Your Life In The U.S.
A Safe and Immersive Experience
CIEE High School USA is more than just an educational opportunity; it is also a chance for you to experience life as an American teen. CIEE, along with our nationwide network of welcoming host families, high-quality schools, and experienced Local Coordinators (LCs), come together to ensure this experience is both safe and immersive.
Living With Your Host Family
Host families come in all shapes and sizes. Some have children, while others do not; some are working families, while other are retired. CIEE strives to match students with host families based on personality traits, hobbies, curricular or extracurricular interests, family make-up, and more.
The result: You become a member of the family. That means spending time together, talking, cooking, and exploring your community; it means attending festivals and local sporting events; it means grocery shopping and barbecuing in the park. More than anything, it means building relationships that span the globe and last a lifetime.
Attending An American School
High school in the U.S. will be different than in your home country. Open your mind to this educational opportunity! You may take more classes — up to seven or eight at a time. You could participate in team sports such as basketball or extracurricular activities such as theater and debate.
You will probably also experience, possibly for the first time, what we call school spirit! Your school will have a mascot, school colors, pep rallies, football games, and dances. American students love to get involved and show their spirit. Join in on the fun and excitement!
Exploring Your Community
You will enjoy many opportunities to explore your community with your host family and the friends you make at school. On the weekend, imagine eating out at a local restaurant with your friends or walking a local nature trail with your host family; during school breaks, imagine taking a road trip or visiting college campuses.
This is your chance to have your own American experience. Learn about the place and people with whom you live; see the sights and taste the flavors of this wonderfully diverse country. No matter what state, city, or small town you end up in, there will be exciting places to explore and welcoming people to meet.
Did you know?
Highly-trained and multilingual support staff are available 24/7 by phone to support CIEE students in the event of an emergency.
Safety and Support
Our schools, host families, and LCs – all handpicked and thoroughly vetted – work together to provide supervision and support whether you are at home, at school, or in your community. How does it all work? We’re glad you asked:
| At Home | At School | In Your Community |
|---|---|---|
All CIEE host families are open-minded, welcoming, and interested in sharing cultures. They also provide a caring and supportive home environment. Your host family will:
| American high schools are equipped with highly-educated teachers and robust support staffs that are always available to help. Your school will:
| CIEE Local Coordinators (LCs) live in your host community and are available whenever you need them. Your LC will:
|
Check out students' real American experiences
Gingerbread Sleepover with Oma & Opa
Just this past weekend, my host grandparents, who we call Oma and Opa, hosted an all-weekend cousins event. I was invited, of course, now that I’m part of the family... keep reading
Wir gingen durch harte Zeiten :)
The day started off like any other. I went to school, tried to figure out what my bio teacher was saying, and walked to the bus stop after classes. Today... keep reading
Connections?
When I began thinking about this adventure, I wondered how meeting people would be. I wasn’t sure if people would want to talk to me or get to know me... keep reading