Sonnenuntergang beim Segeln auf dem Wasser

Program in Focus · High School Year

There's a version of you
you haven't met yet.

She lives in a Florida high school, between palm trees and a locker that smells like sunscreen. She speaks English better than she thought she could. She's been through a Friday-night football game she'll never stop talking about. Here's how that year actually works.

Walk through the year Just the facts

Duration

5 or 10 months

A single semester or a full year inside a U.S. high school.

Age

14 – 18

Open from Year 9 through Year 12.

Grades

9^th – 12^th

Sophomore, Junior, or Senior — your call.

Setting

Real U.S. school

Accredited public & private high schools in Florida.

August · First day Front office of a Florida high school

A year in three acts

It begins in August.

You step out of the air-conditioned airport and into the heavy Florida heat — the first sign that you've arrived. Then comes the first real meeting with your host family. Everything here is different from home; it has to be, because you didn't come here for the familiar. But I can promise you this: by the time the year is over, this place will be your home.

By October, it doesn't feel strange to start your school day with a hug or a private chat with your teachers. You are no longer a visitor; you are part of the spirit, staying on campus until 10 PM for events and cheering until your voice gives out. By December, you are decorating for the holidays with people who were strangers in August, realizing that time has suddenly begun to race.

By May, you are standing at the airport with tears in your eyes. You've built a new life under the sun, and you can't imagine leaving it behind.

That's the shape of the journey. What follows on this page is what's underneath: the calendar, the courses, the daily rhythm, and the differences worth knowing before you commit.

School-Year Calendar

Three ways to land in the year.

The American academic calendar is fixed — no flexible start dates. You join for a semester or a full year. Each option has its own rhythm.

Fall Semester

August – December

~5 months · single semester

Starts: mid- to late August

Ends: just before winter break in December

You'll experience: Homecoming, fall sports, Thanksgiving

A structured first taste of the U.S. school system.

Most chosen A Florida campus street with palm trees

Full Year

August – May / June

~10 months · full academic year

Starts: mid- to late August

Ends: late May or early June

You'll experience: Homecoming · Prom · full sports seasons · Spring Break · Senior Night

The full immersion. Most students choose this — and almost none regret it.

Spring Semester

January – May / June

~5 months · single semester

Starts: early January, after winter break

Ends: with the school year in May / June

You'll experience: Prom, spring sports, Graduation

The energy of the school-year finale, condensed into one semester.

Day-to-Day

What it actually feels like.

Click through to step into each part of the school year. Mornings, classrooms, grades, what you take home with you.

A day, start to finish.

Days are long but well-paced. Most students take 6 – 8 classes, each about 50 – 55 minutes. Then sports practice or a club meeting. Then home, dinner with the host family, homework, sleep.

6:30 AM

Wake up, breakfast — bus, carpool, walk.

7:15 – 8:30

First period begins — exact start varies by school

Morning

3 – 4 classes back to back, with five-minute transitions

11:00 – 12:30

Lunch

Afternoon

3 – 4 more classes

2:30 – 3:30

School ends — sports practice, clubs, free time, or home

5:00 – 6:30

Dinner

Evening

Homework — usually 1 – 3 hours, depending on courses

The course catalog is huge.

Every U.S. high school combines a core curriculum with a long list of electives. Many schools offer 100+ courses across all four years — you'll get a printed schedule the first week with your six to eight choices.

Core (required by visa restrictions):

English — literature, composition, writing
Math — Algebra, Geometry, Calculus tracks
Social Studies — U.S. History, U.S. Government

Electives (your choice):

Science — Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Forensic, Marine Biology, Environmental Science
Social Studies — World History
Foreign Language — Spanish, French, German, Latin, Mandarin
Physical Education — HOPE, Team Sports, Weight Lifting
Theater & Drama
Music — Band, Choir, Orchestra
Visual Arts — Painting, Drawing, 3D Art, Photography, Ceramics
Computer Science & Programming
Business, Marketing, Entrepreneurship
Journalism & Yearbook
Engineering & Robotics
Culinary Arts
Sports Marketing or Sports Medicine
Psychology, Sociology

If the regular course feels too easy, you can take Honors, Advanced Placement (AP), or Cambridge classes (AICE) — the latter two are roughly first-year university level.

Grades are letters — A through F.

Forget the way of grading in your home country. American high schools use letter grades, each tied to a percentage range. Your grade is built from tests, essays, projects, homework, presentations, and — this surprises many — class participation. Speaking up matters here.

Grade

Range

Meaning

90 – 100%

Excellent — you've clearly mastered it

80 – 89%

Above average — strong understanding

70 – 79%

Average — passing with room to grow

60 – 69%

Below average — minimum to pass

below 60%

Failing — does not earn credit

GPA (Grade Point Average) is the average of all your grades on a 0.0 – 4.0 scale. Honors and AP courses are weighted higher (up to 5.0).

Credits, progress & the diploma question.

Each course earns credits: about 0.5 per semester course, 1.0 per year-long course. To graduate, U.S. students need 22 to 26 credits across all four years, and maybe some state tests.

Year-long courses → 1 credit
Semester courses → 0.5 credits
Schools track credits and grade level continuously
Transcripts list every course, grade, and credit

Can you earn a U.S. high school diploma? Honestly — it's a challenge. But if you commit to the full 12th-grade year, that diploma is within your reach. No matter what, every student returns home with an official transcript. Even if you're only with us for one semester, your grades will tell the story of your dedication and hard work — a powerful door-opener for every future application you submit.

Beyond the Classroom

The part you'll actually remember.

Sports, clubs, traditions, the way Friday afternoons feel different from Tuesday afternoons. This is where the year imprints itself.

Sports That Mean Something

Football on Friday night. Basketball in winter. Tryouts, jerseys, team buses, mascots. Even if you've never played, you'll watch — and you'll get it.

30 + Clubs You Didn't Know About

Drama, debate, robotics, Model UN, yearbook, environmental club, chess team. You'll find one. Probably two.

Homecoming, Prom, Graduation

Beach trips with new friends. Rocket launch. Spring Break. Local wildlife. Just because someone said let's go.

The Florida In-Between

Beach trips with new friends. Rocket launch. Spring Break. Local wildlife. Just because someone said let's go.

"I came back fluent. But that wasn't even the biggest thing. The biggest thing was that I knew I could land somewhere new and figure it out."

— Lena, 17, Indian River Charter High School, Vero Beach · Year 2024–25

USA vs Your Home Country

It's not better. It's just different.

The biggest mental adjustment for international students isn't English — it's the way teaching, grading, and daily structure work.

Right Fit Check

Is this for you?

No checklist replaces a real conversation. But these are the conditions that tend to make the year work — and none of them are about being perfect.

You're 14 – 18. You'll enter Grade 9, 10, 11, or 12.
Your English is conversational. Roughly B1+ — fluency comes during, not before.
You're open. Different rules. Different food. Different humour.
You're independent enough. You'll live with a host family in a town that may feel small.
You're curious. About U.S. culture, sports, daily life, or just a new perspective.
You want growth. Confidence, fluency, friendships you'll keep.

Open the conversation

Still thinking it through?

That's the right reflex. There's a lot to weigh. Tell us where you are and we'll walk you through the next questions — no pitch, no pressure.

Read the FAQ Talk to us Email us

There's a version of you you haven't met yet.