Also popularly known as a student exchange program, a High School study abroad program is a program for students in their secondary or higher education. These programs got very popular after World War II with students around the globe wanting to learn and live in different cultures. In most high school study abroad programs, students literally swap places with each other, with each living at the other’s house too. These programs help students understand and appreciate other cultures as well as improve their language skills and broaden their social horizons.

The duration of a high school study abroad program is generally short lasting up to a maximum of 6-10 months. Host families that participate in the program are generally unpaid volunteers with children the same age. It is a fabulous program for families as well catering to a child of different socio-economic and cultural background. At the end of the course, students generally prepare a project to share the knowledge with peers in the school. In most countries, schools permanently tie up with foreign schools to exchange students annually.