Complete the form for Approved Programs
WIAA rules allow for one year of eligibility for foreign students participating in exchange programs. Eligibility is not automatic, however, and schools must fill out a request for foreign student eligibility. These students are required to meet existing WIAA rules in areas other than residence. All foreign students must have a physical conducted in the United States prior to participating in practice or competition at a member school.
Rules of Eligibility
Article II - Residence and Transfer
Section 4 – Foreign Exchange Students
A. This provision applies to students participating in foreign exchange programs. Foreign students attending a member school, but not participating in an exchange program, may receive consideration under Section 5, waivers and/or nonvarsity eligibility in accordance with Section 1B and 2B of this Article.
1) The residence requirement may be waived for one year, upon request, for students involved in foreign exchange programs that have received a ‘Full’ listing status by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). For students who are “directly placed” through an exchange program, students who are placed through an exchange program not affiliated with CSIET, or students who will not be in attendance for at least one complete semester from start to finish, eligibility will be limited to nonvarsity competition.
Note 1: The foreign exchange program must assign students to host families by a method that ensures that no student, school or other interested party may influence the assignment for athletic or other purposes. The foreign exchange student may not be selected or placed on any basis related to his/her athletic interests or abilities.
Note 2: All foreign students must have a physical conducted in the United States prior to participating in practice or competition.
2) Foreign exchange students who transfer after attending one day of school and/or one athletic practice are ineligible for varsity competition at the new school unless approval is granted by the Board of Control in accordance with the waiver provisions described in Section 5 of this Article.
3) Foreign students attending and residing at member residential schools are exempt from the residence requirements.
Note: Transfer provisions apply identically to all students, both foreign and domestic. If a foreign exchange student has already used the one-year experience at any time, the transfer and residency rule will apply to a succeeding placement.
The WIAA approves eligibility for more than 900 foreign students each year. The majority of these students are in programs that are approved by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET); however, a small number of students come in non-CSIET approved programs. The WIAA is a member of CSIET and relies heavily on CSIET's evaluation of foreign exchange programs. The CSIET evaluation process, leading to a program being CSIET approved, helps to assure that foreign students are coming into member schools within acceptable guidelines. In order for foreign students to be granted varsity eligibility, they must come through a CSIET approved program with full listing status, which is updated yearly.
There are a limited number of foreign students that come into our schools without benefit of any exchange program. These students are treated the same as a domestic transfer without an accompanying move by parents. This means that these situations can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis; however, if there is no parental move in progress or no extenuating circumstances, the transfer rule will be applied.
Schools who host exchange students should note that students arriving through an exchange program that is not CSIET approved will be denied varsity eligibility. Questions regarding foreign student eligibility should be directed to the WIAA, 715-344-8580.
All Foreign Exchange students must have a U.S. conducted sports physical.