Study Abroad Programs & Competitions for High School Students

Fully funded exchange programs — NSLI-Y, CBYX, YES Abroad — send high schoolers overseas for a summer or a school year at zero cost, and admissions readers know exactly how selective they are.

Language immersion counts double: you come home with real proficiency and a story no on-campus activity can match. Most applications open in late summer and close by early winter, a full year before departure.

21 verified programs match this page; 13 of the featured listings are completely free; 1 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 21+ curated programs for high school students:

• Rotary Youth Exchange — Rotary International: Year-long or summer exchange programs worldwide through Rotary International. Cultural immersion with host families.
• Wake Forest University Summer Immersion — Wake Forest University: Academic immersion programs at Wake Forest. Pre-professional and academic exploration.
• EF High School Programs — Education First: International education programs combining academic learning, language courses, and cultural immersion for high school students.
• Concordia Language Villages — Concordia College: Immerse yourself in a unique summer program with Concordia Language Villages. Build language skills, explore global cultures, and enhance your college
• Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy — Middlebury College: Immerse yourself in an intensive summer language program for high schoolers. Build fluency, boost college applications, and gain hands-on cultural exp
• AFS Intercultural Programs — AFS Intercultural Programs: One of the world's oldest and most respected international exchange organizations. Spend a summer, semester, or year studying abroad in 50+ countries
• Youth for Understanding (YFU) Exchange Programs — Youth For Understanding USA: Academic exchange in 60+ countries. Year, semester, and summer options. Extensive scholarship opportunities.
• Boren Scholarship — National Security Education Program: Unlock free study-abroad scholarships to master languages and cultures while boosting college applications. Perfect for high school seniors passionate
• Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) Program — U.S. Department of State: Fully funded year-long exchange program bringing students from Eurasia to live with American host families and attend U.S. high schools. Promotes mutu
• Youth Ambassadors Program (U.S.) — U.S. Department of State & World Learning: Empower your leadership skills with this free hybrid exchange program for high schoolers. Gain hands-on experience in service, build your resume, and
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study — U.S. Department of State: Transform your high school experience with a free year-long cultural exchange program. Build global skills, enhance college applications, and grow as
• The Experiment in International Living — World Learning: Explore immersive summer programs for high school students, combining cultural exchange, language learning, and homestays to boost college application
• National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) — U.S. Department of State: Immerse in a free summer program abroad to master critical languages, explore diverse cultures, and boost college applications. Perfect for ambitious
• Global Citizen Year Bridge Year — Global Citizen Year: Transform your gap year with an immersive international program. Build leadership skills, gain hands-on experience, and stand out on college applicati
• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) - High School — U.S. Department of State (administered by AFS/CIEE/YFU): Merit-based full scholarship for an academic year in Germany with a host family.
• Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad — U.S. Department of State (ECA): Fully funded academic year in countries with significant Muslim populations.
• Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad — U.S. Department of Education: Funded international study programs through Fulbright. Language immersion and cultural exchange opportunities.
• Rustic Pathways Service Programs — Rustic Pathways: Transform your summer with immersive international service programs for high school students. Develop leadership skills, gain hands-on experience, and
• Verto Education Pre-College Program — Verto Education: Pre-college program at Verto Education for high school students.
• Pre-College Summer Program in Ireland — Pre-College Summer Program in Ireland: Study abroad pre-college summer program in Ireland for high school students with academic courses and cultural immersion.
• Dartmouth Rassias Language Program — Dartmouth College: Intensive language immersion using Rassias method at Dartmouth. Rapid language acquisition through active learning.

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