top of page

Study Abroad Programs to explore
Check out the chart that describes Study Abroad options.
Filter by Country
Name | Payment | Cost (minimum, in $) | Cost (maximum, in $) | Timeframe | CountriesFilter | Language requirements | Requirements | Additional | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AFS | Out-of-pocket | 13000 | 14000 | Trimester | Spain, Greece, Vietnam | Depends on country:
Spain: preferred, but not required
Greece: English A2, Greek classes preferred before departure
Vietnam: Basic Vietnamese strongly recommended | Minimum GPA: 2.5
Age Range (at program start): 15 years and 0 months to 17 years and 4 months | https://www.afsusa.org/programs/?program_focus=453&duration=431 | |
AFS | Out-of-pocket | 13900 | 23000 | Year | Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom | Depends on country:
usually not required, but recommended
sometimes mandatory | Minimum GPA: 2.5 to 3.0 depending on country
Age Range (at program start): 15 years and 0 months to 18 years and 0 months (few countries: 15,5/16 -17 years) | https://www.afsusa.org/programs/?program_focus=453&duration=167 | |
AFS | Out-of-pocket | 11500 | 17250 | Semester | China, France, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republlic, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom | Depends on country:
usually not required, but recommended
sometimes mandatory | Minimum GPA: 2.5 to 3.0 depending on country
Age Range (at program start): 15 years and 0 months to 18 years and 0 months (few countries: 15,5 -17 years) | https://www.afsusa.org/programs/?program_focus=453&duration=166 | |
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs | Out-of-pocket | 8400 | 15900 | Semester | Italy, Argentina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Thailand, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, France, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Taiwan, Turkey , Australia, Netherlands, South Korea, South Africa, Mexico, Canada | No information | Scholarship options | https://studyabroad.asse.com/programs-fees/fall-departure/ | |
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs | Out-of-pocket | 8400 | 16500 | Academic Year | Italy, Argentina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Thailand, Slovakia, Romania, Moldova, France, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Taiwan, Turkey , Australia, Netherlands, South Africa, Mexico, Canada, Japan, China | No information | Scholarship options | https://studyabroad.asse.com/programs-fees/fall-departure/ | |
CIEE High School Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 13500 | 15500 | 2-3 months | Australia, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain | France: 2 years or equivalent | Be between the ages of 15 and 17 when the program starts and cannot turn 18 while on program.
Be in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th year of schooling.
Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Demonstrate, through the application process, flexibility, maturity, adaptability, and readiness to face the challenges of living in a new culture. | Options for Scholarships | https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/semester |
CIEE High School Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 15500 | 21500 | 4-5 months | United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, Australia, France, Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland | France: 2 years or equivalent
Japan: 1 year formal Japanese classes
Mexico: 2 years or equivalent | Be between the ages of 15 and 17 when the program starts and cannot turn 18 while on program.
Be in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th year of schooling.
Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Demonstrate, through the application process, flexibility, maturity, adaptability, and readiness to face the challenges of living in a new culture. | Options for Scholarships | https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/semester |
CIEE High School Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 19500 | 29000 | 10-12 months | United Kingdom, Spain, Japan, Australia, France, Italy, Mexico | France: 2 years or equivalent
Japan: 1 year formal Japanese classes
Mexico: 2 years or equivalent | Be between the ages of 15 and 17 when the program starts and cannot turn 18 while on program.
Be in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th year of schooling.
Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Demonstrate, through the application process, flexibility, maturity, adaptability, and readiness to face the challenges of living in a new culture. | Options for Scholarships | https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/semester |
CIEE Summer Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 5150 | 8800 | 3-4 weeks | Japan, China, Italy, South Korea, France, Morocco, Mexico, Spain, Greece, Taiwan, Denmark, England, Scotland, Netherlands, Estonia, Costa Rica, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, South Korea, Ghana, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Botswana, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Argentina | None | Participants must be 14 years old and above.
Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
Passport Requirements | Programs have different focus, all possible (depending on country):
Anime & Manga
Arabic Language
Architecture
Arts & Art History
Business & Marketing
Chinese Language
Civics & Government
Creative Writing
Culinary Arts
Drawing
Engineering
Entrepreneurship
Fashion
Filmmaking
French Language
German Language
International Affairs
Italian Language
Japanese Language
Korean Language
Marine Science
Music
Performing Arts
Photography
Pop Culture
Public Health
Service
Spanish Language
Sports
STEM
Sustainability
Video Game Design
Wildlife
Youth Mentorship
Programs may include these features:
College Credit
Dorms, Group Housing or Homestay
Multi-Destination
Service-learning: 12 or 50 hours
Scholarship option | https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/summer/programs |
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program for High School Students | Scholarship | one academic year | Germany | None | Be U.S. citizens
Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
Be between the ages of 15 and 18 years and 6 months by the start of the program | https://exchanges.state.gov/us/program/congress-bundestag-youth-exchange-high-school-students | |||
EF Language Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 3000 | 9000 | 2-8 weeks | France, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Italy, Singapore, United Kingdom, Costa Rica | None | 13-16 years
valid passport | Homestay or on campus stay depending on destination
language classes by EF with other international students | https://www.ef.edu/ils/ils-youth/ |
EF Language Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 3000 | 15000 | 2-24 weks | Spain, France, South Korea, Costa Rica, Japan, Germany, Italy, Singapore | None | 16-25 years
valid passport | Homestay or on campus stay depending on destination
language classes by EF with other international students | https://www.ef.edu/ils/ |
EF Language Year Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 11000 | 18000 | 6, 9, 11 months | Spain, France, South Korea, Costa Rica, Japan, Germany, Italy, Singapore | None | At least 16 years
able to get visa
Attend classes regularly
follow EF's code of conduct
meet any attendance requirements to receive certificates or diplomas | Homestay or on campus stay depending on destination
language classes by EF with other international students
Scholarship options | https://www.ef.edu/aya/ |
Future Leaders Exchange Program | Scholarship | 10 months | Georgia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Romania | None | Be a U.S. citizen
Be enrolled in grades 9-12 (high school, including home school) at the time of application
Meet age and GPA requirements specific to the program
Cannot have participated in another in-person exchange program | may list preferred countries, but could be placed in any available country | https://www.discoverflex.org/flex-abroad | ||
Greenheart Travel | Out-of-pocket | 5000 | 15500 | Trimester | Argentina, Australia, Austria, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden | Argentina/Spain: 2+ years Spanish
France: 2+ years French
Germany: 2 years German
Austria: Beginner German
Japan: 2 year Japanese
Costa Rica: Beginner Spanish | Age: 15 - 18 years+ (some from 14)
Be from the United States or Canada
Possess a high school cumulative GPA of at least 2.75/4.0 (sometimes 3.0)
Be in great mental* and physical health
Have a genuine interest in becoming a part of your host family and community | https://greenhearttravel.org/programs/teen/high-school-abroad | |
Greenheart Travel | Out-of-pocket | 14000 | 32000 | Academic Year | Argentina, Australia, Austria, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden | Argentina/Spain: 2+ years Spanish
France: 2+ years French
Germany: 2 years German
Austria: Beginner German
Japan: 2 year Japanese
Costa Rica: Beginner Spanish | Age: 15 - 18 years+ (some from 14)
Be from the United States or Canada
Possess a high school cumulative GPA of at least 2.75/4.0 (sometimes 3.0)
Be in great mental* and physical health
Have a genuine interest in becoming a part of your host family and community | https://greenhearttravel.org/programs/teen/high-school-abroad | |
Greenheart Travel | Out-of-pocket | 11500 | 18000 | Semester | Argentina, Australia, Austria, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden | Argentina/Spain: 2+ years Spanish
France: 2+ years French
Germany: 2 years German
Austria: Beginner German
Japan: 2 year Japanese
Costa Rica: Beginner Spanish | Age: 15 - 18 years+ (some from 14)
Be from the United States or Canada
Possess a high school cumulative GPA of at least 2.75/4.0 (sometimes 3.0)
Be in great mental* and physical health
Have a genuine interest in becoming a part of your host family and community | https://greenhearttravel.org/programs/teen/high-school-abroad | |
ISE Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 8210 | 17000 | Semester | Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland | Belgium/France: 1 year of French
Germany: 2 years of German
Italy: 1 year of Italian
Japan: basic Japanese
Spain: basic-medium Spanish | • Age between 14 and 18.5 years old upon arrival (smaller window depending on country, some start at 11 (Canada))
• Be attending a school in his/her country.
• Have excellent physical and mental health.
• Agree to attend classes and maintain satisfactory standards of work and behavior.
• Must be mature and flexible so as to be able to accept the school and host family.
• Be responsible and follow the school, the host family and ISE’s rules and respect the law.
• Be prepared to adapt to a new culture with different values and to live in a family with different life style and/or social economic level that he/she may be used in his/her own country.
