Foreign Exchange Eligibility
A foreign exchange student must receive written approval from the UIL Foreign Exchange Waiver Officer for varsity athletics. Eligibility of a foreign exchange student may be granted under the following conditions:
- A copy of the student's J-1 visa and certification papers from the approved CSIET (Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) United States Foreign Exchange Program accompanies a waiver form;
- The exchange student has not completed four years of high school attendance;
- The exchange student has not received advanced training (defined as training which is above and beyond that which is normally provided in Texas public schools) in the germane activity prior to arriving in Texas, such as pre-Olympic training, being nationally ranked or having similar status in a sport, or participation on a national team; and
- The exchange student meets all other UIL eligibility rules.
Foreign exchange students are ineligible for varsity athletic competition if they do not comply with the parent residence rule. Only foreign exchange students who participate in one of the CSIET approved programs are eligible to apply for a waiver of the parent residence rule.
Please contact the CSIET directly with questions about programs that are not listed, and please check the list carefully before applying for a waiver - some programs that were on the approved list last year are not approved programs for the coming year.
For further information about waivers of the parent residence rule for foreign exchange students, contact Eddie Wolski at (512) 471-5883 or see Section 465 of the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules.