Into is a student exchange organisation, based in a number of European countries, such as Austria, Belgium,the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Into sends teenage students (pupils) abroad from all of Europe to countries abroad such as; the US, the United kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain, Argentina and Brazil.
An exchange programme involves the students living with host families as a member of the family. During their stay, the students attend a local high school or secondary school and so become immersed in the cultural and completely proficient in the language of that country.
Before the teenage students depart their homeland they are prepared in a two day long total immersion Pre-departure Seminar to acquaint them with the rules of the programme and prepare them to adjust to a new culture. This is a most important aspect of their preparation and is crucial as the basis of a successful exchange programme. Once in the host country, the students are permanently supervised by a regional representative to help, assist and advise them during their stay.
History
Into was formed in 1976 in Great Britain under the name of DLS as a simple sole proprietor company by John Fisher. This organization originally brought teenage students from Italy to the South of England on short term holiday language courses in Hastings, Eastbourne; Torbay and Edinburgh.
In 1986, the head office was moved to Germany and the name DLS was changed to Douglas Schüleraustausch (student exchanges) in Germany. Along with a new name came a new focus of the company which was to send students from the now headquarter country of Germany to the United States of America on academic year programmes. This being a successful concept, Douglas Schüleraustausch decided to focus on this activity and the German company decreased their activities in the language vacation field.
In 1991, a small organization called Inter Study Tours specializing in class/group trips wished to cease its activities. Douglas took over Into and it became Into-Douglas. The name Into was favoured for being easier to pronounce in multiple languages, stressing the international concept of the company. The Douglas logo design was gradually replaced in favour of the Into logo. In 1992, Into-Douglas became Into Student Exchanges.
In the same year, Into founded Into Holland and Into Denmark. In Denmark, the concept of a Returnee Network was picked up, in which students returning from abroad after their academic exchange remain active and involved in exchanges.
In 1993, Into started to widen their exchange programme destinations to Canada and Australia as alternatives to the US. In the same year Into Canada was founded, to be followed by Into Switzerland and Into Austria.
In 1995, Into began to offer inbound academic year programmes. This meant that now students from other countries could go on an academic year program in countries with Into offices. The first students to arrive on these programs were from Australia, Brazil and Finland, as well as students from Into countries to Into countries. Due to demand, the UK Company was renamed Into Education to handle all inbound students to the UK. This was followed by the formation of Into Education Ireland Ltd in 2014.
All Into offices followed the example of Into Denmark and began to develop a Returnee program whereby the students can still meet each other, stay in contact with each other and retain some involvement with exchange programmes.
In 2003, Into opened offices in Prague and Budapest. In 2009, offices in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Spain were established.
In 2010 Into started a Work and Travel, Work Practice and Volunteer programmes in the German office. Further Into offices opened in Norway and in 2016 Into opened Into-Trust exchanges in the Ukraine.
New programmes such as Boarding Schools in the US have been introduced.