High School in Australia

Greenheart Travel’s High School Abroad Australia program gives students the opportunity to live with a local host family and attend a local high school in South Australia, one of the safest, most underrated regions of this country-continent! Whether your preference is to join a surfing club, learn all the intricacies of Australian Footy, or be academically challenged, you’ll learn to speak some Australian (much more than g’day, mate!) and even try a bit of Vegemite (don’t smell it first, though).

Is the “Land Down Under” calling your name? Let’s see.

• You want to see as much of this giant country as possible – there are optional trips you can add on to places like Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, or Kangaroo Island
• You have specific interests like tourism, child studies, technology and more and want the opportunity to choose your courses
• You want a culturally different experience, but want to speak English abroad
• You’re happy to live in a small, tight-knit community: our placements are outside of Adelaide, the region’s capital

What do our alumni say about their experience in Australia?

“To say the least, this trip was life changing for me! On a typical weekday after school, I would go to the footy club for training with friends from school or we would hang out with someone at either their house or mine. Weekends involved lots of surfing and bodyboarding, going to different festivals in the city, or going to beach parties through my church youth group from a church. Not once did I feel homesick or regret my decision!” — Jake, high school abroad alumni

Spring 2025 Dates

Application Deadline: September 15, 2024
Missed the deadline? We are still accepting applications for Spring 2025 on a case-by-case basis. Email travelapplications@greenheart.org for more details! 

• Trimester: January 29 – April 11, 2025
• Semester: January 29 – July 4, 2025
• Academic Year: January 29 – December 12, 2025

Fall 2025 Dates

Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Apply early and save! Apply by December 15, 2024 and save $300 off a trimester or semester program and $500 off an academic year program. 

• Trimester: July 21 – September 26, 2025
• Semester: July 21 – December 12, 2025
• Academic Year: July 21, 2025 – July 15, 2026

These are the school start and end dates; you may arrive or depart before or after these dates. Exact arrival/departure guidelines will be provided after acceptance!

Arrival and Departure 

All students are required to book flights on their own. An airport transfer upon arrival is included in the cost of the program. We will provide your exact arrival and departure dates after you are placed in a host family and school, as well as the exact timeframes you should arrive/depart, so that you can start to search for possible flights. We require prior approval of a proposed itinerary before you purchase any flights.

Greenheart Traveler and his new host family!

Nervous about flying on your own? We recommend students and parents sitting down together to review the following resources:

• How to navigate an international airport blog
• Flying internationally video
• Webinar with tips on flying internationally

For many Greenheart Travel students their first time flying is across the world to start their exchange program! You can read our alumni experiences on our blog, such as Emily’s or Madison’s blogs on their experiences flying to Japan or Rachel’s tips on what you actually need to know about flying.

Prices for Fall 2024:

2 months (1 term): $11,045
Academic Semester: $15,920
Academic Year: $29,025

All prices are listed in USD.

Packaged into the Price:

• Airport pickup upon arrival
• Host family accommodation and 3 meals per day
• Comprehensive medical/accident insurance
• Arrival Orientation with Australian Local Coordinator
• Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of the program for use on college applications.
• Access to Greenheart Travel Facebook groups to connect with alumni and others on your start date ahead of your program.
• Greenheart Atlas Program 
• Greenheart Travel T-shirt & other Greenheart swag

Our Support and Services: 

• Visa Assistance in applying for the visa ahead of arrival, including visa paperwork and extensive directions and support.
• Extensive pre-departure advice and support from your US-based program manager! They will be with you from your first inquiry, all the way through preparing to leave and your arrival in Australia.
• Support from in-country staff upon arrival to Australia.
• Online pre-departure cultural and logistical orientation before you leave
• 24-hour in-country and emergency support for the duration of the program, including 24-hour emergency phone numbers to reach a program manager at any time.
• Opportunity to apply for a Greenheart Grant to give back to your community at home or abroad

Additional Expenses to Budget for (Estimates):

• Airfare to/from Australia
• Stationary and School Supplies: $100
• School and Sports Uniforms: $300-$500
• School Excursions and Trips: $50
• Calculator: $50-$200
• South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) student fee for enrollment, assessment, and certification: $50-$500
• Cell phone: $20-$40 per month
• Personal expenses (shopping, movies, nights out, etc.): $300-$400 per month
• Transportation to school: $10-15 per week

Payment Details

• $1,500 Application Fee due by the program deadline to formally apply
• $5,000 Commitment Payment due 14 days after acceptance
• Remaining balance is due 16 weeks prior to your start date. If your program starts within 16 weeks of acceptance, the remaining program balance payment will be due at the same time as the commitment payment. 

