How to Join Servas and What to Check Before You Apply

Servas is a global hospitality and friendship network spanning more than 130 countries, where members connect as hosts, travellers, or supporters to promote peace and tolerance. To join, start at the "How to join Servas" page or the "Join" link on servas.org, but before you apply, review the FAQ, the Ethical Code for Servas Members, and background pages on who runs the organisation and its history.

What Servas actually is

Servas describes itself as "a network for global friendship." Members make contact, build friendships, and broaden their understanding of the world — either online or in person. The network encourages environmentally sustainable meetings and lifestyles with less ecological impact.

The site frames membership around three roles:

• Hosts — members who receive travellers
• Travellers — members who stay with hosts
• Supporters — members who contribute to the network without hosting or travelling

Servas also runs activities beyond one-to-one hosting, including youth and family programmes, language exchange, peace schools, Servas Artists, and Servas singing. It has a presence at the United Nations.

Where to start on the site

The homepage and main menu point to several pages that matter before you commit:

What to check before joining

1. Read the Ethical Code

The Ethical Code for Servas Members is listed in the main navigation, which signals it is a core document rather than fine print. Read it before applying so you know what is expected of hosts, travellers, and supporters.

2. Understand the host/traveller distinction

If your goal is to stay with people abroad, you are joining as a traveller. If your goal is to receive visitors, you are joining as a host. The site treats these as separate paths under "Making connections," so decide which fits you before you start.

3. Check whether a local group handles your area

Servas lists "Servas Group websites" separately from the international site. Membership logistics, fees, and local coordination may sit with a national or regional group rather than the international body. Check whether your country has a group and what it says about joining.

4. Use the FAQ and contact page for anything unclear

The FAQ & contact us page is the intended route for questions the site does not answer directly. If you cannot find fee information, eligibility rules, or processing times on the join page, ask there rather than assuming.

5. Look at events and news for a sense of the community

The site publishes upcoming and past events, news articles, and newsletters. Browsing these gives you a realistic picture of what membership involves — for example, the 2026 Servas Youth Camp in Germany or a project partnership between Servas Mainz and Servas Dijon.

What the site does not tell you

The available page content does not state membership fees, payment methods, or whether joining requires a login before you can view the process. Do not assume membership is free or that you can complete the process without creating an account — confirm both through the "How to join Servas" page or the contact form.

A practical order of steps

1. Read "What is Servas?" and the Servas history page to confirm the network matches what you want.
2. Read the Ethical Code for Servas Members.
3. Decide whether you are joining as a host, traveller, or supporter.
4. Check whether a Servas Group website covers your country.
5. Go to "How to join Servas" and follow the process listed there.
6. Use FAQ & contact us for any remaining questions before submitting.