Follow the rules and requirements of the school regarding dress codes, general behavior, class attendance, homework and other extra-curricular activities. | Area choice possible for extra fee for selected countries
Scholarship options | https://iseusa.org/travel-study-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/ |
ISE Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 8500 | 11000 | Trimester | Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland | Belgium/France: 1 year of French
Germany: 2 years of German
Italy: 1 year of Italian
Japan: basic Japanese
Spain: basic-medium Spanish | • Age between 14 and 18.5 years old upon arrival (smaller window depending on country, some start at 11 (Canada))
• Be attending a school in his/her country.
• Have excellent physical and mental health.
• Agree to attend classes and maintain satisfactory standards of work and behavior.
• Must be mature and flexible so as to be able to accept the school and host family.
• Be responsible and follow the school, the host family and ISE’s rules and respect the law.
• Be prepared to adapt to a new culture with different values and to live in a family with different life style and/or social economic level that he/she may be used in his/her own country.
Follow the rules and requirements of the school regarding dress codes, general behavior, class attendance, homework and other extra-curricular activities. | Area choice possible for extra fee for selected countries
Scholarship options | https://iseusa.org/travel-study-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/ |
ISE Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 7500 | 9000 | 2-3 months | Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Ireland | France: 1 year of French
Germany: 2 years of German
Italy: 1 year of Italian
Japan: basic Japanese | • Age between 14 and 18.5 years old upon arrival (smaller window depending on country, some start at 11 (Canada))
• Be attending a school in his/her country.
• Have excellent physical and mental health.
• Agree to attend classes and maintain satisfactory standards of work and behavior.
• Must be mature and flexible so as to be able to accept the school and host family.
• Be responsible and follow the school, the host family and ISE’s rules and respect the law.
• Be prepared to adapt to a new culture with different values and to live in a family with different life style and/or social economic level that he/she may be used in his/her own country.
Follow the rules and requirements of the school regarding dress codes, general behavior, class attendance, homework and other extra-curricular activities. | Area choice possible for extra fee for selected countries
Scholarship options | https://iseusa.org/travel-study-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/ |
ISE Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 9450 | 20000 | Academic Year | Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland | Belgium/France: 1 year of French
Germany: 2 years of German
Italy: 1 year of Italian
Japan: basic Japanese
Spain: basic-medium Spanish | • Age between 14 and 18.5 years old upon arrival (smaller window depending on country, some start at 11 (Canada))
• Be attending a school in his/her country.
• Have excellent physical and mental health.
• Agree to attend classes and maintain satisfactory standards of work and behavior.
• Must be mature and flexible so as to be able to accept the school and host family.
• Be responsible and follow the school, the host family and ISE’s rules and respect the law.
• Be prepared to adapt to a new culture with different values and to live in a family with different life style and/or social economic level that he/she may be used in his/her own country.
Follow the rules and requirements of the school regarding dress codes, general behavior, class attendance, homework and other extra-curricular activities. | Area choice possible for extra fee for selected countries
Scholarship options | https://iseusa.org/travel-study-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/ |
ISE Study Abroad | Out-of-pocket | 6800 | 6800 | 1 month | Argentina, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Ireland | France: 1 year of French | • Age between 14 and 18.5 years old upon arrival (smaller window depending on country, some start at 11 (Canada))
• Be attending a school in his/her country.
• Have excellent physical and mental health.
• Agree to attend classes and maintain satisfactory standards of work and behavior.
• Must be mature and flexible so as to be able to accept the school and host family.
• Be responsible and follow the school, the host family and ISE’s rules and respect the law.
• Be prepared to adapt to a new culture with different values and to live in a family with different life style and/or social economic level that he/she may be used in his/her own country.
Follow the rules and requirements of the school regarding dress codes, general behavior, class attendance, homework and other extra-curricular activities. | Scholarship options | https://iseusa.org/travel-study-abroad/high-school-study-abroad/ |
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program | Scholarship | one academic year | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, North Macedonia, Senegal, Thailand, Turkey | None | Be a U.S. citizen.
Be enrolled in grades 9-12 (high school, including home school) at the time of application.
Be between the ages of 15 and 18.5 at the start of the program.