Worried about the program fee?

Our goal is to help make travel accessible to everyone and we are here to help when you are deciding if this experience is financially do-able. Each year we offer scholarships for high school study abroad students! We also have a guide to fundraising your program fee, and many high school students fundraise in their hometown ahead of their program.

We also offer discounts for applying early (plus there are many other benefits to applying early!) for each start date and for US families that have hosted an exchange student with Greenheart Exchange.

In researching a study abroad program, you have already shown you are a leader and open-minded in your academic pursuits. These are just a few of the traits that our exchange students possess. You’re motivated to immerse yourself in another culture and flexible enough to live outside your comfort zone. You should also:

• Be between 15 and 18 years of age (at the time of travel)
• Be from the United States or Canada
• Possess a high school cumulative GPA of at least 2.75/4.0
• Be in great mental* and physical health
• Have a genuine interest in becoming a part of your host family and community

*What does it mean to be in good mental health?

Moving to a new culture and staying in unfamiliar surroundings without your normal support structure can be very stressful, even to a well-adjusted student. Sending a student with pre-existing conditions on a long-term exchange program could exacerbate whatever challenges the student was previously facing. In order to ensure the safety of our participants, we must be rigorous in our pre-screening of all high school abroad applicants.

Therefore, we may not be able to accept students who have struggled with any kind of mental illness, specifically within the last 2 years and/or are reliant on medication to address their existing mental health condition. Each student will be addressed on a case by case basis and ultimately it is Greenheart Travel’s in-country partner who holds the right to accept or decline a student based on their individual policy.

These include, but are not limited to:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Eating disorders
• Chronic debilitating migraines
• Bipolar Disorder

All students who currently experience one or more of these conditions will be required to submit an addendum to the terms and conditions as well as a letter of support from their current mental health specialist. If the student’s mental health issue has been managed (post-medication) for over 2 years, we will still require a note from his/her relevant practitioner (psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist, etc) as part of the application process.  We encourage you to discuss your specific situation with us directly, before securing these documents.

Please note that students who have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD will not be guaranteed any academic accommodations plans by the host school abroad.

So, what about credits?

Neither Greenheart Travel nor the host school abroad provides high school credit. All credit must be granted through your home school in the U.S. or Canada. All U.S./Canadian schools have different policies. It is strongly recommended prior to departure each student confirms with the home school whether courses will be transferable or accepted. To read how previous alum have transferred credits, click here.

In Australia, we cannot guarantee your host school will provide you an official transcript, but students are provided performance reports. It is the student’s responsibility to request and receive any additional documentation or letters from the host school verifying completion of course work. Students must have good attendance, standing, and behavior in their host school for such requests to be fulfilled.

It is then the student’s responsibility to provide their home school with such documentation as proof of completion. The student’s home school will determine whether credit shall be awarded or not.

Before You Go Abroad

You should meet with your US high school before you leave and share the general curriculum guidelines for Australia with your guidance counselor and/or teachers.

Each host school has varying curriculum and students are not guaranteed specific classes, but Greenheart can pass along students’ course requests to host schools (you’ll let us know during the interview!). Still, students are encouraged to arrange specific classes within their home school schedules required for graduation, such as U.S. History, pre- or post time abroad.

Greenheart Travel will be able to provide information about the general curriculum for your age level in Australia, but you may not be assigned courses until after arrival to Australia.

Access your High School Curriculum Guidelines for Australia here!

Once You’re Abroad

Please keep in mind that the grading system in other countries is different from the US. Many host schools will not put grades on documentation, and rather provide a pass/fail grade or written assessment of students’ performance. If your host school is able to evaluate using a grading scale, these grades may not be an exact match to grades provided at students’ home schools.

