15 Semester Abroad Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 16 hours ago
- 10 min read
Choosing to study abroad in high school gives you the chance to learn in a new setting and build skills that come from real-world experience. One way to explore this is by enrolling in a semester abroad program, which lets you experience daily life in another country while continuing your academic work.
Why should I do a semester abroad program as a high school student?
Early exposure to international environments can also support your college goals. Admissions officers notice when students take initiative and step into unfamiliar situations, and a semester abroad often gives you experiences that lead to stronger, more reflective essays. You can write about moments that show your growth, your ability to adapt, and what you learned about yourself and the world.
To help you explore your options, we’ve put together a list of 15 semester abroad programs for high school students!
15 Semester Abroad Programs for High School StudentsÂ
Location: Multiple locations, see the full list here
Cost: Free
Dates: Varies by program
Application deadline: Typically in December
Eligibility: High school students and recent graduates (ages 15-18.5); U.S. citizens
The Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program allows you to spend an academic year in another country while living with a host family and attending a local school. You become part of everyday life in your host community and learn how different education systems, traditions, and social norms work. Throughout the year, you take part in cultural trips, community service activities, and structured language learning that help you adjust and understand your surroundings. These experiences give you a closer look at how people in your host country live, study, and interact.
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program; financial aid availableÂ
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18Â
The Academic Insights Program provides school students with an opportunity to take undergraduate-level classes at universities around the world. You will work with academics from universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard in classes of 4-10 students. They attend university-style lectures and 1:1 weekly sessions with their tutor. The program includes practical experiences such as dissections in medicine, robotic arm building in engineering, or moot courts for law. You can choose from over 20 subjects, including architecture, artificial intelligence, business management, computer science, economics, medicine, philosophy, and more. By the end of the program, they complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Venice, Florence, Rome, Sicily, Naples
Cost: Varies by program, know more here
Dates: 2- to 4-week sessions in July and August
Application deadline: Typically in May
Eligibility: Students aged 17 - 22
Art History Abroad introduces you to Italy’s artistic and cultural history through a travel-based program that moves across cities such as Florence, Venice, Rome, and Naples. Over two to four weeks, you study major art movements, including Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical, while visiting museums, churches, and archaeological sites in person. During the program, you take part in lectures, guided visits, and small-group discussions that help you understand artworks in their historical and cultural context. You learn how to look closely at visual details, how to connect art to the period it was created in, and how different movements developed over time.
Location: Multiple locations worldwide, see the full list here
Cost: Varies by program and location; the fee breakdown is posted at the bottom of each program page and includes Program Costs and Travel Costs
Dates: Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters
Application deadline: Varies by programÂ
Eligibility: Students must achieve a minimum grade ranging from 78% to 85%, depending on the program they are applying for, in the relevant subjects. Admission to the program will be determined by previous academic performance, an interview (only for semester applicants), self-assessment, and teacher recommendations.
MEI International Academy combines academic study with on-site learning across regions known for their cultural and historical importance. As a high school student, you take part in semester or summer programs that link classroom lessons with field experiences, so you might learn history while standing in an ancient city or study literature in the place that inspired it. Programs run in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and you can choose subjects such as International Business, English Literature, Philosophy, or World History. Each topic is directly connected to its location, which means you might study the Renaissance in Florence, explore global media in Tokyo, or examine political and cultural change in other major cities.
Location: Nice, France
Cost: Varies by program length, $4,895 to $7,595Â
Dates: Option 1: July 4 – 31; Option 2: July 4 – 24; Option 3: July 4 – 17; Option 4: July 17 – 31; Optional Paris extension: July 31 - August 3
Application deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Students aged 14–18
The Abbey Road High School Summer Immersion Program in Nice gives you the chance to improve your French while experiencing daily life on the French Riviera. You take language classes in the morning along with electives such as photography or conversation. In the afternoons, you join cultural workshops, local excursions, and outdoor activities that help you use French in real situations. You visit neighborhood markets, learn about regional food, and participate in events with French teens, which gives you regular practice with native speakers. These experiences help you build comfort with the language in everyday settings rather than only in a classroom.
Location: Locations speaking the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, and Turkish
Cost: Costs related to obtaining a passport, medical examinations, and personal expenses over and above basic needs will have to be covered by the student; the program covers the rest
Dates: Summer or academic year options
Application deadline: November 12
Eligibility: Students aged 15 – 18 years old who have a minimum GPA of 2.5
NSLI-Y, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, gives you the chance to study languages considered important for U.S. national security, including Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish. If selected, you receive a merit-based scholarship that covers the full cost of the program. You live with a host family, attend intensive language classes, and take part in cultural activities that help you understand daily life in your host community. The program is built around full immersion. Whether you go for a summer or for an academic year, you use your target language every day through classes, conversations, and routine interactions. This approach helps you build fluency while also learning how people your age live, study, and communicate in another country.
Location: Germany
Cost: Costs related to obtaining a passport, medical examinations, and personal expenses over and above basic needs will have to be covered by the student; the program covers the rest
Dates: Late summer (July, August, or September) to June or July of the following year
Application deadline: NovemberÂ
Eligibility: Students aged 15 – 18 years old who have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (no prerequisite knowledge of German is required)
The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange is a fully funded program run by the U.S. and German governments that lets you spend a full academic year living and studying in Germany. You stay with a host family, attend a local high school, and take part in activities that help you understand the German language, culture, and daily life. Before you leave the U.S., you complete an orientation program to prepare for the year ahead. When you arrive in Germany, you receive intensive language instruction to help you adjust to your new environment and participate more actively in school and community life. During your time in the program, you visit major German cities, spend time at the Bundestag, and meet U.S. and German officials.
