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Go on high school exchange in Canada

Why study abroad in Canada?

What does life as a Canadian high school student actually feel like? Think changing seasons, Friday night hockey, school clubs, new friends, and weekends exploring somewhere you’ve never been before. A high school exchange in Canada gives you the chance to become part of it all, while discovering a multicultural country where every region, school, and community brings something different.

✅ Choose your preferred school and location
✅ Improve your English or French
✅ Experience Canadian high school life
✅ Discover Canada beyond the classroom

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Are you eligible for a high school exchange in Canada?

To join a high school exchange in Canada, you need to be between 15 and 18 years old when you arrive and still enrolled in school. You don’t need perfect grades – what matters most is that you’re curious, open-minded, and ready to experience a new way of life.

From school clubs and hockey games to changing seasons and incredible nature, Canada offers plenty to discover. You’ll make new friends, become part of your host family’s everyday life, and experience what it’s like to truly call Canada home.

Quick facts

  • Ages: 15–18 years on arrival

  • Visa: Yes. Additional cost

  • Welcome Camp: Included for fall departures

  • Support: 24/7 availability

  • Price: See prices

  • Accommodation: Local host family

  • Language requirements: Good English skills. Some schools in French speaking areas require prior French knowledge

High School in Canada

Canada is known for its high-quality education and welcoming school environment. High school in Canada usually starts in Grade 9, with exchange students typically placed in Grades 10–12 depending on their age, previous studies, and local school rules. Schools vary between provinces, but academics and an active school community are both important parts of Canadian high school life.

Getting involved is a big part of being an exchange student in Canada. Sports, clubs, and school events are great ways to meet local students and make new friends.

Your school week, schedule & subjects

A typical school day in Canada starts around 8 or 9 AM and finishes in the afternoon, with classes, breaks, and time for lunch. Your schedule may stay the same each day or change throughout the week, depending on your school.

Alongside core subjects, you can often choose electives that match your interests, from digital media and tourism to outdoor education or even ice hockey. It’s a chance to try something new and make your Canadian school experience your own.

Trusted since 1958 — why STS is a great choice

Since 1958 over 1.2 million students from across the world have studied abroad with us. With STS you get:

  • 24/7 support – we’re always here for you
  • Carefully selected host families
  • Resilience training
  • Free Welcome Camp in New York (all departures)
  • Local staff or host family will greet you at the airport
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The STS exchange program in Canada

STS High School Select gives you the chance to design a high school exchange year that is exactly what you want it to be. Choose your city and school based on academic subjects, sports, or other interests offered there. We work with carefully selected schools that offer high-quality academic studies, with wonderful locations and carefully chosen host families. In Canada, we work with French, English and bilingual schools. Whatever the language, our schools provide students with a high-quality education in a superb school environment. To be a high school exchange student with STS, you need to be 15-18.5 years old at the start of the exchange year.

Read more about our Select program

Explore life outside the classroom

Life as an exchange student in Canada goes far beyond the classroom. Cheer at a hockey game, lace up your skates at a local outdoor rink, or spend warmer days swimming and canoeing at the lake. And when winter arrives? You might discover that snow isn’t a reason to stay inside. It’s a reason to grab your skis, snowboard, or skates.

Weekends bring even more to explore. Watch the fall colors take over, head into Canada’s incredible nature with your host family, or hang out with friends in your new hometown. With every season bringing something different, there’s always a new side of Canada to discover.

Living with a Canadian host family

Your Canadian host family will welcome you into their home and make you part of their everyday life. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and depending on where you’re placed, they might speak English, French, or both. You’ll share meals, traditions, stories, and plenty of laughs while introducing them to your culture too.

At first, you might wonder why everyone talks about the weather so much – then your first Canadian winter arrives, and it all makes sense! Before long, you could be celebrating Thanksgiving, cheering on a hockey team, and learning that a little snow rarely stops the day from going ahead. Soon, their everyday routines will start to feel like your own.

Your exchange in Canada starts here

It’s easier than you might think! Begin your journey by talking to us – we’ll guide you every step of the way. What are you waiting for? Say yes to the adventure and create memories that will stay with you forever.

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Welcome Camp

Get the best possible start to your high school exchange in Canada at our fantastic Welcome Camp. Meet other exchange students from all over the world and share your expectations for your year abroad.

Take part in an exciting program of activities, including lectures, team-building activities and of course, sightseeing in New York or Toronto. You will be given more information about what to expect from the experience and how to get help and support if you need it. This is a great chance to ask questions and talk about the adventure ahead. 

 Welcome Camp is included for all students going to Canada starting in the fall.

How much does it cost to be an exchange student in Canada?

In addition to the program fee that you pay to STS, you and your family will need to cover additional costs, including insurance, visas, toiletries, any trips you want to take, leisure activities and pocket money.

See the full list of additional costs here.

How much money you need per month is individual to you and depends on your lifestyle and what you want to do. We recommend that you have at least USD 400 per month, as well as a buffer of around USD 800, so that any unexpected expenses are covered.

Talk to a high school expert

Got questions? We’re here to help you figure it out.

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Our destinations

Take our short quiz and discover which high school exchange destination fits your vibe.

USA
USA

Discover life as a high school student in the USA. A whole new way of living – from yellow school buses and pep rallies to school pride, homecoming dances, and weekend road trips. You’ll immerse yourself in a culture you’ve only seen in movies, experience the American school spirit firsthand, and find out what everyday life is like as a U.S. teen.

