Enhance Your Academic, Career, and Life Pursuits
What are the Academic Benefits of Studying Abroad?
- 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
What are the Personal Benefits of Studying Abroad?
- Improve your organization and time management skills
- Develop a sense of adaptability, independence, and self-reliance
- Boost your self-confidence
- Make lasting friendships around the world
- Experience new cultures, cuisines, perspectives, and locations.
When Can I Study Abroad?
DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR
Take your education to exciting new places! We offer trimester, semester, and academic year programs in several countries around the world. Explore our options today!
DURING THE SUMMER
Can’t travel during the school year? No problem! We offer short-term summer programs around the world. Explore our programs today!
Study Abroad Scholarships and Discounts
Apply for our Study Abroad Student Ambassador Scholarship, designed for students interested in sharing their exchange program experience with a larger audience.
Our goal is to provide accessible high school exchange programs to students across the country. To accomplish this, we offer some of the most competitive rates in the industry, along with scholarship opportunities and fundraising advice.
If you are interested in sharing your study abroad experience with a wider audience, we invite you to apply for our ISE Student Ambassador Scholarship. Participants in this program will share their daily lives abroad through blogs and video testimonials.
We also offer a special discount to host families who have hosted an international exchange student themselves through our inbound program.
Why Study Abroad with International Student Exchange?
We’re a non-profit organization committed to educating future leaders and making a positive, long-lasting impact in communities since 1982. Organizations we partner with have been trained and certified over many years of working in student exchange. They help us put together the most impactful programs at the lowest cost possible.
Even though going abroad is all about getting out of your comfort zone, it’s important to feel secure. We provide a personal program manager for each participant, so you’ll feel supported throughout the entire experience by someone you know by name. We also offer 24/7 support from a dedicated student services team.
Why Studying Abroad is Crucial to Our Global Future
For decades, educators and business leaders alike have touted the far-reaching benefits of greater cultural diversity. According to a McKinsey study, companies with more culturally and ethnically diverse executive teams were 33% more likely to see better-than-average profits.
Another study of university students found that those who studied abroad scored higher in openness to new experiences, agreeableness, and emotional stability — all traits that HR managers look for in new hires. Read more about the importance of high school exchange programs here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Studying Abroad
“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
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)
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- 12-month program option
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.
Bring Our High School Exchange Program to Your Community
Are you interested spreading the word about the benefits of cross-cultural education to students in your school district? If so, we’re looking for individuals, teachers, and organizations to partner with us to promote our Travel & Study Abroad program. We offer incentives for any student, club, or organization you refer!
HOST A STUDENT
Global friendship starts with local action. Volunteer to host a student today!
JOIN OUR TEAM
Change the world, one family at a time. Apply to become an ISE Area Representative!
STUDY ABROAD
Explore a new culture and experience a new way of life. Become an exchange student!
CONNECT WITH US
