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High School in Australia

Australia study abroad

Why study abroad in Australia? Australia is home to the Great Barrier Reef, the largest ecosystem in the world. It is also home to many unique animals such as the kangaroo and the Koala bear. Want to learn more about this amazing country first hand? You can with our high school study abroad program!

Overview

We are proud to offer two High School Study Abroad programs in Australia will enable you to immerse yourself in Australian culture while living with an Australian host family and sharing in their daily life. As a family member, you will participate in activities and adapt to the family rules as if they were your own. You’ll also attend the high school nearest your host family’s home. You will study five to six subjects, which are determined by the school, from 8:30 am to 3:30 Monday through Friday.

High school abroad in Australia is a once in a lifetime experience!

Option 1: No Area Preference – Limited Availability 

Students choosing this option can be placed anywhere in Australia. There is no guarantee of location in the placement process. The emphasis is placed on finding the ideal host family based on common interests.

Option 2: Area Preference 

Students choosing this option will have the ability to select from a variety of placement options. You can view the available locations on our Location tab.

study abroad student in australia

Available Locations

Adelaide

Adelaide has been named Australia’s most liveable city; where population has the best quality of life across the entire country. The city is very easy to get around and for this reason is known as the “20 minute city”. The airport, the City, the Hills and the beaches are always less than half an hour away by car. Its landscape is colored in green from the large number of trees right in the middle of the city buildings as well as shaped by the hills on the background of every place you go.

Adelaide has a diverse cultural lifestyle, food is sensational and the region is proudly known as the Australia’s wine capital, with numerous wineries to choose from. Just two hours’ drive and a short ferry ride south of Adelaide you will find Kangaroo Island, and iconic tourist destination with pristine beaches, unique wildlife and unforgettable sunsets.

Byron Bay

Byron Bay is a coastal town in the southeastern Australian state of New South Wales. It’s a popular holiday destination, known for its beaches, surfing and scuba diving sites. Cape Byron State Conservation Park is on a headland with a lighthouse. Between June and November, humpback whales can be spotted from headland viewpoints such as the Captain Cook Lookout.

Kingscliff

Kingscliff is a coastal town just south of Tweed Heads in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, and is a beach community offering a variety of holiday accommodations.

Newcastle

Newcastle is a harbour city in the Australian state of New South Wales. Its plentiful beaches are linked by the Bathers Way, a coastal walk stretching between Nobbys Beach and Merewether Beach. The walk provides access to Bogey Hole, a convict-built ocean bath from the colonial period. Also on the path is the 1880s Fort Scratchley, a historic site and a viewpoint for spotting migrating whales.

Sydney

Sydney is Australia’s oldest and largest city and is one of the busiest commercial hubs in the Asia-Pacific region. Set on a stunning harbour and with a cosmopolitan population, Sydney is home to two of the world’s most recognizable icons − the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

The 20th-century architectural masterpiece, along with the Hyde Park Barracks (an Australian convict site) are both World Heritage sites and “must see” places. The temperate climate, reasonable cost of living, great range of leisure activities as well as high levels of safety, education and health care are just a few reasons why Sydney is consistently rated as one of the world’s best cities.

Sandy beaches, National Parks, world-class theatres, great shopping, museums, art galleries, restaurants featuring cuisines from around the world, business opportunities with a relaxed lifestyle makes life at lot easier and more pleasant in Sydney.

Victor Harbor

Victor Harbor is a coastal town in South Australia. From the waterfront, horse-drawn trams cross the causeway to Granite Island, home to a wild penguin colony. Steam locomotives pull the Cockle Train to nearby Goolwa, a gateway to the wetlands of the Murray River Mouth. Offshore, southern right whales frequent the waters of Encounter Bay. The Heysen Trail runs across the Fleurieu Peninsula to Cape Jervis.

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Program Dates & Deadlines

Apply early and get a discount! Submit your application 45 days before the deadline to receive an Early Bird Discount.

These are the approximate start dates. Exact start dates will be provided closer to your arrival.

