United States of America

Age and eligibility

Students must be 15 – 17 years of age at the start of the program. Any student who is currently in their final year of high school cannot apply for a January departure the following year.

Please note some medical restrictions may apply and can be discussed further upon application. Allergies to household pets and/or special diets may incur an additional fee.

If a perfectly adequate host family placement that is qualified by, and in accordance with, US State Department guidelines is rejected due to personal preferences including geographical, rural, metropolitan or family demographics a AU$1000 fee will be charged to request an alternative host family.

Please note some medical restrictions may apply and can be discussed further upon application. Allergies to household pets and/or special diets may incur an additional fee of AU$800.

Language criteria

Not applicable.

Program length

Students applying for the Year program departing in January of each will complete two Semesters with the USA summer break in the middle of their school year. Please note, we have limited spots for our January Academic Year and Semester programs.

Students applying for the Semester program will complete between 4 to 6 months based on the semester calendar of the school they are attending. Please note, the September Academic Year program will finish in June of the following year.

We are not able to offer 2 or 3 month programs to the USA due to visa restrictions. 2 & 3 month programs are available to Canada and other destinations.

Please see Short Programs for alternate destinations.

Schools

High schools in the USA offer diverse subjects, extracurricular activities, and a supportive environment. Students can explore various fields, join sports teams and clubs, and receive guidance from dedicated teachers. These schools help students grow academically, personally, and socially, preparing them for higher education or careers. American high schools empower students to discover their passions, expand their knowledge, and build a foundation for a successful future. Students on Classic programs will be placed at the local high school in their host community.

Additional fees are needed for school books, activity fees, sports check-up, lunches in the cafeteria.

Vaccinations

Students are required to be vaccinated and have received their standard childhood vaccinations for their age group. Your host school in the USA will require additional immunisations for you to be considered up to date with their national immunisation program such as Meningococcal ACWY, TB test within 6 months prior arriving in the USA, etc. Covid-19 is recommended (not compulsory).

Visa

All applicants are required to apply for a visa at their own expense. This requires an appointment at the US Embassy, which may involve travelling to your nearest consulate. Students cannot book their visa appointment prior to receiving either the DS2019 form (J-1 Visa).

Please note: USA immigration fees including Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee of USD$220 as well as Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee of USD$185 is charged in addition to the program fee.  These fees form part of the visa application process and are required by the USA immigration authority.

High School Choice

Students who are looking to go on exchange to the USA have the option to apply for a semester or academic year program and choose from a range of schools or school districts in the USA.

Our USA High School Choice program allows students to enter the USA on an F1 visa. In addition to choosing where they would like to study while on exchange, the F1 visa allows the applicant to attend school on a full academic program. This provides the opportunity to gain study credits and diplomas needed to attend a University in the USA.

Soft Landing Camp:

• Stay in a double or triple room for three nights
• Breakfast
• Important preparatory meetings
• Networking with other students
• Camp Leaders assistance you thorough your stay
• Sightseeing tours at Manhattan
• All transport between airport, hotel and Manhattan
• Lunch and dinner is not included, we will make sure to give you information on what’s most affordable

Agenda (example only):

Day 1: Flights from your destination to Newark, check-in at the hotel and arrival information meeting Day 2: Information meeting, Sightseeing
Day 3: Information meeting, Sightseeing
Day 4: Departure to your host family

Please note that the program is subject to change and a flight surcharge may apply.