Study abroad or international school? Tips for parents

There are many options for parents seeking an international experience for their child, and the number of international schools is also rapidly growing. So how do you choose between a local international school and sending your child overseas for high school?

Academic Program

International schools offer foreign curricula such as the IB Diploma or Australian, UK or US high school certificates, but because of COVID-19, many international schools are finding it difficult to attract and retain high-quality staff. This means that students are often being taught by English-speaking locals, rather than Western-trained native speakers. By choosing an Australian school, parents can be confident their children will be taught by the highest quality teachers who are experts in their subjects.

International students studying in Australia choose between the local high school certificate or programs such as the IBDP. These programs are recognised worldwide and enable students to study their preferred university courses all around the world.

Student cohorts

Many international schools now have very large populations of local students, which dilutes the genuine international experience. Students in Australian schools come from a broad range of backgrounds and bring with them different experiences and cultures. Australian schools enrol children from all around the world, which means your child will be exposed to genuine diversity in an English-speaking environment.

Students attending a local international school return to their family homes at the end of the school day and are therefore primarily influenced by the culture they’ve grown up in. Even if their courses are taught in a foreign language, they still leave the classroom each day and go back to surroundings they’ve had their entire lives.

Costs

Many of the top international schools  now charge fees that are equal to or even higher than what must be paid to attend Australian private schools. There is a broad range of Australian schools enrolling international students, charging fees from as low as $17,000AUD. There is an Australian school to suit your budget and your child’s needs.

Culture and Independence

By attending a local international school, students continue to enjoy the comforts of home and therefore have less need to be independent. If you want to help your child to develop independence and resilience, studying overseas is more likely to achieve these goals.

Students studying in Australia learn about the local culture as well as the many other cultures that make up our multicultural society. Schools help them to develop confidence and thrive in new environments. Undertaking high school abroad also puts students wishing to study at an overseas at an advantage when it comes to accessing courses at top universities.