Spring

Academic Trimester: Late January – Mid-April

Academic Semester: Late January – Late June

Academic Year: Late January – Early December

Final Deadline for Completed Applications: July 1st

 

Fall

Academic Trimester: Early July – Late September

Academic Semester: Early July – Mid-December

Final Deadline for Completed Applications: January 1st

Program Costs

Option 1: No Area Preference
(Please note: Option 1 will become available in 2024.)

 

Costs
Term (10 weeks) $11,000
Semester (5 months) $13,000
Academic Year $15,000

Option 2: Area Preference
(Please note: Option 2 will become available in 2024.)

 

Costs
Term
(10 weeks)
Semester
(5 months)
Academic Year
New South Wales, Sydney, Wollongong $12,500 $19,500 $32,500
New South Wales, Byron Bay, Newcastle, Kingscliff $12,000 $19,000 $31,500
Queensland – Brisbane, Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast $12,000 $19,000 $31,500
Queensland Regional, Mackay, Townsville, Toowoomba $11,000 $17,000 $28,500
Victoria – Melbourne $12,000 $19,000 $31,500

Discounts, Scholarships & Fundraising

Early Bird Discount – $250 discount if you apply 45 days prior to the application deadline

Host Family Discount – Discount of up to $1000 for families that hosted an inbound student

Area Representative Discount – Discount of up to $500 for children of ISE Area Representatives

ISE Ambassador ScholarshipDesigned for students who would like to engage deeply with their host community and reflect on their experience via blog/video contributions. 

Additional Scholarships  We gathered a list of some additional scholarships that can help finance your dream exchange

ISE Fundraising Guide –  Check out our tips and tricks for planning your very own study abroad fundraiser.

What's Included In The Program

  • Arrival Orientation
  • Comprehensive medical insurance
  • Support and supervision by local representative
  • Host family accommodation including 2 meals a day during the week, and 3 meals a day on the weekends.
  • School tuition and fees
  • Progress reports sent directly to parents
  • 24/7 emergency support
  • ISE Tote bag, luggage tag & lanyard

Additional Expenses You Might Incur

  • Personal Expenses – cell phone bills, personal spending money, travel expenses
  • Transportation to airport at conclusion of program
  • Extra School Fees – Uniform, class trips, extra curricular activities

Eligibility

• Age between 14 and 18 years old.
• 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.
• 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.

Academic Info

The school year starts at the end of January or beginning of February and finishes at the beginning of December and is divided into four terms of 10 weeks per year. Between terms there is always a two-week break. The breaks are in April, July and September.

 

Term I: February to April

Term II: April to July

Term III: July to September

Term IV: October to December

 

Term I is the best time to start the program to get the most out of the academic year

Classes begin around 8:30 / 8:45 am, ending around 3:30 pm.

Each class lasts approximately 1:15 hr, with a ten minute interval and a forty-five minute break for lunch.

The class you are going to attend will be determined by the school, in accordance with your age and level of education you completed in your country.

You will study from five to six subjects. The availability of places to study a given subject will vary in accordance with each school. For the subjects of practical study – such as photography, carpentry, horticulture and others – you could be asked to give proof of former knowledge in the corresponding area, for the vacant places are limited and students which arrive in the middle of the year have less chances to find them.

Orientation

Upon arrival in Australia, you will receive a full cultural orientation. Here is what your schedule might look like during your first few days in Australia:

  • Day 1:    Arrival day. Staff will meet students upon arrival to take the group to their accommodations in Sydney.
  • Day 2:    Orientation, Australian culture sessions & excursions.
  • Day 3:    Departure day and arrival to new host families

Application Process

  1. Explore our programs, options and countries to find your best match. 
  2. Complete our interest form and, if applicable, let us know who referred you to us.
  3. Schedule a meeting with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts.
  4. Submit your application and a $200 application fee. This non-refundable fee will be applied to your overall program costs.
  5. Upon acceptance, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the total program costs, up to $1500. The final payment is due several weeks before your departure. 

Parent FAQs

Moving away from your support network and into a new and unfamiliar environment can be difficult even for the most well-adjusted students. Students with pre-existing mental health conditions may find this adjustment particularly challenging, which could worsen any issues they were previously facing. 

