must review the Application Checklist for completeness and ensure that all items are included as required. The Club President signatures must be original and in blue ink just like all the rest of the signatures. Each application must be complete in every detail. These applications are legal documents that are used to procure Visas, Entry Permits, and are the basis for all transactions with foreign governments and immigration personnel.
Preparing Your Outbound Student
  • Assisting our outbound candidates to prepare for their year abroad is of highest concern to the District YE Committee. Failure of an Outbound Student to attend our training sessions could result in being dropped from the program. There are at least three Outbound orientation sessions that the student must attend. The first orientation session usually takes place in early January and requires the parents/guardians to attend.
  • The club YEO should have the outbound student attend some Rotary meetings at your club, so that the student can introduce themselves to the club and update them on the progress of the exchange process. Attendance at meetings also allows the student to learn more about Rotary.
  • The club should continue to observe and monitor the students progress in school to ensure they are on track and not falling behind or failing.
District Conference
  • Normally the third orientation session takes place during District Conference. Normally all Outbound and Inbound Students must attend this conference which takes place in May. Transportation must be arranged by the YEO both to and from this conference. All students are expected to stay for the complete conference. Outbounds are included primarily to learn more about Rotary, get a chance to network with Inbound students, and prepare for their stay with Rotarians on the other side of the world.
Prepare the Student for Departure
  • The checklist is winding down. Has your student made their slide presentation? Plan a farewell party. Nothing elaborate is necessary and make sure the student understands that you are expecting correspondence during their exchange year. Reinforce the need for the student to submit their monthly report to the District Outbound Coordinator, but that you are also interested in hearing about what they have been experiencing.
  • Provide several club banners for your student to hand out when visiting a club in their host country. Remember that they represent your club and our Rotary ideals.
  • Communication should not be just one way while your student is abroad. Keep the lines open with emails about what your club is doing, forward your club’s newsletters, and make sure that you receive information from the student’s parents on how they think things are going. If there appears to be a problem developing, contact the District Outbound Coordinator for assistance.