Applicants of all grade-point averages and academic performance are encouraged to apply. | https://www.yes-abroad.org/ | |||
Nacel Educational Travel | Out-of-pocket | 8340 | 27100 | Academic Year | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Phillipines, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom | France: 2 years of French
Spanish-speaking: 1-2 years of Spanish
Netherlands: 1 year of Dutch
Germany: 2 years of German
Brazil/ Portugal: 1 year of Portuguese
Italy: 2 years of Italian | Age: 13-19 (smaller range depending on country)
good academic results
Students are expected to be mature and flexible
some countries require native english speakers or at minimum intermediate level | Host familiy stay | https://www.nacel.org/en/high-school-programs |
Nacel Educational Travel | Out-of-pocket | 7090 | 14950 | Semester | Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Phillipines, Portugal, South Africa, United Kingdom | France: 2 years of French
Spanish-speaking: 1-2 years of Spanish
Netherlands: 1 year of Dutch
Germany: 2 years of German
Brazil/ Portugal: 1 year of Portuguese
Italy: 2 years of Italian | Age: 13-19 (smaller range depending on country)
good academic results
Students are expected to be mature and flexible
some countries require native english speakers or at minimum intermediate level | Host familiy stay | https://www.nacel.org/en/high-school-programs |
Nacel Educational Travel | Out-of-pocket | 4500 | 12330 | Trimester | Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Phillipines, Portugal, South Africa, United Kingdom | France: 2 years of French
Spanish-speaking: 1-2 years of Spanish
Netherlands: 1 year of Dutch
Germany: 2 years of German
Japan: 2 years of Japanese
Brazil/ Portugal: 1 year of Portuguese | Age: 13-19 (smaller range depending on country)
good academic results
Students are expected to be mature and flexible
some countries require native english speakers or at minimum intermediate level | Host familiy stay | https://www.nacel.org/en/high-school-programs |
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) | Scholarship | 6-7 weeks | Arabic, China, South Korea, Russia | None | Must reside in U.S. at time of application
Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent | https://www.nsliforyouth.org/programs/summer-abroad/ | |||
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) | Scholarship | 8-10 months | Arabic, China, Russian | None | Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent | https://www.nsliforyouth.org/programs/academic-year-abroad/ | |||
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) | Scholarship | 10 weeks virtual | Arabic, China, Russia | None | Must be enrolled in a U.S. high school at time of participation
No GPA requirement | no travel outside US
Beginners on ACTFL Oral Proficiency scale | https://www.nsliforyouth.org/programs/virtual-nsli-y/ | ||
Putney Student Travel | Out-of-pocket | 7990 | 12990 | 4 weeks | Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Ecuador, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, France, Netherlands, Vietnam | No information | Special focus like language, service, culture | https://goputney.com/program-finder/ | |
Rotary Club | Out-of-pocket | 5000 | 8000 | full academic year, 3-12 weeks | more than 100 countries, changing year to year, possible to list preferred countries | None | ages 15-19 and are leaders in their schools and communities
GPA restrictions in some districts | Room and board, school fees are paid for, but travel cost, insurance and own spending abroad are your own responsibility
might stay with multiple host families during the year
contact your local rotary club for additional information | https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/youth-exchanges |
STS Education | Out-of-pocket | 11000 | 19200 | Semester | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Argentina, Austria, Costa Rica, China, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway , Sweden | France & parts of Canada: 2 years of French
Austria: Basic German
China: Basic Mandarin
Japan: read and write some hiragana and katakana and pass a language test
Netherlands: Basic Dutch | Ages: 14–18 years (smaller range depending on country) | https://www.sts-education.com/high-school/ | |
STS Education | Out-of-pocket | 11800 | 22600 | Academic Year | Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Argentina, Austria, Costa Rica, China, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway , Sweden | France & parts of Canada: 2 years of French
Austria: Basic German
China: Basic Mandarin
Japan: read and write some hiragana and katakana and pass a language test
Netherlands: Basic Dutch | Ages: 14–18 years (smaller range depending on country) | https://www.sts-education.com/high-school/ | |
YFU | Out-of-pocket | 12000 | 22500 | Semester | Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Greece, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay | Usually none
summer programs have no language requirement
Some English- and French-speaking destinations require 2-3 years of study
German speaking: Basic knowledge necessary | Age: Usually, high school students need to be between 15 and 18 while on program. However, certain countries will accept overage students on a case by case basis. We also offer special programs for 18-26 year olds as well some special programs for adults.
Citizenship: Students must be a United States citizen or hold a Green Card or have permanent residency of the United States with the exception of students applying for the Mazda Canada Scholarship.
Language: Most of our international Study Abroad programs do not have a language requirement. To find out about a specific program or scholarship, check out our Countries or Scholarships pages. No summer programs have a language requirement.
GPA: For year or semester programs, we require a 3.0 GPA or better (Note: The CBYX requirement is a 2.5). For summer programs, the GPA requirement is 2.0 or better.
Motivation: Students who are open-minded, interested in other cultures and becoming a global citizen, and willing to take on new challenges.