We conduct a thorough screening of all applicants to ensure they are in the right mindset to participate. While the majority of students are eligible to participate, we may not be able to accept students who have recently struggled with mental illness and/or are reliant on medication to treat mental illness in order to protect the student’s well-being. 

Pre-existing mental health conditions include, but are not limited to:

  • Severe anxiety
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

For students prepared to take on the challenge, absolutely. It is, however, important to consider a student’s level of maturity prior to the program because it directly impacts their success. 

Ideally, our programs will push students beyond their comfort zone and into what is referred to as their stretch zone. It’s in the stretch zone that learning, growth, and development - along with challenges and risk - occur. 

If a student is not ready and/or willing to move beyond their comfort zone, plunging into a new and unfamiliar environment could actually have an adverse effect and place them in what is referred to as the panic zoneParents should make an honest assessment of their child’s maturity level and understand that study abroad will not fundamentally change their child’s personality or behavior when considering the program.

study abroad stretch zone

While abroad, your child will be fully supported. First, they will receive a personal Program Manager to assist with everything from the initial request to your child’s departure. Then, they will be supported abroad by a dedicated Local Coordinator who will frequently check in on the student and provide monthly progress reports. Your child will have the contact information of their Local Coordinator and can contact them at any time. There is also a 24/7 emergency line managed out of ISE headquarters.

No. Visits of any kind are not allowed during our programs. If you plan to visit your child, you should plan to do so after the program has ended.  

High School Program FAQs

There are many benefits to attending high school abroad, including but not limited to:

  • Developing new language skills
  • Developing problem-solving skills
  • Identifying interests to better select your college major
  • Inspiring insightful college admissions essays
  • Improving academic scores upon your return home
  • Developing cross-cultural collaboration skills

We can’t offer any guarantees that certain classes will be offered at your host school. We can provide you with general curriculum information, but often students are not able to sign up for specific classes until after they arrive in the host country. In certain instances, virtual high school options for required classes might be a useful option.

You will not be able to take the SATs while abroad. We highly recommend that you take the SATs prior to or after the program.

Upon successful completion of the program, everyone is guaranteed a Certificate of Attendance. Transcripts (i.e. grades) have to be earned. To earn the grades, you will have to excel in your classes abroad, in the language of your destination country. All of our high schools abroad are accredited institutions, therefore their grades are transferable to the United States. Please visit Scholaro for more information on translating and evaluating grades from abroad. As part of the preparation process, you have to check with your guidance counselor which classes/credits you will need to graduate or to advance to your next year of high school. Some classes, such as US History might not be offered abroad, and therefore you will have to find a way to earn those credits either before your study abroad year or after. One option to consider is a virtual high school.

Yes! We offer a post-high school Gap Year Program. Visit our Gap Year Program page for more details.

Yes. Additional expenses to consider include (estimates):

  • Stationary and school supplies: $100
  • School excursions and trips: $50
  • Cell phone service: $20-$50/month
  • Personal expenses (shopping, movies, nights out, etc.): $300/month
  • Bus pass/transportation: $10-$20/week

General FAQs

ISE’s Travel & Study Abroad Program will take your academic, career, and life opportunities to new levels! College admissions and employers love compelling personal growth stories, and Travel & Study Abroad will supply you with those stories. 

Some of the many benefits of participating in our programs include:

Academic & Career Benefits

  • Stand out during the college admissions process
  • Develop new language skills in an immersive environment
  • Develop problem-solving skills
  • Identify interests to better select academic & career paths
  • Establish cross-cultural skills
  • Improve academic scores

Personal Benefits

  • Improve personal organization and time management skills
  • Develop a sense of adaptability, independence, and self-reliance
  • Boost self-confidence
  • Learn about new lifestyles
  • Experience new cuisines
  • Make lifelong friends
  • Gain life experience

Since 1982, our nonprofit organization has remained committed to educating future leaders and making a positive, long-lasting impact in communities.

To make cross-cultural experiences accessible to more people, we offer the best pricing available to our participants...and we do so without compromising the quality of the experience or level of support offered

We assign each participant a personal Program Manager, so you’ll receive assistance throughout your entire program experience by someone you know by name. We also provide 24/7 support from our dedicated Student Services Team.

