
Choose between Classic and Select
A year abroad is a springboard for achieving your full potential and your future is in your hands. Spending a high school year abroad as a teen is incredibly enriching and people who do it often say it was the best year of their lives.
STS High School Classic is the traditional exchange program at the high school level, which most of our students choose. It is the perfect program if you want to have an authentic high school experience abroad. You will be placed with a host family in your country of choice, and you will immediately become part of the family, which you will soon call your own. You will attend a local high school where you’ll make new friends who live in the area. The schools welcome our exchange students and you will quickly feel at home at your school. In some of our destinations you can request a particular area or state for an additional fee. Read more about what applies for each destination.
Sometimes it may be important to an exchange student to get to study a particular subject or play a specific sport. In that case, we offer a program called STS High School Select. That often means you will attend a private school and pay an extra program fee. You can decide what city you want to live in, and in most cases, you can also decide exactly which school you want to go to. This is important if you want to take classes in a particular subject, or play a particular sport or instrument during your year abroad. This kind of program is available in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Read more about our Select program under each destination and contact us for more information.
We’re happy to help you. By getting to know you, together we can find the best city and school based on your wishes. And remember, whatever you choose – it will be the best time of your life!
Before your year abroad

Before your year abroad
Before your year abroad We’ve been working with international exchanges for over 65 years and we have all the knowledge and experience necessary to be able to offer an extraordinary experience. Many of us at STS were exchange students ourselves, so we know exactly how a school year abroad works. We know what awaits, and…

The application process
How to become a high school exchange student? From idea to arrival — the application process Curious about how to become a high school exchange student? This page walks you through every step – from your first chat with us to the moment you arrive at your new home abroad. It's easier than you think,…

Who can apply
Who can go on an exchange year? Spending a year as an exchange student offers great opportunities. Most important of all is that you are curious and have an open mind. It is a way to experience tons of incredible new things that you would never get to experience at home. Allergies or diseases don’t…

Meet us
Webinars and events Are you thinking of going on a high school exchange abroad, for a semester or an entire school year? Do you have questions and concerns? We have the answers. A real good start is to sign up for a webinar. Meet us, in person or online You can meet us face to…

Classic and Select
Choose between Classic and Select A year abroad is a springboard for achieving your full potential and your future is in your hands. Spending a high school year abroad as a teen is incredibly enriching and people who do it often say it was the best year of their lives. STS High School Classic is…

Prepare yourself with our language courses
Prepare yourself with a language course! Are you going on an exchange year to an English, Spanish, German, French or Italian speaking country? Prepare yourself with our digital language course! It'll help you master the language once you're there and make it easier to understand what your new friends, host family and teachers are saying…

Benefits of a year abroad
What will I get out of a year abroad? When you return from your high school exchange year, you will realize just how much living and studying abroad has given you: new friends, new language skills, experiences of different cultures, more self-confidence, tons of fun experiences and wonderful memories. You will also have fantastic international…

10 things to bring on an exchange year
10 things to bring on an exchange year Remember to pack as light as possible. In a whole year abroad, you will end up getting lots of new things that you probably want to be able to bring home with you. Below are a few items that are good to bring, but once you’ve been…
Legacy
Since 1958 over 1,200,000 students have studied abroad with us.
Trusted Hosts
With a trusted host family by your side, you’ll always feel at home abroad.
24/7 service
We’re here for you 24/7 when you are studying abroad.
STS at a glance

Founded in
1958
20+
destinations
24/7
support


1.2 million
students
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