Friends of International Students Program
The Friends of International Students (FIS) Host Program matches Middlebury College international students in Vermont with family in the Middlebury area.
Winter 2023 Update
Our spring term matching event on March 8, 2023 was a success! Thank you to our local hosts who welcomed international students into their lives. We hope you enjoy your friendships in the days and months ahead!
Students and hosts who are interested in participating in our program during the 2023-24 academic year should email isss@middlebury.edu so that we can put them on our list for our spring and summer 2023 information sessions (dates still to be determined). Students and new hosts must first attend an information session and then submit our online questionnaire before they can participate. Once you’re on our list, please look out for emails announcing the dates/times of our information sessions so you can register for one. We will also post the dates/times below under the “For Students” and the “For Hosts” sections below.
Read an Addison Independent feature story about our program.
For Students
- Are you interested in experiencing life with a U.S. family?
- 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 FIS Host Program matches Middlebury College international students in Vermont with family in the Middlebury area. The program also offers local hosts a chance to learn about another culture. Hosts are not expected to provide students with a place to stay, but rather to invite students to explore life outside the campus. 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 for academic year 2023-24 should email isss@middlebury.edu so that we can put them on our list for one of our upcoming student information sessions (dates to be determined). Students must first attend an information session and then submit a questionnaire before they can be matched with a host family.
Upcoming student information sessions via Zoom:
Please check back in late spring for dates/times of our future sessions!
Please email isss@middlebury.edu no later than NOON on the day of a session to let us know you’d like to attend. Then we’ll email you the link for your particular session.
Once you have attended a Zoom student information session we invite you to submit our FIS Questionnaire.
When is the next FIS Host Program matching event?
The anticipated date of our fall 2023 matching event is Saturday, September 30, 2023. Please check back soon for details! You must have received an email invitation from ISSS saying that you’ve been matched with a host in order to attend the event.
For Hosts
The FIS Host Program offers Middlebury College international students a chance to connect with an individual or family from the Middlebury area. It is a friendship program that provides an opportunity for hosts to share experiences in the local community with international students through invitations to join the host for a meal, a community event or simply to explore life outside the campus.
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 College policy requires all students, faculty, staff, visitors (including host families) to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines unless they have approved religious or medical exemptions. In accordance with CDC guidance, “up to date” means that the person is fully vaccinated and that they have received a booster dose when eligible. All host families need to abide by this policy in order to participate in the FIS program.
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?
The anticipated date of our fall 2023 matching event is Saturday, September 30, 2023. You must have received an email invitation from ISSS saying that you’ve been matched with a student in order 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 2023-24? 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! Our upcoming Zoom host information session(s):
Please check back in late spring for dates/times of our future sessions!
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.
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!
Downloadable Resources
Last updated 3/10/2023