What do I need to know as a foreign exchange student next year?

I need help! Foreign friends living with my family and going to my school? What do I need to know?

• So I'm 16 and my two friends are 15 and from Seoul south Korea. And we were planning on them flying to America and living in my home (I have two brothers) and going to school with me for a semester or a year. Problem is....is idk anything about any of this. Like what is needed and what are requirements. They're not through a foreign exchange student program they're just friends from Korea coming to live with my family for a while. All I know is that they have passports already and they need to obtain an f-1 visa to attend my school. Btw I live in Wisconsin idk if that helps at all. But I'm wondering what else needs to be done for them to be able to stay with us like is it illegal to just let two foreign kids live with you if they're not related? I mean idk. Please help! Thanks:)

• Answer:

  You should check with your school to make sure that they can attend -- most schools have regulations regarding non-resident students. Some won't even accept students who aren't affiliated with a program. Part of this is because the US State Department requires that all foreign students be "tracked" (for lack of a better word) through their SEVIS system. If a student is with a program, the program takes care of that. I've been told by a couple school administrators that very few (if any) public schools are certified for SEVIS. I highly recommend contacting your school ASAP. I do believe that if the kids can't attend school, their visas will be voided. Your family should also contact whoever arranged this.