Imagine getting to learn while traveling with a bunch of like-minded teens who love to travel. Sounds pretty fun to me, and if you’re in high school and enjoy travel definitely check out these traveling high schools.
Here are the 4 best traveling high schools
- Think Global High School
- 12 countries in 3 years and graduate with Think Global
- Mei International Academy
- Pick locations offered for a term semester or year
- Blyth Academy
- Spend structured school like days traveling
- The Traveling School
- Semester for girls wanting to step out of their comfort zones
Learn culture, a new language, communication skills, motivation, compassion and more through traveling with friends. Here are the details of the four high schools that will let you learn from the world.
Best Traveling High Schools
There are four high schools that I found where students travel full time for a semester, term or year. Here is a quick comparison of each traveling high school.
| Cost per semester (CAD) | Accepted Ages | How long | |
| Think Global | $124,874 (per year) | 15-18 | 2-3 years |
| Mei International Academy | $30,000 | 16-18 | semester/term/year |
| Blyth Academy | $36,000 | 16-18 | semester/term/year |
| The Traveling School | $41,152 | 15-18 | semester |
Think Global High School
Travel to 12 countries in 3 years. There are around 45 teens age 15 to 18 and under, with a students to teacher ratio is around 4:1. Think global high school is a non-profit slow traveling high school where you live and study in a different country. Students who become part of Think Global will have the chance to learn in a traditional classroom as well as museums, tribal villages, marketplaces, national parks, temples and shrines, universities and many more.
It all started when founder and mother Joann McPike wanted her son to go to a high school that embraced travel the way her family did, but there was nothing. So in 2010 they launched Think Global’s first semester in in Sweden. Their vision now is to help shape students to be informed, engaged and inspired.
To graduate from think global you must do the complete 3 years. The cost for the program is around $124,874 (CAD) but it can range depending on your families yearly income. Of course there is financial aid if you need it. Each student has an advisor that will help them with their strengths, weaknesses and areas where they need improvement. Your advisor may help modify your curriculum based on what you want to go to university for. Your advisor also contacts your parents or guardians to keep them up to date with how you are doing.
Students living situation can vary depending on where they are, sometimes they may be in a dorm, a bungalow in the jungle or in an apartment. Though they do not have an exact schedule, students still get to do a bit of everything in one week. Students are doing 8 weeks of school and then they get 5 weeks off throughout the whole year and in each country they visit. At the beginning of the 8 weeks they do one week of intense online school.
Mei International Academy
Mei International Academy is a short term or long term traveling high school. Students can travel with them for a summer, term, semester or an entire year if they are in grade 11 or 12. There are around 25 and 40 students traveling in a group at a time and their student to teacher ratio is around 10 to 1. Mei gives you location options so you can pick where you want to do high school.
Joe Mei started the program over 20 years ago, in 1999, when they did their first semester sailing the greek islands. It was sort of like a tester to see how everything worked out. They had 24 high school students getting “grade 13” credits. After that journey Joe knew it had been a success, so he continued these adventures for high schoolers. Their mission is to offer a global high school that has lessons made specifically to inspire real education around the world.
The cost in CAD for a term at Mei is around $16,000, a semester is around $30,000 and the entire year is around $60,000. The prices all depends on the locations that you choose to go to. As the cost is quite pricey students can get a scholarship for up to $2,500 per term, which is $10,000 for a year.
Mei has a daily schedule (waking up at 7 and going to bed at 10:30), which they often follow. It gives students daily exercise time, class time and time to explore the city they are in. Mei tries to keep their programs and classes paperless, so it is mostly virtual and students need to bring a laptop or tablet with them.
Blyth Academy
Like Mei International Academy, at Blyth Academy you can also travel for a summer, term, semester or a whole year. Blyth brings together students from Canada, The U.S. and beyond. Class sizes are between 8 and 14 students for grade 11 and 12 students. When you apply to Blyth Academy you can choose when you want to go based on where they are going each term and what courses they have to offer.
Blyth Academy did not start off as a traveling high school, it was just a regular high school for students interested in adventure travel. In 2002 they opened one in Toronto, Canada which they still have. Now Blyth has over 10 high schools all around the world, plus their global high school.
The program cost in CAD is around $17,935 for a term, $36,620 for a semester and $56,000 for the year. Like all the other programs Blyth also has financial aid. If you would like to apply for it you have to fill out a form and write about why you would like to participate in one of Blyth’s travel programs.
Students at Blyth study 2 subjects each term which gives them time to study each subject in depth in the country they are in. If they choose to go for a term students can finish the semester by doing their other 2 online before or afterwards. Blyth has a schedule that can change throughout the year. They try to give each student exercise time, free time, study time and class time. Accommodation while traveling with Blyth ranges but students are always in a safe environment close to public transport and important spots.
The Traveling School
The Traveling School is a traveling high school for girls in grade 10, 11 and 12. They just do semester programs in Africa and South America. Students who attend this school do not rely on four walls or technology, instead they just learn from their surroundings. The student to teacher ratio is 4:1.
The Traveling School started as just an idea from a group of young adventurous girls and Gennifre Hartman (the founder). The wanted to create a dream school for a semester where students can learn through travel and the world. Their first semester was launched in 2003. Since then they have done 34 successful semesters and have 414 alumni students.
The cost for this program for a semester is $41,000 (CAD). They recognize how this price may be hard for families to afford so they offer financial aid. They’ve distributed over $1,012,689 (USD) in financial aid. Plus around 75% of students who’ve attended The Traveling School fundraise for their semester abroad.
The Traveling School does not have a daily schedule because everyday is different. In a day students will normally do daily exercise, classes and get a snack during the day along with 3 meals. Accommodation also ranges, and students might also do some camping.
How to Afford a Traveling High School
Although it would be an amazing opportunity, traveling high schools are very expensive. Sure they give financial aid, but it’s normally still expensive. If you’re a student wanting to go to one of these traveling high schools there are ways to afford it.
As I said before you can get financial aid, which normally requires filling out an application and there’s a chance you may not get it. You can also do some fundraising. It’s definitely one of the most popular ways to afford programs like these. There are plenty of programs that help you fundraise, or where you can sell stuff like food, or flowers by going door to door, and make a profit off of what people buy
Maybe you want to get a job somewhere to save up for a program. There are so many jobs out there especially for teens wanting to make a bit of money. If you can’t find a job think about what you’re good at, maybe you want to start tutoring younger kids, or teach an instrument that you know fairly well. Selling stuff is also a good way to make money quick. And don’t buy stuff. Money disappears so fast so when you’re saving up for something make it a priority.
What is the Best Year to Study Abroad?
Whether you want to go to a traveling high school, or do an exchange program you’ll need to think about how it will affect you when you get home and go back to your regular school. There is no right or wrong to when you should do a study abroad year, but there are some tips that might make the decision a bit easier.
If you want to do a study abroad program it’s probably best not to do it in grade 12 if you’re worried about university applications and exams. This is a common worry for students wanting to do a few months or a year abroad in grade 12. But you can make it work. It is most common for students in grade 10 and 11 to study abroad. If you want to study abroad you might prefer to do it in these grades because there is less stress in school, and you don’t need to worry about university as much.
In grades 8 and 9 it is less common do study abroad as you are quite young and maybe your parents don’t feel that you’re mature enough. Some people find that being away from home gets easier the older you get, so older students will enjoy their time abroad more without being homesick. Really when you do a year studying abroad it depends on the type of person you are. It might help to think about if you will be worried in grade 12 about university, or if you would get homesick in grade 8 so your time would not be as enjoyable.