Study Abroad Programs for High School Students

Study Abroad Programs for High School Students

Where There Be Dragons

Where There Be Dragons offers guided study abroad programs for students ranging 15-18. They have 4-6 week summer programs to Southeast Asia, China, the Himalayas, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. The program cost to the student averages about $10,000, but varies by country. Limited scholarships are available based on demonstrated financial need. Programs are either focused on language or a specific inquiry (such as environmental issues) and includes rigorous travel, hiking, and camping conditions, as well as educational and service components.

National Security Language Initiative for Youth

This State Department-funded program offers 4-6 week summer or academic year long language immersion study programs. Scholarship funding is available for Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish. These programs are for high school students. Cost is not listed on website, but scholarships are available based on merit. A GPA of 2.5 or higher is required.

The Experiment in International Living

This organization offers summer study abroad opportunities for high school students ages 16-18. Each program is designed under a theme of study (such as social justice, environmental sustainability, etc.) Trips to numerous countries including Thailand and Vietnam are offered and cost varies depending upon program between $7000 and $10,000. Programs average 1 month in duration. Need-based scholarships are available up to $3000.

The Walking Tree

Walking Tree provides spring break and summer study abroad opportunities for high school students. These trips range from one week to one month and are directed under the theme of service, leadership, photography, or conservation. The programs fees vary by destination, but range between $2000 and $6000 (not including airfare). This organization is partnered with the Wandering Scholar scholarship organization.

The Wandering Scholar

This organization gives scholarships to low-income high school students for first-time study abroad experiences of two or more weeks. They are partnered with The Walking Tree travel organization.

National Geographic Expeditions

National Geographic offers travel opportunities to a number of countries, including Thailand, to high school students. These trips are organized under general travel, service, photography, and conservation. Prices vary by project and country type and range between $6000 and $9000 (not including airfare). Programs are 1 to 3 weeks in duration.

National Geographic Scholarship

Students from low-income families may apply for this scholarship, which funds National Geographic travel programs. Very few students receive scholarships.

Ambassadors Scholarship Foundation

Provides scholarship funding for the following organizations:

1.Global Volunteers

High school students have the opportunity to work as volunteers on one to six week programs during the spring or winter in Ecuador, Peru, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Tanzania, China, India, Vietnam, or the Cook Islands. Opportunities range from teaching English, working with at-risk children, and building projects. Programs are approximately $3,000 dollars, which includes meals, lodging, medical insurance, trained team leader fees, phone access, and in-country transportation.

2.People to People

Provides travel opportunities with small service components to high school students. Trips vary from 1 to 3 weeks during the summer and are offered on all 7 continents. Cost to the student is $4000 to $8000 which includes airfare, transportation, meals, accommodations, activities, emergency response team and high school/ college credit.

3.United Planet

Offers volunteer abroad programs for students ages 15-18 in Costa Rica, Peru, Romania, and South Africa. Service projects vary by country. These programs run year round and range from 1-12 weeks. They also offer summer volunteer abroad opportunities to students 16+ to China, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. Costs vary by country and length of stay.

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

The CBYX program provides merit-basedscholarshipsfor eligible high school students to spend anacademic yearattending a German school while living with a host family. The program provides anetwork of supportthrough reputable international exchange organizations, field staff, trained volunteers, and carefully screened host families to ensure the safety and success of the participant’s exchange experience.No previous language skills are required.

Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange & Study (YES) Abroad

Students ages 15 to 18 can apply for the YES program, a Department of State-funded program which provides scholarships for one-year study abroad trips to countries with significant Muslim populations. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply.

Youth Leadership Programs

The Youth Leadership Program fosters mutual understanding, respect, and civic engagement among young Americans and their international peers.

During the exchanges, students and educators participate in workshops, community service activities, team building exercises, meetings with community leaders, leadership development, and live with local host families. Students must be 15-17 years old to apply. The programs are 3-4 weeks in duration.

Youth For Understanding

YFU is the intercultural exchange program for you if you’re a U.S. high school student or recent graduate and want to experience another part of the world. Choose from a year, semester or summer program that allows you to immerse yourself in another culture, learn a new language and live with a host family. The program is partnered with multiple countries and the costs range from $9000 to $15,000.

Edu-Culture Immersion Program

Individual programs for high school – age students include study abroad in the French Alps and Spain. These are true language immersion programs and two years of high school language studies is required. The student chooses the dates and length of stay (during the summer months) and cost is $1195 per week plus airfare. The student lives with a host family that usually has teenage children and has the support of the ECI team throughout their entire stay.

***Notes:

Organizations vary by for-profit, non-profit and government-sponsored. Online applications and interviews are required for acceptance, and eligibility requirements are almost identical among the different organizations. None of the programs seems particularly difficult to participate in – the main limitation for any program is space availability and cost.

For-profit: Where There Be Dragons, The Walking Tree

Non-profit: The Experiment in International Living, National Geographic Expeditions, Global Volunteers, People to People, United Planet

Government-Sponsored: National Security Language Initiative, Congress – Bundestag Youth Exchange, Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange & Study (YES) Abroad, Youth Leadership Programs