School exchange trips are an excellent way for you to have a summer experience while still in school. Although the matching is based mostly on schools and their respective locations, it usually takes about a month on average to find a suitable program. You can, however, pre-purchase the whole summer session so that when you turn in for the summer vacation you know exactly where you can go. Two months prior to the day of school exchange, most schools will discontinue accepting applications. Make sure to begin the search for a host school a few months before your scheduled visit.
Many students enter international schools with only a high school diploma. For those students, the International Student Admissions Test (ISAT) will be required before acceptance into the appropriate high school program. Students without a high school diploma may also have to complete the GED (General Educational Development) course in order to apply for a J-1 Visa. The U.S. Department of State offers a list of accredited high schools at which students wishing to study abroad may enroll. Some of the listed high schools are listed in the J-1 Visa Handbook.
It is important that you discuss things thoroughly with a financial adviser, as well as your school counselor, who can help you secure funding from a U.S. agency such as the State Department. There are many different high school exchange programs available to students who are enrolled in the United States or who are eligible to apply. Some of these are authorized by Congress, others are voluntary programs. Students in the United States should be aware that there are both financial and educational benefits to studying abroad. In most cases, the benefits are provided to students who choose to study in another country other than the one they have grown up in. One of the greatest attractions for studying abroad is the ability to meet and work with people from a different culture and time zone.