For international students, a year in Estonia is a chance to explore a fascinating culture shaped by Nordic, Baltic, and European influences. As an ASSE exchange student, you’ll attend a local “gümnaasium” (upper secondary school), where most students choose a focus area such as science, humanities, or foreign languages. In high school, Estonian teens follow a broad academic curriculum that encourages independence, critical thinking, and digital learning.

After school, Estonian teenagers enjoy a mix of modern and outdoorsy activities. It’s common to go to the gym, take music or art lessons, or join after-school clubs like robotics or dance. Many teens are also into hiking, cycling, or even skiing in the winter. Estonia has a strong digital culture, so students often enjoy gaming, coding, or content creation.

In one year, you can explore fairytale towns, hike through peaceful forests, join local traditions and festivals, and improve your language and communication skills.

The program cost includes:

• Round-trip international airfare from New York to Europe and South Africa, from Miami to Brazil and Argentina, from Los Angeles to Asia/Pacific.

• Comprehensive health, accidental death, and travel insurance

• Host family recruitment and screening

• Enrollment in a local high school and mandatory school fees

• Mandatory school books

• Ongoing support by an ASSE Representative in the home and host countries

• Monthly information letters

• Pre-departure and post-arrival Orientation Meetings

• Initial language instruction in non-English-speaking countries (School Year and Semester Programs only)

• 24/7 emergency support

• ASSE flight bag

The program fee does not include:

• Domestic travel from home to international gateway city

• Passport and visa fees

• School uniform (if required)

• Optional field trips (if offered)

• School lunch money (if necessary), and pocket money. 

Application Deadline for Fall Departure – April 1