It is advisable to start enrolment procedures during the second or third year and to start the year of the fourth year. We recommend that you register for the programme well in advance so that you can complete the paperwork in good time, choose the destination of your choice and take advantage of any promotions and scholarships.

The Ministry of Education excludes examinations. However, the class council may require you to take tests in subjects that are part of the curriculum in Italy and that you have not studied abroad.

Initial language and adaptation difficulties that you may encounter during the first days of your High School Programme are quickly overcome thanks to your full involvement in the new reality, the support of your host family and local representatives.

Depending on the programme you choose, you may be hosted by a carefully selected host family or stay at a college.

You will only be able to check availability once you have arrived on site. Be open-minded: try out new sports, engage in activities you have never tried. They will be experiences you will carry with you forever!

Prices vary according to the type of programme, destination, duration and other variables.

The answer is: absolutely yes.

It depends on the programme and destination; contact your agency for more details. Typically, the cost of the original programme plus the extension and̀ higher than choosing a full duration immediately.

It depends on the programme chosen. A supplement is required to indicate certain preferences.

Yes, contact our Star Tutors for more information.

Families can be of different types: older or younger couples, with or without children, extended families or single-parent families with or without children. Host families may come from different social, religious, economic and cultural backgrounds. What all Host Families have in common is the importance they place on welcoming students and making them feel at home.

School abroad cultural exchange programmes favour accommodation in small to medium-sized towns, where families enthusiastically welcome foreign students. If you prefer to stay in a city, choose a programme with a more specific choice of destination.

No, you will be the only Italian student even if you ask to share with your compatriots. This is a basic rule of the programme. Two people from outside of the family who speak the same foreign language can give rise to unintentional and unpleasant dynamics. Having another student at home who speaks your language would also reduce the speed and effectiveness of learning.

This is̀ a cultural exchange programme and does not allow independent travel within the country. In some destinations,̀ you may take part in trips offered by local organisations to foreign students, but always with the permission of your host family and your natural parents. Host families are not obliged to let the student travel.

Yes̀, many Italian schools recognise the school programme abroad as hours for Transversal Skills and Orientation courses (formerly ASL). During their stay abroad, students may carry out voluntary work or other work as required by Italian law and then request a written statement certifying the activity carried out and the amount of hours involved. The Italian school, with this certificate, will recognise the hours for PCTOs (formerly Alternanza Scuola-Lavoro).

The school year abroad programme is an individual programme and going with a friend would compromise the benefits of the experience, such as being fully immersed in the language and culture of the host country.

If you have a specific health condition to report, it is important to mention it at the time of the selection interview. In the case of diets, allergies or other special conditions, a monthly supplement may be charged to cover extra expenses.

No, this is never allowed for Exchange Students.

No, air transfers do not include an accompanying person: you will fly to your dream independently or, in some cases, with other Exchange Students.

Thanks to the School Year Abroad programme, you have the opportunity to attend from three months to a full school year at a high school in another country. You can choose your favourite destination from the many available and have a fantastic experience. During your stay, a host family will welcome you and make you feel at home, or you can experience college life. It will be a unique opportunity for your growth, you will learn or improve the language of the destination country, make new friends, and get to know another culture, new lifestyles, and traditions. It will be an experience you will carry with you for the rest of your life!

You can participate in the School Year Abroad programme if you are regularly enrolled in a high school and are between 14 and 18 years old (in some destinations the ages may vary slightly).

No, it is always the host family who chooses the student they wish to host on the basis of the Student Application. Pairings with families cannot be refused a priori.

Notification of the placement can take place from a few months before to a few days before departure, especially for programmes where the choice of school is not foreseen.

This varies according to the country chosen, but it is important to know that they can be small (100-300 students) or even large (2000-3000 students). In some countries a uniform or a specific dress code is required.

Again, the answer differs depending on the country chosen and the programme required. By attending a full academic year at a foreign high school, it is possible to obtain a diploma, if this is provided for in the internal regulations and if the academic results allow it.

Considering the cost of living in the country of destination, your expenses will be comparable to those you usually incur in Italy. We suggest that you leave with a rechargeable credit card, after checking that it works in your host country.

Absolutely not, you can participate in a term, semester, or school year abroad without being obliged to host a foreign student.

It depends on the programme chosen and the requirements of the local high school. Contact our tutors for more information.

It depends on the programme chosen and the requirements of the local high school. Contact our tutors for more information.

The High School Program is recognised by the Ministry of Education, University and Research of the Italian Republic and regulated by the MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research) Note Ref. No. 843 dated 10/04/2013. You will be absent with good reason and may be readmitted on the basis of the report form given to you by the school in the foreign country. We advise you to find out and discuss the specifics on how to manage your return directly with your school.

Yes̀, in school systems that provide for it and̀ you can choose subjects at school from those available. In most cases, the choice will be made when you arrive at the foreign school, and you will be supported in this by a tutor from within the school. As these are very different education systems, it is not̀ certain that you will be able to find the same subjects as in Italy, so we advise you, whenever possible, to choose subjects that are as similar as possible to the Italian school system.

You can choose your preferred host country from all those available and your choice is always guaranteed. The precise final destination depends on the programme chosen.

Families who decide to host a foreign student for a term, a semester or the whole school year are keen to experience this in depth and to do their utmost to provide the student with all the help and support he or she needs. Depending on the programme chosen, families may be voluntary or receive a refund for hosting the student.

On-site staff will work with you and your host family to determine the reason for the problem and find a possible solution:̀ remember that the onset of a difficulty does not always mean a change of family. Often, solutions are sought together to allow you to continue your experience with serenity and to grow by overcoming obstacles. In cases where for various reasons this is not possible, a change of family is also offered.

This will depend on the host family you choose to stay with: some host families have more than one room and therefore can only let one room to the student they are hosting, while other families may share a room with a foreign brother/sister or another Exchange Student.

Your first point of contact on site is your host family, with whom you can discuss all aspects of your stay. Also, I could talk to the Local Coordinator and the school tutor. The Local Coordinator, in particular, will be your mentor in case of any kind of problem: adaptation difficulties, culture shock, possible problems with the host family, homesickness.

This answer varies according to the university chosen by the student in Italy or abroad: some universities allow students who obtain a diploma (normally American) to enrol with only the foreign diploma without the need to obtain the Italian diploma, whilst other universities do not consider it a diploma that can replace the Italian qualification.

Re-entry is normally only granted in very serious situations (such as the loss of a family member). As for visits, in most cases they are not granted during the year, but only during the last weeks of the programme. The holidays are a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your host family and learn more about the culture and traditions of your host country. In some European destinations, public holidays may not be included, and it will therefore be possible to return to Italy.

This is an important question that should be asked before leaving. Although living an academic year in a foreign country may seem very challenging, it is also one of the most rewarding and uplifting experiences you can have. You are ready to live abroad if you are curious about discovering new habits and cultures, if you are willing to struggle to communicate at first but feel open to opening up to the world and if you think the world is too big and interesting to get to know only a small part of it. If you find yourself in at least one of these aspects, then don't wait to go abroad for a year!