Location: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador
Cost: Free; students are only responsible for passport and vaccination fees
Dates: Argentina: July 20 - August 6; Belize: June 25 - July 8; Brazil: July 2 - July 19; Costa Rica: May 21 - June 3; Ecuador A: July 2 - July 14; Ecuador B: July 23 - August 4
Application deadline: Opens in Fall
Eligibility: U.S. teenagers ages 15-17 at the start of the program who have at least one semester of school remaining after program participation
World Learning’s Youth Ambassadors Program brings together high school students and educators from across the Americas for a three-week exchange focused on leadership and civic engagement. Supported by the U.S. Department of State, the program offers full scholarships to about 98 participants each year for exchanges in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, and Belize. During the exchange, you take part in leadership workshops, volunteer projects, and conversations with community and NGO leaders. You stay with a local host family, which gives you a closer view of daily life and helps you understand how communities in your host country function.Â
Location: Options are available from the regions of Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, South America, and South Africa
Cost: Varies depending on country and program length; scholarships available
Dates: Summer, semester, and year-long options
Application deadline: Varies by programÂ
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 15 and 18 and a half; you must also rank in the upper third of your class or have a B grade average
The ASSE High School Exchange Program gives you the option to study abroad for a summer, a semester, or a full academic year in more than 30 countries. You live with a host family, attend a local school, and experience daily life in a new culture. This lets you see how different communities approach education, traditions, and social life. A notable feature of ASSE is its high placement success rate. About 95% of students are placed in their top-choice country, which gives you more control over where you want to study and how the program fits your academic or personal goals. This flexibility makes it easier to plan your exchange around what you hope to learn.
Location: 40+ countries
Cost: Varies by program; scholarships are available
Dates: Summer, semester, and year-long options
Application deadline: Varies by programÂ
Eligibility: High school students; specific requirements vary by program
AFS USA’s study abroad programs focus on intercultural learning and global citizenship through immersive academic exchanges. You live with a host family, attend a local school, and take part in community activities that help you understand how people in other countries study, communicate, and organize daily life. You can choose from several destinations and program lengths, which allows you to find an option that fits your interests and plans. AFS also includes structured learning through its Student Learning Journey, which prepares you for your exchange and guides your reflection while you are abroad.
Location: Select countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America
Cost: Varies by program; discounts are offered to students whose families have hosted an international ICES student Â
Dates: Semester and academic year programsÂ
Application deadline: Varies by program
Eligibility: Students must be between the ages of 15 and 19 and have a minimum GPA of 2.4; specific requirements vary by program
The International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES) High School Exchange Program gives you the chance to live and study abroad while learning how another culture works in everyday life. You can choose from different destinations and program lengths, which makes it easier to match the experience with your academic plans or personal goals. The program focuses on language learning through a mix of structured instruction and daily immersion. You use your target language at home, in school, and in the community, which helps you build practical communication skills. You stay with a host family and attend a local high school, giving you direct exposure to how students in your host country learn and interact.
Location: Varies with each rotary club
Cost: Room and board are provided; students will have to arrange for all the travel costs and personal expensesÂ
Dates: Long-term (one academic year) and short-term (up to 3 months) exchanges available
Application deadline: Varies with each Rotary Club
Eligibility: Students ages 15–19
The Rotary Youth Exchange Program, run by Rotary International and its local clubs, gives you the chance to spend a semester or full academic year living abroad. The program supports Rotary’s mission to encourage peace and global understanding by connecting students from different countries through education and community involvement. As a participant, you live with host families, attend a local school, and join activities organized by Rotary clubs in your host community. These experiences help you understand how people your age study, volunteer, and take part in everyday life in another country. Because each Rotary club manages its own exchange process, the application steps and support services can differ by location.
Location: United Kingdom, Japan, Spain, France, Italy, Australia
Cost: Varies by country/program
Dates: Varies by country/program
Application deadline: Varies by country/program
Eligibility: High school students; specific requirements vary by program
CIEE’s High School Study Abroad program lets you spend a semester or full year studying in countries such as the U.K., Australia, France, Italy, Japan, and Spain. You attend a local public or private school, live with a host family, and take part in community and cultural activities that show you how daily life works in your host country. Most programs begin with an orientation, and some locations include structured language support. For example, Italy offers dedicated immersion classes to help you build confidence with the language. Whether you’re practicing Japanese in school, joining a sports team in England, or learning about food and art in Italy, you experience each culture directly.
Location: Over 35 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa
Cost: Varies by program and destination; scholarships and grants available
Dates: Summer, semester, and full academic year options
Application deadline: Varies by program
Eligibility: Students ages 15–18 with a minimum GPA of 2.5
Youth For Understanding gives you the flexibility to choose both where you want to study and how long you want to stay abroad. You can select from over 35 countries and program lengths ranging from a summer program to a full academic year. You live with a carefully selected host family, attend a local high school, and become part of your community through school, clubs, and volunteer activities. Throughout your exchange, YFU provides comprehensive support, including counseling, tutoring, and a dedicated Area Representative who helps you navigate challenges and celebrate wins.Â
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
Image Source - Immerse Education logo