Whats a good, trustworthy student exchange program that will send me to Japan?

YFU (Youth For Understanding), AFS, and Rotary are frequently called "the big 3" when it comes to exchanges - long histories and good reputations, although a few others are making their way up that list. Please forgive my bias towards YFU - it's the one that I have direct experience with (I am a 5-time host mom and volunteer). I am gaining indirect experience by corresponding with former students. When I have asked exchange students why they chose YFU, I get the following answers: (1) YFU gave them more bang for their buck and/or (2) someone they knew and trusted recommended YFU. 95% of the fees collected by YFU go for direct program costs (airline tickets, support in hosting country, etc.). YFU has been around for almost 60 years and has learned how to make exchanges successful. If you choose another organization, please make sure that it is is listed with the Council for Standards on International Educational Travel (csiet.org). They routinely audit programs for quality. While it is possible that a good organization is not listed with them, it is less likely and I would advise doing more research on anyone that is not listed with them. YFU does have year, semester, and summer programs to Japan. Japan is actually a quite popular destination for exchange students. In a typical year, about 500 American Students will go overseas with YFU; 300 will have full or partial scholarships; about 150 of those will be to Japan. Check out the links below. Good luck to you no matter what you choose!!