Friends of International Students Host Program
The Friends of International Students (FIS) Host Program matches Middlebury College international students in Vermont with family in the Middlebury area.
FIS Update
ISSS had 2 very successful matching events during the spring 2024 term. Thank you to all hosts and students who chose to participate. We wish you the very best and hope you truly enjoy your friendships!
Hosts: We are now recruiting hosts for fall 2024! Please email ISSS if you are interested in participating in our program. You can find detailed information about our program and upcoming information sessions in the “For Hosts” section on this page. Once you have attended a session, you can apply to be a part of this amazing program!
Students: If you are a returning student and you’re interested in participating in our program in the fall, please see the “For Students” section below for the dates of upcoming student information sessions. Once you have attended a session, you can apply to be a part of this amazing program! If you are an incoming first-year student, you will be able to attend an information session during your Pre-orientation program when you first arrive on campus.
**Featured photo: Lloyd Raymond gardening with host student Yingcheng Zhuang.
Read an Addison Independent feature story about our program.
Are you a student or a host with a story or photo to share with us? Please follow this link to submit stories and/or photos here.
For Students
- Do you wish to experience life outside Middlebury College?
- Would you like to meet people in the local community?
If so, we invite you to discover more about the FIS Host Program. The students who are eligible to participate in the FIS Host Program include those who hold non-U.S. citizenships, U.S. citizens living abroad, as well as international Exchange students (if you are unsure about your eligibility, please write to us at isss@middlebury.edu). The program matches Middlebury College international students with a host in the Middlebury area and gives our students the chance to have fun off campus, enjoy shared interests, or even cook with their host. The possibilities are endless! Hosts may be individuals, couples, or extended families. Our hope is that you will form a friendship that will last beyond your first year at the College.
How do I get involved?
Are you interested in getting involved and hope to be matched with a host in the future? Students who are interested in our program should email isss@middlebury.edu so that we can put them on our list for one of our upcoming student information sessions. Students must attend an information session, submit a questionnaire, and be invited to a matching event before they can be matched with a host family.
Incoming first-year students: An FIS Host Program information session is included in your Pre-orientation program schedule when you first arrive on campus. We hope to see you there!
Returning students: Please check back soon for the dates of our summer information sessions.
Zoom link: https://middlebury.zoom.us/j/99183608883?pwd=ZWhiZmNIeFlMZ09mM0xmazY4UzgzQT09
Meeting ID: 991 8360 8883
Password: 084661
Once you have attended a student information session we invite you to submit our FIS Questionnaire.
When is the next FIS Host Program matching event?
Our next matching event will happen during Fall Term 2024. You must receive an email invitation from ISSS saying that you’ve been matched with a host to attend the event.
For Hosts
If you’re interested in exploring a different culture and making a new international friend, come join Middlebury College’s Friends of International Students (FIS) host program!
Don’t worry, your international student won’t live with you. You’ll have the opportunity to host them on visits to your home or trips around the local area or join them on campus for events. This is a great chance to bond over shared interests, practice a language, or cook together. The possibilities are endless!
ISSS typically matches students with hosts twice per year (fall and spring) at an informal “matching event” hosted by International Student and Scholar Services. From that point on, the program is what you and your international student make of it. Some families and students meet weekly, while others meet periodically throughout the year for meals, campus events, or holiday celebrations. Our hope is that you will form a friendship that will last far beyond the student’s time at Middlebury.
***IMPORTANT NOTE: Middlebury has ended its COVID-19 requirements for its campuses in Vermont and California. Employees, students and visitors (including host families) should follow CDC guidance, state health department guidance, and their healthcare provider’s advice for prevention and treatment of the virus.
If you are interested in hosting a student, please email isss@middlebury.edu for more information.
When is the next FIS Host Program matching event?
Our next matching event will happen during Fall Term 2024. You must have received an email invitation from ISSS saying that you’ve been matched with a student to attend the event.
How do I get involved?
Are you interested in learning more about the FIS Host Program at Middlebury College and would like to be matched with a student during the academic year 2024-25? If so, please email us at isss@middlebury.edu and let us know you’re interested.
We expect all potential new hosts to attend an information session and complete a host questionnaire before they can be matched with a student. Experienced hosts will just need to submit the questionnaire but they are welcome to join us for a meeting as well so they can share their experience with new hosts.
JOIN US! Here are the dates of our upcoming lunchtime host information sessions on Zoom:
- Thursday, July 18, 5:30-6:15 pm
- Monday, July 29, 12:15-1 pm
- Thursday, August 1, 5:30-6:15 pm
- Monday, August 5, 12:15-1 pm
- Thursday, August 8, 5:30-6:15 pm
- Monday, August 12, 12:15-1 pm
- Thursday, August 15, 5:30-6:15 pm
- Monday, August 19, 12:15-1 pm
- Thursday, August 22, 5:30-6:15 pm
Please email us at isss@middlebury.edu and tell us your name, phone number, and which session you’d like to attend. We will respond to your email with the Zoom link for your particular session.
Once you have attended an information session and you decide to host a student, please fill out a questionnaire by September 1, 2024.
Can I ask for a student from a certain country?
While we cannot guarantee that you would be matched with a student from a particular country, we will consider special requests. All potential hosts will fill out a questionnaire in which they can provide detailed information regarding their interests and expectations. ISSS will use this information as well as the students’ questionnaires to arrange the best matches possible for all involved.
Where do the students come from and how can I learn more?
Our international students are from more than 25 countries, including some U.S. students who live abroad. We also match students who are at Middlebury for a year-long exchange program. Want to find out more about the country that your host student calls home? Check out these great web-based resources!
- BBC News, Country Profiles
- CIA World Factbook
- Country Reports
- Nations Online Project
- Please inquire at the reference desk at Davis Library on campus to access and print “Culture Grams” which are also detailed country profiles.
Downloadable Resources
Last updated June 10, 2024.