High School Expert Guidance
Your high school exchange abroad can be short-term or long-term. It’s your once-in-a-lifetime adventure that guarantees: new friendships, cultural immersion, personal growth, new language, and an unrivalled academic edge. Eager to turn your dream of being an exchange student into a reality? It’s perfectly normal for questions to pop up. What type of visa will I need? How do I choose the right program? Things will fall into place! Our high school exchange experts are here to support you every step of the way; throughout the application process, during your high school exchange abroad, and until you are back home. When booking with Educatius, you also get the unique benefits of our departure guarantee.
Hear students who said yes!
Step 1: Dreaming and Planning
All our students must meet a few requirements to go on a high school exchange
- Be 14 – 18 years of age*
- Have not graduated high school yet
- Have been a full-time student the year before traveling
- Have passing grades in all subjects
- Be in good health
- Have basic English skills
- Be mature, flexible, and motivated – important qualities that will set you up for a successful exchange year!
*The age limit varies by country and program.
Have questions about the eligibility criteria for an Educatius exchange? Our high school exchange experts are here to help.
We understand that both you and your parents might have some questions about what it’s like to be a high school exchange student. Tell us about your academic and personal goals – together, we’ll map out your journey!
Step 1: Tell us more about yourself
We want to get to know you better, so we can help you reach your goals! Answer four short questions to move to the next step.
Step 2: One of our High School experts will contact you
We offer a free online one-to-one consultation with one of our high school experts. Once we receive your answers from Step 1, we will reach out to you and set up a call.
All our students must meet a few requirements to go on a high school exchange
- Be 14 – 18 years of age*
- Have not graduated high school yet
- Have been a full-time student the year before traveling
- Have passing grades in all subjects
- Be in good health
- Have basic English skills
- Be mature, flexible, and motivated – important qualities that will set you up for a successful exchange year!
*The age limit varies by country and program.
Have questions about the eligibility criteria for an Educatius exchange? Our high school exchange experts are here to help.
We understand that both you and your parents might have some questions about what it’s like to be a high school exchange student. Tell us about your academic and personal goals – together, we’ll map out your journey!
Step 1: Tell us more about yourself
We want to get to know you better, so we can help you reach your goals! Answer four short questions to move to the next step.
Step 2: One of our High School experts will contact you
We offer a free online one-to-one consultation with one of our high school experts. Once we receive your answers from Step 1, we will reach out to you and set up a call.
Step 2: Booking
Experience the American high school spirit USA, live among the palm trees in Spain, or on campus as a boarding school student in Great Britain. Target a school that offers subjects to prepare you for university, or allows you to pursue your favorite sport. We offer a wide range of programs and destinations and to match different goals, needs and budgets – tailor your perfect exchange year!
We will assess whether you are a suitable candidate for a high school exchange based on your grades and readiness. Once you are accepted into our program, you will be notified via email, which will include our program rules and the terms necessary to secure your spot. Book early and get the best price!
We’ll assign a dedicated contact person to support you and your parents throughout the application process and during your exchange year.
Experience the American high school spirit USA, live among the palm trees in Spain, or on campus as a boarding school student in Great Britain. Target a school that offers subjects to prepare you for university, or allows you to pursue your favorite sport. We offer a wide range of programs and destinations and to match different goals, needs and budgets – tailor your perfect exchange year!
We will assess whether you are a suitable candidate for a high school exchange based on your grades and readiness. Once you are accepted into our program, you will be notified via email, which will include our program rules and the terms necessary to secure your spot. Book early and get the best price!
We’ll assign a dedicated contact person to support you and your parents throughout the application process and during your exchange year.
Step 3: Preparation
Your program application is a key document that will be sent to our organization and staff in your soon-to-be host country. This application is your chance to talk about yourself and your interests.
Take the time to complete this application thoughtfully. If you’re joining our Classic exchange, it helps host families get to know you and see if you’re a good match for their home. If you’re applying for a Select or Boarding School Program, we’ll use it to evaluate your academic background.
Remember, your contact person is your go-to for guidance and will provide clear instructions on how to complete your application.
The placement process depends on the program you’ve enrolled in.
Classic: Once your application has been approved by our staff in the host country, the search for your future host family begins. You will be placed in a school close to your new home.
Select: Your application will first be sent to the school for approval. Most of our students are accepted, thanks to our longstanding connection with a vast network of schools. We’ll quickly notify you of your acceptance and begin looking for a caring host family near your school of choice.
Boarding: As soon as you’re accepted, you’ll know where you’ll be studying and living on campus!
Your program application is a key document that will be sent to our organization and staff in your soon-to-be host country. This application is your chance to talk about yourself and your interests.
