The best practice is to allow the overseas receiving organization to find a family that is looking for a student that matches your profile. However, some of our programs allow regional preferences. These preferences are taken into consideration during the application and host family search, but a specific placement is not guaranteed. The family home stay is at the heart of any exchange, so finding the right family is our first priority and should be yours. It is important all participants go into any high school abroad program with an open mind about what their family may be like, where they live, whether or not they have children, etc.

If you already have a passport, make sure that it will not expire prior to your return date. Usually your passport must be valid for six months after your program ends. If you need a new passport or need to renew your existing one, please visit the U.S. State Department website.

Visas are permits to spend more than 90 days in a specific country. CIEE will guide you through the visa process and we will conduct a visa webinar to help you understand the visa process. However, CIEE cannot obtain the visa for you. We will provide you with proof of program acceptance, confirmation of international health/accident insurance, and proof of financial means during your stay. All other documentation required by the consulate is your responsibility. Please note that depending on consulate policies you may have to turn in your passport when applying for a visa and you will not be able to travel until the passport has been returned to you with the visa inside.

Watch for regular communication via email in the four months preceding your departure. Closer to the departure date, the communication is very frequent. When filling out an application it is vital that you enter email addresses for yourself and your parents or guardians. CIEE communicates very important information by way of email, including: visa information, host family details, pre-departure orientation dates, etc. If you apply up to a year before departure, there may be some lapses before regular communication is again established. Don’t worry! You can contact CIEE by phone or email any time. We hope that this website will answer most of your concerns, and we will continually update it with new information.

For the most up-to-date pre-departure information and travel resources, visit the “Current Participants” section of our website. You will need to log in to access the site. If you have been accepted to one of our programs and do not have this information, please contact us.

CIEE has a limited number of merit-based partial scholarships for high school semester/academic year long programs. The application for this scholarship must be turned in no later than the scholarship application deadline noted here.

You and your family will have a chance to see your host family’s informational sheet and to communicate with them by phone or email prior to departure. The exact date of this placement is impossible to predict because so many factors go into making a good placement. If you have been accepted into a program, you will have a host family placement in time to obtain a visa and travel.

Orientations usually take place in Boston one day before departure to Europe and Latin America. Orientations for Japan take place in Chicago or another gateway city. Australia orientations generally take place on the west coast. The topics covered during orientation include: school and host family expectations, culture shock, program rules, tips for a successful year abroad, etc. The rest of the time is spent on sightseeing in the area, going out as a group to dinner, and evening activities. Students will be met at the airport and housed in a hotel with other participants. CIEE staff will stay in the hotel with the students and will accompany them to their overseas check in. They will be met at their destination by our program staff abroad and taken either to a central location for an in-country orientation or to their new community for a local orientation.

Every program has an end date, and the tickets will be purchased for that date. Our fare class is for students, so the availability of seats is limited on each date. Ticket dates are changeable for a fee, but this must be done well in advance of travel. Students must return on the same airline, with the same itinerary as originally booked. All changes are the responsibility of the student and his/her family directly with the airline.

All participants should check with their bank to see what their policy is in regards to withdrawing funds and using bank issued debit/credit cards abroad. In many countries the preferred means of payment is still cash so having access to it is very important. We discourage participants from using either traveler’s checks or personal checks while abroad.

Students are covered by iNext international travel insurance in addition to any coverage provided by their primary insurance provider. The iNext policy covers any unforeseen or unexpected accidents or illnesses while abroad. If students require medical attention, they will often have to pay up-front for any costs and then contact the iNext Department at CIEE for instructions on how to submit a claim.

Many of the college entrance exams that are given in the U.S. are available abroad at designated test centers. Please visit the College Board website for information on taking these exams overseas and to find exam locations and dates. Please be aware that CIEE will not schedule these exams for you and that the SAT/AP exam test centers may not be in your host town/city. Transportation and accommodation for testing is the responsibility of the participant. It is important to inform your local coordinator well in advance, since it may take some time to arrange travel permission.

Foreign grading systems are quite different, so evaluating them on the American grading scale is often difficult. The student's GPA should not be affected by the courses taken abroad. It is important you involve your U.S. high school throughout the pre-departure process. Please see the “School Credit” section for more information.

Backpacking through a country may be enticing if you are only interested in tourism. But to understand a community you must spend time in it. Living and studying alongside the people in your host country will maximize the richness of your international experience. CIEE's High School Abroad program provides the chance to get to know a country, its people, and challenges, in a way that is otherwise difficult to come by. Some programs do allow independent travel. Please keep in mind that even if a program allows it, you must have a travel release form signed by your local coordinator, natural parents, and CIEE. Additionally, under no circumstances are students permitted to miss school to travel.

Have you ever heard someone say "I can understand Spanish fine, I just can't speak it?" A language immersion program is usually designed to ensure that you can both speak and understand a foreign language. By forcing you to use whatever level of foreign language skills that you might possess&even if it is only one word&a language immersion program will surround you with a foreign language. You will use that language for everything, from discussing literature to finding the restroom. By fully committing to a language immersion program you may be tired at the end of the day, but by the end of the program you will be much more proficient than when you started.

CIEE maintains a list of alumni students and families who are enthusiastic about talking to potential students and their families. Request to talk to a former participant by email or visit our current and prospective students on Facebook.

CIEE is dedicated to providing all participants and parents with comprehensive support throughout the duration of the program. CIEE’s Support Team maintains close communication with the overseas receiving organization and regularly receives updates on student adjustment throughout the year. While the local coordinator is your first source of assistance locally, the Support Team is always available as a resource for participants and parents. They are trained and experienced in managing conflict, assisting with cultural adjustment issues, and providing support for emergency situations. Our staff is knowledgeable and experienced, and will be more than happy to answer questions, provide assistance, or discuss student concerns. The CIEE Support Team is available 24/7 via phone and is also available by email or Skype.