Lastly, the trusted international organizations we partner with have been trained and certified over the course of many years working to provide study abroad programs

The summer abroad experience does lend itself to some very important essays that students write.” Deputy director of admissions for the University of Texas 

A lot of schools, including ours, are looking for a diverse perspective, and international experiences lend themselves to that.” - Admissions Advisor, University of California

Anything that makes your application stand out is a good thing.” - Admissions officer, University of Chicago

Not only does studying outside the United States help build necessary language fluency for all college-bound students, it shows those headed to elite institutions will go outside their comfort zone and expand to meet the challenge. Nothing speaks to the ethics of those institutions quite like a commitment to that kind of excellence and personal achievement.” - Admissions Advisor, New York University

First and foremost, program candidates should be mature, open-minded, and adaptable. Wondering if our Travel & Study Abroad Program is right for you? Check out our article Should You Study Abroad? 8 Signs You’d Make a Great Exchange Student to find out!

During the Academic Year (Visit Our High School Programs Page for Specific Dates)

  • Short Term Option (1-2 months)
  • Trimester and Semester Options
  • Full Year Options

During the Summer (Visit Our Summer Program Page for Specific Dates)

  • Program options from 1-8 weeks

Post-High School Gap Year (Visit Our Gap Year Page for Specific Dates)

  • 12-month program option

For the majority of our programs, you’ll be living with a host family. 

A few of our programs offer boarding schools. In those cases, you will be living with other students in a dormitory.

We offer placements in big cities, medium-sized suburbs, and small towns. For select programs, you can choose the specific location you’d like to stay in for an added fee.  

We don’t include airfare in our pricing because we know that allowing people to shop around for the most competitive rates and convenient airport locations is best. Not to mention you might have frequent flyer miles that you could use towards the purchase of a ticket, why take that opportunity away?

You may see other programs that include flights, but it should be noted that often these flights will cost more than what participants could find on their own and/or depart from less convenient locations.

Yes, pick up and drop-off at the airport is included in all of our programs.

Yes, a travel medical insurance policy is included in the program price for all participants.

To attend a high school you must be sufficiently proficient in the native language of the country you would like to visit, but you don’t have to be fluent. Your language skills will improve quickly once you are culturally immersed! 

Don’t speak another language? Don’t worry - we offer several programs in English-speaking countries.

We try to make the application process as simple as possible. Here are the steps you should follow if you’d like to apply:

  1. Explore our programs, options, and countries to find your best match.
  2. Complete our interest form and, if applicable, let us know who referred you to us.
  3. Schedule a meeting with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts.
  4. Submit your application and a $200 application fee. This non-refundable fee will be applied to your overall program costs.
  5. Upon acceptance, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the total program cost, up to $1500. The final payment is due several weeks before your departure.

All program fees must be received before departure, usually 6-8 weeks before.    The usual payment schedule is: $200 student application fee, $1500 deposit before your application is forwarded to our partner in the country of choice and a remainder 6-8 weeks before departure.    Personalized installment plans are also available, where a minimum payment is set at $500.    We understand that financing a study abroad program might be challenging for some, therefore we want you to know that we are here to help as much as we can. Please visit our Scholarship and Fundraising pages for additional financing hints.

Minors are not permitted to travel alone or with other minors. You may travel with your host family, local representative, or with a school. Students above 18 years old, must coordinate with their host family and local representative before making any travel plans.

Making the best decision on how to prepare for a trip to another country where different currency is used takes a bit of planning. Besides US dollar banknotes, that you can exchange anywhere in the world, most debit and credit cards are also accepted worldwide. Before leaving the US you should speak to your bank to make sure that you won’t be charged exorbitant international fees. Many banks in the US offer cards with no international or ATM fees. Also, consider inquiring about prepaid cards. Another option might be traveler’s checks that are an alternative to cash and cards. It is not very common that you will be able to open a local bank account to which you could transfer money to. However, since we live in an ever-changing world, you should never disregard this option; we encourage you to inquire about it upon your arrival. Our local representative will always be happy to assist you. Remember, never keep all of your cards and cash in one place.