Australia
Australia

Studying in Australia is more than just sunshine and surf. It’s about meeting new friends, trying Vegemite (yes, really), and learning what it’s like to go to school on the other side of the world. Whether you're in a coastal city or a small rural community, you’ll experience life like a true Aussie teen – full of adventure, culture, and personal growth.

New Zealand
New Zealand

Studying in New Zealand is more than just scenic landscapes and friendly locals – it’s about discovering a whole new way of learning and living.

Great Britain
Great Britain

Studying in the UK is more than afternoon tea and iconic landmarks – it’s a chance to experience life as a British teen and discover a world of new perspectives. From buzzing cities like London and Manchester to charming countryside villages, your exchange year in the UK combines academic challenges with unforgettable cultural moments.

Ireland
Ireland

A high school exchange in Ireland means diving into a vibrant culture full of music, tradition, and friendly energy. You'll live like a local, attend an Irish secondary school, and become part of a community that is full of character. From green hills and coastal cliffs to school spirit and weekend céilís, life in Ireland is anything but ordinary.

Spain
Spain

A high school exchange year in Spain means becoming part of a culture that’s lively, welcoming, and full of everyday moments. You’ll attend a local high school, live with a welcoming host family, and experience what daily life is like as a teenager in Spain. With nearly 500 million people around the world speaking Spanish, gaining confidence in the language will open up new opportunities – both now and in the future.

France
France

Around 85 million tourists from all over the world can’t be wrong – France is the place to visit. For decades the country has had the number 1 spot in the World Tourism Organisation’s yearly statistics. It’s no wonder France is a favorite. Shopping, fashion and sightseeing in Paris, the glamorous beach life on the Côte d’Azur, skiing in the French Alps and a beautiful countryside are some of the things that attracts foreigners. Also, it’s no doubt that France is number 1 when it comes to food. Will you try a delicacy such as escargots?

Italy
Italy

Go on high school exchange in ItalyFree brochure Why study abroad in Italy? If you ask an Italian why you should come to Italy the answer will probably be because Italy has the best food, the most beautiful language, the greatest culture and world class soccer teams. Well, it’s hard to disagree. This country sure…

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Germany

Germany is the largest country in the EU in terms of population. It’s also the European Union’s biggest economy, which you will notice by the high standards of living. This modern, cosmopolitan country is a centre for technology and innovation. It attracts people from all over the world with a varied cultural scene and a certain love for concerts and festivals.

Canada
Canada

It isn’t hard to see why Canada is attracting an increasing number of international high school students for their year abroad. Canada isn’t just the second-largest country in the world, where the people are friendly and life is easy-going. It also has beautiful natural scenery, wide-open spaces, the great outdoors and plenty of wildlife.

Argentina
Argentina

A high school year in Argentina will give you a wonderful mix of cultures and indigenous traditions. And your Spanish will get a powerful boost. This is a big, bold and beautiful country with many different landscapes and different climate zones – from subtropical in the north, over the vast green plains (Pampas) in the centre to subpolar and glazier zones in the far south.

Austria
Austria

You don’t have to be skier to love Austria. But if fresh powder and well prepared slopes is your thing then Austria will be your kind of heaven. There are mountains and lift systems everywhere and they are often close to the cities.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a nature-lover's dream, with deep rain forests, perfect beaches, mountains, volcanoes, islands and spectacular wildlife. But the country's best asset is the people, who are warm, welcoming and share a unique way of seeing the world. Pura vida ('pure life') is both a greeting and the national philosophy. It encapsulates a friendly and worry-free lifestyle and an appreciation of people, nature and a good time.

China
China

Live and study in one of the world’s most dynamic countries, one that combines the cutting edge of technological development with a history that dates back millennia. The past, present and future seem to merge in China. Discover its unique culture and fascinating language from the inside on an unforgettable high school exchange.

Denmark
Denmark

Take the chance to study in the lovely country Denmark! Despite the country's small size, there is a lot to discover here. Come with us to Denmark as an exchange student and experience the green landscapes, blue sea and beautiful old towns. Eat typical food such as smørrebrød and frikadeller, rent a bicycle in Copenhagen and treat yourself with some amazing Danish pastry at a cosy café!

Finland
Finland

Finland's stark Nordic scenery is home to fascinating wildlife, pristine forests, some 200,000 lakes and the world's happiest people, not to mention Europe's top educational system and an extremely high quality of life (and don't forget the saunas).

Japan
Japan

Welcome to a nation like no other! Japan is the world’s third largest economy, and a trendsetter in culture, fashion, and technology. Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional arts as well as its contemporary pop culture. It’s a country where old meets new in a totally unique way.

Netherlands
Netherlands

Most people are familiar with the tulip plantations, the windmills, the expertly built canal system (great for skating in winter time) and lively cities like Amsterdam, Haag and Rotterdam. We are of course talking about the Netherlands – a small but interesting country, with more to offer than just these traditional symbols.

Norway
Norway

Take the opportunity to study in one of the world’s most mesmerising countries. Norway is known worldwide for its exceptional nature and it’s the perfect destination for you who love skiing and snowboarding.

Sweden
Sweden

Did you know that Sweden is a 1 574 kilometer long country with nearly 100 000 lakes? Pretty impressive. The country has great coastlines and lots of vast forests. But also charming cities, both big and small, from Malmö in the south to Kiruna in the north. Stockholm, the Swedish capital, is a lively city located in the most amazing archipelago. It is a beautiful country with great wildlife and plenty of wide open spaces. If you're lucky you'll see the King of Sweden, or at least the king of the forest, the famous moose. Come join us for a genuine experience!

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