Applying to SYA


Eligibility


SYA is designed as a year-long program because experience has taught us that students learn and grow in two semesters far more than twice as much as they do in a single semester. Many students do not hit their stride in the second language until December, and most do not begin to achieve mastery until early spring. We therefore do not accept one-semester applications, with the exception of our new program in Vietnam which opened in fall 2009.

Students from any accredited American high school may apply to spend their junior or senior year with SYA. On rare occasion, high school graduates seeking additional academic training before entering college may be allowed to apply as well, but only to SYA Vietnam. Please call the home office for details. Students applying to SYA in Rennes or Zaragoza must be currently enrolled in at least level II of French or Spanish. SYA China, Italy, Japan and Vietnam, however, accept applications from students of all levels, including those who would like to begin the study of Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese or Latin and Italian with us.

Application


Once you receive our application packet, we ask applicants to send in Part I of the application, along with the non-refundable $75 application fee, as soon as they have made the decision to apply. The sooner we receive the application form and fee, the sooner we will be able to assign an interviewer. Complete applications received by March 1 are considered first; but SYA accepts late applications as long as space remains available. Please call 978-725-6828 ext. 2 or email to inquire about availability after March 1.

Students from member schools must pick up their application packet from their school's SYA coordinator and return completed forms to that representative. Students from all other schools need to request the application packet by filling out an Information Request Form or calling our office at 978.725.6828.

A complete application to SYA includes: application form, essays, a snapshot, a letter to the prospective host family and a non-refundable $75 application fee submitted by the candidate, four recommendations from teachers and counselors, an interview with an SYA representative, a transcript of grades, including any high school standardized test scores (required).

For details regarding the Merit Scholarships, Please click here for more information.

Admissions process


In examining the folders of our applicants, we ask ourselves two fundamental questions: Is this student prepared academically to keep up with a challenging classroom program? And is this person going to make a good ambassador for their school and country, taking full and constructive advantage of opportunities for growth, but also making healthy contributions to the school and their host family?

To answer the first question, we examine teacher recommendations, examples of the student's writing, the transcript of current grades and any objective testing results available. Successful applicants need not be straight A students, nor even straight A students in foreign language. They must, however, have strong verbal skills and, above all, a strong desire to master a second language.

In studying the second question, we rely on the interview, the recommendations and the student essays. We like to see examples of the applicant's ability to make the most of difficult situations. And we look for the following positive qualities: the capacity to be grateful and show enthusiasm, open-mindedness, sociability, organization, a sense of responsibility, good manners, a willingness to communicate, a sense of humor, generosity, common sense, emotional stability and drive.

The process of reading folders and rendering decisions takes approximately one month. We will mail admissions decisions four to five weeks after the due date, provided all application documents have been submitted. Please note that the Admissions Office is separate from the Financial Aid Office and that financial aid grants are awarded after admissions decisions are made. It is our strict policy not to give decisions over the phone.

Only about half of SYA's students come from member schools, so there is always room for students from other schools. Since 1964 students have come to SYA from nearly 900 public, parochial and independent schools.

Each of our schools abroad has space for approximately 60 students, and in recent years we have received about three applications for every two places in the program. It is fair to say that admissions are competitive without being impossible.

Students must pay all outstanding bills at their home schools and be in good academic and disciplinary standing before matriculating at SYA.


School Year Abroad does not and will not discriminate against any applicant for admission to its program on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.

As a condition of admission parents and students must authorize the home school and family physician to release any information about counseling, discipline incidents, health problems, psychological conditions and/or drug and alcohol use, in addition to all academic records. Parents acknowledge that such information is necessary in determining whether or not the student can meet the special social, psychological and academic challenges presented by a year abroad. Parents and students agree further that, if the candidate is admitted and enrolls at SYA, SYA may share any information about the student's behavior and experience at SYA (including academic, health and discipline information) with the student's parents and home school.



"School was the heart and soul of Anna's day. Her teachers and classes were extraordinary, and she loved being in an academic environment where everyone aimed high and cared about their work."

Laurie, SYA Spain parent


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School Year Abroad U.S. Office 439 South Union Street, Lawrence MA 01843 978.725.6828 mail@sya.org

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