Take the time to complete this application thoughtfully. If you’re joining our Classic exchange, it helps host families get to know you and see if you’re a good match for their home. If you’re applying for a Select or Boarding School Program, we’ll use it to evaluate your academic background.
Remember, your contact person is your go-to for guidance and will provide clear instructions on how to complete your application.
The placement process depends on the program you’ve enrolled in.
Classic: Once your application has been approved by our staff in the host country, the search for your future host family begins. You will be placed in a school close to your new home.
Select: Your application will first be sent to the school for approval. Most of our students are accepted, thanks to our longstanding connection with a vast network of schools. We’ll quickly notify you of your acceptance and begin looking for a caring host family near your school of choice.
Boarding: As soon as you’re accepted, you’ll know where you’ll be studying and living on campus!
Step 4: Let the adventure begin!
You’re all set to embark on an unforgettable journey. Time to pack your bags – the world is your classroom!
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Kickstart your high school exchange with our Welcome Camp, which is available as an option for an added fee. This popular camp will introduce you to your host country and to other newly arrived exchange students from different parts of the world. You’ll go sightseeing with our staff, all members of our One Team Across the Globe, and be well-prepared to meet your host family and feel confident about making new friends in your school.
You’re all set to embark on an unforgettable journey. Time to pack your bags – the world is your classroom!
Kickstart your high school exchange with our Welcome Camp, which is available as an option for an added fee. This popular camp will introduce you to your host country and to other newly arrived exchange students from different parts of the world. You’ll go sightseeing with our staff, all members of our One Team Across the Globe, and be well-prepared to meet your host family and feel confident about making new friends in your school.
Frequently asked questions
If you are between 14-18 and are still in high school, talk to us about the possibilities. In some cases, our boarding school partners will take younger students. Of course, your parents or guardian must support your application. We place thousands of students from 50 countries every year in excellent schools and with caring host families in 10 countries.
The USA is our most popular destination. International exchange students love the American school spirit, challenging and creative academic, arts and sports choices, fun school clubs, extracurricular activities and so much more! They love the friendly host families and classmates, exciting holidays such as Thanksgiving and Hallowe’en, and spending time in famous cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco and Boston, as well as warm heartland experiences.
Educatius offers a wide selection of USA public, private and boarding schools. Our counsellors will work with you and your budget to put something together that’s perfect for you.
The UK, with its excellent schools, strong traditions and beautiful countryside, tends to be our next most popular destination – but international students love all the others too: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Sweden.
Read our article “Best countries to study abroad in” where we list popular destinations.
We offer the Select program, where you choose your dream school and we place you with a caring, welcoming host family or on campus with your friends at a great boarding school. Our more budget-friendly Classic program is a traditional cultural exchange where we match you with a host family that will immerse you in their culture and language while you study in a nearby school. In some destinations, this program sells out quickly. In many of our destinations, you can submit a request for a specific area or city, at an additional fee that will be charged only if your request is approved.
We also offer a Boarding Exchange program in the USA with enriched academics and the convenience of on-campus accommodations, meals, amazing facilities and extracurricular activities. Thanks to our longstanding relationships with educators across the USA, we can match you with boarding schools that have allocated spots for international students such as you to ensure diversity on campus. It’s how we deliver an exceptional boarding school experience at the lowest possible price.
We also offer in-person Soft Landing Camps in many destinations to prepare you for the experience of a new country.
If you are not in a position to travel to study abroad, our online program is an option. You can study entirely at your own convenience, meeting your teachers and classmates in real time twice a month. Or you can study in a combination of online plus a year in an American high school on a J-1 Classic or F-1 Select program. Either way, you can earn a Dual USA high school diploma from prestigious Thornton Academy or Washington Academy, while also earning a high school diploma in your home country at the same time. This option is excellent for your path to university.
We offer online English and other programs to support you in advance of your experience studying high school abroad if you want to upgrade your language skills before arriving at your destination.
In Europe, you can choose from beautiful green Ireland, delightful France, economic powerhouse Germany, food and design-conscious Italy, amazing Spain or fascinating Sweden. Each one offers a unique cultural and linguistic experience. Talk to your Educatius advisor about which international student experience is right for you.
International student exchanges can vary from just a few weeks to a semester, to an academic year, a full year or multiple years. We have many options.
Visa requirements vary according to both your country of origin and your destination country. Most countries require students to get an international study visa. After you apply and pay your deposit, and after you are accepted to the program, you will be issued visa paperwork. In some cases, the application can be done online. The USA requires you to visit its embassy in your home country for a student visa. Rest assured that Educatius has deep experience with all these application processes and will guide you through it every step of the way.