Mental and Emotional Readiness: Moving to a new culture and staying in unfamiliar surroundings without your normal support structure can be very stressful. Sending a student with pre-existing mental health conditions on an exchange program could hinder therapeutic progress. At YFU, our #1 priority is the safety of our students. Therefore, students seeing a mental health professional or taking medication must demonstrate 2 years of stability, meaning no significant changes to counseling or medication doses within 2 years of applying for the program. These include, but are not limited to depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Debilitating Anxiety, and eating disorders. If the student’s mental health issue has been managed for over 2 years, we will complete a counseling review as part of the application process and can accept students on a case-by-case basis. Please know that YFU USA and the YFU Host country must both feel they can properly support the student on program before accepting them. | Scholarship options | https://yfuusa.org/study/countries/ |
YFU | Out-of-pocket | 14000 | 34500 | Academic Year | Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Greece, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay | Usually none
summer programs have no language requirement
Some English- and French-speaking destinations require 2-3 years of study
German speaking: Basic knowledge necessary | Age: Usually, high school students need to be between 15 and 18 while on program. However, certain countries will accept overage students on a case by case basis. We also offer special programs for 18-26 year olds as well some special programs for adults.
Citizenship: Students must be a United States citizen or hold a Green Card or have permanent residency of the United States with the exception of students applying for the Mazda Canada Scholarship.
Language: Most of our international Study Abroad programs do not have a language requirement. To find out about a specific program or scholarship, check out our Countries or Scholarships pages. No summer programs have a language requirement.
GPA: For year or semester programs, we require a 3.0 GPA or better (Note: The CBYX requirement is a 2.5). For summer programs, the GPA requirement is 2.0 or better.
Motivation: Students who are open-minded, interested in other cultures and becoming a global citizen, and willing to take on new challenges.
Mental and Emotional Readiness: Moving to a new culture and staying in unfamiliar surroundings without your normal support structure can be very stressful. Sending a student with pre-existing mental health conditions on an exchange program could hinder therapeutic progress. At YFU, our #1 priority is the safety of our students. Therefore, students seeing a mental health professional or taking medication must demonstrate 2 years of stability, meaning no significant changes to counseling or medication doses within 2 years of applying for the program. These include, but are not limited to depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Debilitating Anxiety, and eating disorders. If the student’s mental health issue has been managed for over 2 years, we will complete a counseling review as part of the application process and can accept students on a case-by-case basis. Please know that YFU USA and the YFU Host country must both feel they can properly support the student on program before accepting them. | Scholarship options | https://yfuusa.org/study/countries/ |
YFU | Out-of-pocket | 10500 | 15000 | Trimester | Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Greece, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay | Usually none
summer programs have no language requirement
Some English- and French-speaking destinations require 2-3 years of study
German speaking: Basic knowledge necessary | Age: Usually, high school students need to be between 15 and 18 while on program. However, certain countries will accept overage students on a case by case basis. We also offer special programs for 18-26 year olds as well some special programs for adults.
Citizenship: Students must be a United States citizen or hold a Green Card or have permanent residency of the United States with the exception of students applying for the Mazda Canada Scholarship.
Language: Most of our international Study Abroad programs do not have a language requirement. To find out about a specific program or scholarship, check out our Countries or Scholarships pages. No summer programs have a language requirement.
GPA: For year or semester programs, we require a 3.0 GPA or better (Note: The CBYX requirement is a 2.5). For summer programs, the GPA requirement is 2.0 or better.
Motivation: Students who are open-minded, interested in other cultures and becoming a global citizen, and willing to take on new challenges.
Mental and Emotional Readiness: Moving to a new culture and staying in unfamiliar surroundings without your normal support structure can be very stressful. Sending a student with pre-existing mental health conditions on an exchange program could hinder therapeutic progress. At YFU, our #1 priority is the safety of our students. Therefore, students seeing a mental health professional or taking medication must demonstrate 2 years of stability, meaning no significant changes to counseling or medication doses within 2 years of applying for the program. These include, but are not limited to depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Debilitating Anxiety, and eating disorders. If the student’s mental health issue has been managed for over 2 years, we will complete a counseling review as part of the application process and can accept students on a case-by-case basis. Please know that YFU USA and the YFU Host country must both feel they can properly support the student on program before accepting them. | Scholarship options | https://yfuusa.org/study/countries/ |
Youth Ambassador | Scholarship | 3-4 weeks | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru | None | Be American high school students;
Be Between the ages of 15-18, and;
Have at least one semester of school remaining after program participation. | https://exchanges.state.gov/us/program/youth-ambassadors.com |
bottom of page