Here’s an example of a typical school day in Australia:

• 8.00am: Arrive at school. Homegroup for attendance and daily notices.
• 8.30am – 10.45am: Lessons such as English and Information Technology
• 10.45am: Recess (a short break for a drink and snack)
• 11.00am – 12.45pm: Lessons such as Geography and Mathematics
• 12.45pm: Lunch (time to eat lunch with your friends, attend activity clubs, music lessons or sports practice)
• 1.30pm – 3.30pm: Lessons such as Home Economics and Science
• 3.30pm: School finishes. Many students are involved in after-school sports or music bands.

The best way to learn about a new culture and language is to be fully immersed in it which is why all Greenheart Travel high school abroad students live with host families. All our host families are volunteers and will treat you as a member of their family. By being a part of your family’s daily life, you will learn to live and speak like a local.

Prospective host families undergo a rigorous screening process. Participants can rest assured that only suitable host families will be selected. In fact, many of our current host families have hosted students in the past, showing what an impactful experience it was.

In order to qualify as a host family, the prospective hosts must:

• Successfully pass a criminal background check
• Undergo and pass an in-person interview with program staff
• Agree to and pass a home inspection

We will connect you with your host family prior to your arrival in your host country. By e-mailing and speaking with them before arriving, it will help break the ice when you finally meet in person. It will also show that you are as excited to live with them as they are to host you!

Host families have many reasons why they want to welcome you! They’ll receive a small compensation to offset the cost of living, but this is not the reason they choose to host! Many host families love the experience of cultural exchange – they learn just as much about your country as you do theirs. Many are also former exchange students and want to return the favor, or they have children who have gone or will go to study in the U.S. Having an exchange student exposes their children to new languages and cultures.

We place all of our students in the Australian state of South Australia! With over 300 days of sunshine per year, South Australia is a great place to call home. Our top 5 most common placements are in the following towns: Victor Harbor, Murray Bridge, Mount Barker, Port Lincoln, and Willunga. 

The majority of our families live in small to medium-sized towns outside of major cities, and it is important you be open-minded to smaller-town life.

We make it a priority to place students with host families that closely match your interests and personality, for example, if you like field hockey, we’ll do our best to find a family that also loves field hockey! For this reason, we work first to find a suitable family rather than a destination preference.

Greenheart Travel has been working with high schoolers for many years, and there are advantages of applying for this program through us:

• 33 years of experience with cultural exchange programs
• Friendly, responsive, and professional support from your program manager
• Connect with alumni and others on the program via our Greenheart Travel only Facebook forums, before you even leave!
• We try and make our program fees as inclusive as we can. We include things like medical insurance so you don’t run into any hidden fees down the line.
• Greenheart Atlas Program. The Greenheart Travel Atlas is a cultural training interactive guidebook alongside five videos where you will find three main topics covered: Personal/Professional Development, Cultural Understanding, & Environmental Awareness.
• Our alumni recommend us! GoOverseas.com Reviews // GoAbroad.com Reviews
• Hands-on support and personal attention every step of the way
• 24/7 emergency phone number to reach a staff member at any time
• Pre-departure “Culture Shock and Adjustment” Webinar before you leave
• Discounts for future Greenheart Travel programs
• We are a non-profit, mission-based organization
• Continued support throughout your time abroad

We also have some unique offerings to our Greenheart Travel students and alumni!

Greenheart Global Impact Grants (GIGs)

Greenheart GIG Grants are funds awarded to Greenheart Travel participants to use for community development projects in their host or home country. A GIG is the opportunity to create, improve, or maintain an impactful, community-focused project abroad or at home. Grant funds could be applied to supporting women’s cooperatives, schools, community centers, or health clinics, for example. Grant winners will be featured on our website, social media, and blog. You can see our past winners on our blog here.

Greenheart Alumni Program

We created the Greenheart Travel Alumni Program to provide resources and a community to support alumni in their advancement as global leaders, and a way to celebrate and reward our participants for being ambitious, inspiring catalysts of cultural exchange!

Junior Greenheart Global Leaders Conference

Each May Greenheart offers full-ride scholarships to around 10 teen alumni to attend our annual conference in Chicago. You can see more about what Jr. GGLC is and what you could do at the conference here.

Have questions or want to talk to one of the program coordinators? Set up a time to have a phone call below.