Friends of International Students

What is it?

The LFIS Friendship Family Program, in cooperation with UW-La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College, is not a live-in program but rather to promote cross-cultural understanding by fostering relationships between international students and La Crosse area residents. You, as a member of the local community who are familiar with how things function in the U.S., will be able to cultivate relationships with students from other countries, enabling you to expand upon your personal experience by learning more about the ways of life in other countries and vice versa. Friendship families may help make the student’s transition into American life go more smoothly. This is often an enjoyable and rewarding experience for both families and students.

What Is Expected?

You should contact your student(s) after you are matched and invite them to your home for a meal or on an outing (shopping, touring, et cetera). You may invite them to spend American holidays with you, birthday celebrations, outings to historical sites, occupational and professional experiences, sports events, and elementary, middle and high school programs.

MORE DETAILS HERE: https://lfis.info/family-apply

Please Note:

• Families are not expected to support students financially or to board these students at your home, nor are you expected to become involved in any legal issues (immigration or other issues) they may experience while in the United States.
• Families that apply for this program are expected to make a commitment to the student until the end of their first academic year, unless they are an exchange student and leave before that.
• Prospective families are expected to undergo a mandatory basic background check for the safety and comfort of our international students and Friendship Families. No substitutions will be accepted. Every individual in the home who is over the age of 18 years must complete the background check. If anyone in the home has been charged with, convicted of, pleaded guilty or no contest to, or forfeited bail for any criminal conduct under law or ordinance, and the nature of the charge or conviction is incompatible with the responsibilities of a friendship family, we reserve the right to deny placing an international student with that family.
• The family authorizes the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse to obtain criminal records about adult members of the family from any source.
• During the course of the Friendship Family assignment, the family agrees to notify the International Education & Engagement (IEE) LFIS liaison, no later than the next day when any member of the family has been convicted of any crime or has been or is being investigated by any governmental agency for any act or offense. If the family fails to abide by this, we have the right to immediately terminate the family’s participation in the Friendship Family Program.
• By signing this form, you acknowledge that you will inform the International Education & Engagement (IEE) LFIS liaison below, of any criminal convictions, pleas of no contest, or pending criminal investigations or household changes since the time of your last background check.