orld Educational Services (WES) Foundation is a non-profit educational institution, founded in October 1984 in Oakland, California, dedicated to promoting global friendship through cultural exchange between the United States and other nations. WES Foundation is a designated sponsor of a Teenager-Exchange-Visitor Program by the Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau of the United States Department of State, authorized to issue the Form DS-2019, which enables students to apply for the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa at the nearest U.S. Consulate.

The WES Academic Exchange Program in the United States is designed for the student 15 to 17 years of age who desires to experience firsthand the U.S. educational system and learn about U.S. culture and customs by living as a member of a U.S. family for five or ten months while attending a U.S. high school.

WES offers a similar academic exchange experience for the U.S. student who desires to study abroad. The program calendar depends upon the specific academic year of the host country. WES also offers short-term cultural exchange programs for the student who desires a one- to three-month introduction to the customs and way of life of the host country.