International Students
International Program
The International Program is for High School Students from outside the United States interested in a 6-month to multiple year program at the Sacramento Waldorf High School. We welcome applications from international students and value the cultural diversity and individual gifts our current international students bring to the student body. Many international students have attended SWS from one to four years. A few have chosen to stay and graduate, later matriculating to institutions of higher learning in California or elsewhere in the United States.
We welcome students who are bright, inquisitive, imaginative, and compassionate.
Benefits
- Learn English
- Prepare for US universities
- Challenge yourself
- Lifelong friends with native English speakers and students from all over the world
- Participation in clubs and sports
- Immerse yourself in American culture
Program Details
- One year and multiple year programs available.
- We help students contact a home-stay agency to find a local host family.
- Full immersion: International Students whose English level is sufficient attend classes alongside all the other students.
- We provide the I-20 form needed to apply for an F-1 type student visa.
- Tuition for 2013-2014 is $18,000, not including home-stay fees.
- Home-stay fees are usually around $1,000 to $1,200 per month for Room and Board.
- Success in our curriculum is largely dependent on the student’s ability to respond to course material in writing. We provide an on-site tutor who works with language syntax on essays. We expect international students to be proficient in English.
Applying for Admission
International students applying for admission must complete the International Student Application form. Students who are applying to grades 10, 11 or 12 are asked to provide a translated copy of academic records for high school equivalent education in a foreign country. Students who want to receive traditional letter grades and course credit also need to submit a TOEFL junior score (Test of English as a Foreign Language) as part of the application packet. Families can access additional information about the TOEFL junior exam at http://www.ets.org/toefl_junior/about
Reasonable proficiency in English is important for success in the High School. A TOEFL score is not required if an international student is interested primarily in a cultural and language immersion experience. In these cases only, traditional grades and credits are considered optional and are awarded at teacher discretion only if the student’s skills in English support full participation in classes.
Living Arrangements
The Sacramento Waldorf School has no boarding facilities, so international students must make independent arrangements for staying with a local host family while attending. In the past, most international students have lived with extended family or friends. Students who need help in locating an appropriate host family must make this clear at the time of application to the High School. Efforts will be made to assist applicants in finding a host family, however placement through the School cannot be guaranteed.
Student Exchange Program (3-months)
Foreign students from Germany or a Spanish speaking country who are interested in establishing a three month exchange with one of our current students should apply as an Exchange Student (See High School/Student Exchange). Please note students who wish to attend Sacramento Waldorf School on a basis other than a three-month exchange are considered international students.
The Sacramento Waldorf School has an active Student Exchange Program. Several students travel to Germany or South America each year to live and study with their exchange partner for a three month period.
Applications for student exchange during the current 2012-13 school year are now closed.
No applications are being accepted for exchange during the 2013-14 school year (September 2013 – June 2014)
The student exchange application form for 2014-15 will be available on this page beginning September, 2013.
The Sacramento Waldorf School has an exchange relationship with the Waldorf School in Ravensburg, Germany. Students from that school are prioritized for exchange visits.
Students from Spain or South America interested in a three month exchange visit at the Sacramento Waldorf School beginning September 2014 or later are invited to apply in September 2013. Students from other countries may apply, but will be placed on a waiting list pending the completion of exchange matches for applicants from Ravensburg and South America.
International Student High School Calendar & Key Dates
First day of School: Tuesday, September 3rd 2013
Thanksgiving Break: Monday, November 25th 2013 until Monday, December 2013
Winter Break: Monday: December 23rd, 2013 until Monday, January 6th 2014
February Break: Monday, February 17th 2014 until Monday, February 24th 2014
Spring Break: Monday, April 7th 2014 until Monday, April 21st 2014
Last day of High School: Friday, June 13th 2014
High School Graduation: Saturday, June 14th 2014
Sacramento Waldorf School 3750 Bannister Road, Fair Oaks, California 95628 (916) 961-3900