Educatius Group レビュー 3

We booked the “Select” Program with Educatius for our child, expecting a premium exchange experience with reliable placement within the chosen school district and proper support.
In the initial written communication, we were told the commute to school would take approximately 14–20 minutes by car. After we raised concerns following placement, this was later stated to be around 40 minutes by car.
In reality, the actual commute is approximately 50+ minutes by car one way. There is no school bus available because the placement is outside the relevant school district (county/catchment area). Using public transportation during school peak hours, the one-way commute takes over 1 hour and 45 minutes, resulting in more than 3.5 hours of daily travel.

Because the placement is outside the district, our child does not have access to the school bus system and is fully dependent on private transport. This significantly limits independence and makes participation in extracurricular activities and school/+ social life very difficult.
As parents, this situation is particularly concerning, as it raises doubts about whether a meaningful level of integration and a normal daily school experience can realistically be achieved under these conditions.
We also believe this does not reflect the expectations of a “Select” Program , which is marketed as a premium option with placement within a chosen school district.

We were additionally informed that a placement change would only be possible for an extra fee of around 1,000 USD, without any clear guarantee of improvement.

We have set a deadline of April 28th to resolve the matter. If no satisfactory solution is provided, we intend to escalate the case to CSIET for review.

Advice to other parents:
Based on our experience, we would strongly (!!) recommend carefully comparing different exchange organizations and not relying only on marketing (!!) descriptions. Important placement details such as school district (!!) boundaries and realistic commute times were not aligned with what we expected from a premium program.
We would advise parents to ensure that all key conditions are clearly confirmed in writing before committing, especially regarding school location, transport availability, and actual daily travel times. In our view, more transparent and smaller organizations may offer a clearer (!) and more reliable placement process.

Horrible experience with the organization. As a host parent I was promised a bonus to take 2 students. No caveats, just take 2. I took 2 and cannot get anyone to respond definitely when it will be given. It's been 6 months all i get is the runaround. I will never deal with this organization again after this school year is finished. I can't imagine how they treat the students and parents of the students.

Regrettably, it's been a dull and disheartening experience to witness an organization entrusted with sending young individuals abroad for a year without their parents, yet lacking control over the process and reliability. From our initial meeting, we highlighted the challenges my daughter faced, which could potentially hinder her dream of experiencing an overseas stay. Our aim was to ensure that these challenges wouldn't pose any obstacles later on. We were assured that issues like dyslexia and known illnesses wouldn't be a problem, and that she could freely choose her desired trip.

However, once the agreement was signed, complications arose. Initially, there was an issue preventing her from selecting her preferred destination. When we attempted to address this matter based on the information provided initially, we were suddenly faced with a different obstacle. After receiving inconsistent messages for a considerable period, we felt that the organization showed little interest in ensuring the well-being and positive experience of the child they were responsible for over the next 10 months. It seemed they viewed her more as a task to be completed rather than an individual deserving of care and attention. Consequently, we felt compelled to withdraw from the arrangement.

We even reached out to their Nordic CS Manager, who acknowledged the shortcomings and admitted that based on our experience, she wouldn't have entrusted her own child to their care. Subsequently, I received an email apologizing for the misinformation provided initially. However, despite this acknowledgment, they now deny any fault and refuse to refund our deposit, among other things. I am deeply dismayed and outraged by the lack of accountability exhibited by such an organization, especially given their responsibility for young people.

Fortunately, we have found another organization with a vastly different approach. They provide a structured overview and maintain control over all stages of the process. Importantly, they proactively share information, ensuring clarity and transparency regarding expectations and opportunities. Their professionalism shines through in their ability to provide clear and concise responses to inquiries.

Regrettably, the situation has escalated to the involvement of legal professionals. I strongly advise others to think twice before entrusting Educatius with the responsibility of caring for their child.
I didn't help to just change their name from Explorius to Educatius.