High School
The high school program is aimed at teenagers and consists of spending part of the academic year abroad.
It is possible to go from 5th grade to the 3rd year of high school.
In the vast majority of countries, high school goes up to 4th grade, which has also recently been implemented in Brazil.
Courses last from 3 months to 1 year.
The programs can take place in both public and private schools.
The start dates of the school year in the southern hemisphere countries (Australia and New Zealand) are like ours in Brazil, i.e. the first semester begins in February and the second in July.
In the northern hemisphere (USA, Canada, England and Spain), the school year usually starts in September and the second semester in January.
Prerequisites
- Be between the ages of 13 and 18 (you cannot turn 19 during the program);
- The student must be mature, flexible and able to adapt to different cultures;
- Have good grades and have never failed a grade; and
- Have an intermediate/advanced level of knowledge in the language of the desired country, as assessed by certificates, proficiency tests or the school’s own test.
Study subjects
The teaching format is similar to Brazil's, with compulsory subjects such as mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics; and elective subjects such as languages (French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, etc.), theater, music and sports (tennis, rugby, swimming, soccer, etc.). Finally, there are also subjects that will guide the student's future professional life, such as engineering, architecture, mechanics, among others. It's worth noting that abroad, in general, there are no entrance exams. Students enter university directly after completing the 4th year of high school.
Comparison with Brazil's education system
All English-speaking countries and others such as Spain and Germany have an educational system where secondary school goes up to the 4th year, known as year XII. The other years or grades of secondary school in descending order are: year XI, year X, year IX, equivalent to the 3rd, 2nd and 1st year of the Brazilian education system.
Equivalence of study in Brazil and abroad
Below is a comparison of the grades and years of study in Brazil and abroad:
ANO XII = 4th year of secondary school (recently introduced in Brazil)
ANO XI = 3rd year of secondary school
ANO X = 2nd year of secondary school
ANO IX = 1st year of secondary school
Responsibility in the program
The high school program can be considered one of those that demands the most attention and responsibility. This is because it is a program for teenagers, minors, who stay abroad for medium to long periods of time and who have often never left Brazil, dreaming of the opportunity of a first trip. What's more, the fact that we are dealing with the parents of these teenagers, who have their children as their most precious asset, increases this responsibility even more. Experiencing new experiences and new cultures, interacting with students of different nationalities, gaining fluency in a second language, gaining maturity and independence, developing a sense of responsibility in relation to rules and limits, better understanding some of life's values are some of the achievements of an exchange program. There's no doubt that a high school abroad is an unforgettable experience that changes the lives of students and their parents forever.
Accommodation
Another important point in this type of program is accommodation. For obvious reasons, this is one of parents' biggest concerns when it comes to exchange programs.
Family homes
In most high school programs there is only one type of accommodation: homestay. The student stays with a local family with an excellent family, social and financial structure. The families are used to receiving exchange students from other countries. Meals are included. Each student has their own room and the bathroom is usually shared. It is common for families to host two or three students from different countries at the same time, which is great for the students' adaptation. It is also common for host families to have children in the same age group as the exchange students, which is also conducive to better and faster adaptation. Many families enjoy hosting exchange students because they can also offer their children the opportunity to integrate with other cultures. Of course, there is also a financial interest involved, as host families are paid good money to open the doors of their homes and offer comfort, food, security and a lot of affection. For the family selection process, the student fills out a questionnaire with several personal questions about their preferences, such as: hobbies, leisure, favorite foods, allergies, care or special requests. The aim is to identify a family with a profile as similar as possible to the student's and thus make it as easy as possible for them to adapt to the new family and the new experience.
Student residence
In some countries there are also accommodation options in student residences. In this case, the residences are in the schools themselves, and the teenager stays with several other students of different nationalities, in single, double or triple rooms, with private or shared bathrooms. For greater interaction between students, this type of accommodation also offers an interesting sports and leisure environment such as: games room, table tennis, sports courts, swimming pool, soccer field, among others. All residences have managers or supervisors who are responsible for the organization and safety of the students.
Want to know more? Get in touch!
- Specialized consultants
- Free service
- Receive our newsletter
