The 10 Best High School Language Immersion Programs

The earlier you start learning a foreign language, the better. High school is the perfect time to start learning a new language and dive into the adventure of traveling!

Language immersion programs are more than just classroom study. They get participants involved in speaking their target language in a variety of fun settings through cultural excursions and local activities with native speakers.

Here are just a few of the many benefits of joining a language immersion program:

• Quickest way to learn a language: There's no better way to master a language than being fully immersed in it where it’s spoken and practicing it every day.
• Improved language skills before college or career: In this increasingly competitive job market, speaking another language can help you stand out to employers and widen your choice of careers.
• Wider world view: Getting to know people from different countries and backgrounds teaches you just how big and fascinating the world really is.
• Better cultural understanding: Language and culture are strongly entwined. Getting to experience traditions, holidays, and other cultural points in the countries where they happen makes much more of an impact than simply reading about them in textbooks.
• Increased independence: Traveling without your parents and managing your day-to-day life in a foreign country will undoubtedly make you a more independent person. You’ll realize there’s nothing you can’t do!
• More confidence: Seeing yourself accomplish so many new things (in another country, no less!) is an instant confidence boost that will last long after your return from your overseas adventure.

Check out these top high school language immersion programs abroad to get started on planning your next big adventure.

Pssst! If you’re a teen worried about how to convince your parent or guardian to let you attend a language immersion program abroad, check out these helpful tips to win them over!

Location: Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Seville, or Palma de Mallorca in Spain
Program length: 4 weeks during summer
Age range: 14-18
Starting price: $7,400 USD
What's included: homestay with a Spanish family, 3 meals a day, all transportation in-country, all activities and excursions, medical and travel insurance, 24/7 on-site support

✅ Pros:

• You will earn 4 college credits transferable to your future college or university.
• If your Spanish level is more advanced, you can join the honors program in Madrid or Barcelona where you’ll sign a pledge to only speak Spanish both in and outside of the classroom.

❌ Cons:

• This program is not designed for total beginners. You must have at least one year of Spanish study completed to participate.
• If you’re shy, staying with a host family may be a difficult transition.

If you’re looking for a high school Spanish immersion program in Spain that comes with college credits, look no further than CIEE Global Navigator. Choose from Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante or Seville, or live the island life on Palma de Mallorca. You’ll truly immerse yourself in Spanish culture by staying with a local host family, visiting museums, learning traditional dance, and taking field trips to nearby cities and towns.

CIEE staff members are available on-site 24/7 for any questions or issues and homestays are carefully screened so safety is never a concern. Spend the best 4 weeks of your summer making new friends and seriously leveling up your Spanish!

Location: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Program length: 10 days
Age range: 14-18
Starting price: $3,199 USD
What's included: hotel lodging, 3 meals a day, in-country transportation, airport pickup and dropoff, supplemental medical and travel insurance, 24/7 support hotline for parents, all activities and excursions

✅ Pros:

• Home Base, as it’s affectionately called, is a family-owned hotel where you’ll stay in an air-conditioned room with 4-8 other participants.
• Meals are provided on site and there’s also a pool where you can relax with your new friends after a big day.

❌ Cons:

• Community-led projects are decided based on local need so you’ll need to be flexible with the project assigned at the time of arrival.
• If you’re not very outdoorsy, this program features a lot of outdoor adventure activities in the jungle.

Experience the "Pura Vida" lifestyle in Costa Rica with Global Leadership Adventures (GLA). This service learning program is short but sweet. You’ll spend 10 action-packed days engaging with the local community through their current project needs which could be anything from beach cleanups to starting a community garden at a nearby school. What’s more, you’ll earn 20 service learning hours through your local volunteer project.

When you’re not working hard, you’ll have the chance to join fun activities like tubing, ziplining, rafting, and snorkeling. Living by the beach will allow you to fully experience Costa Rica’s biodiversity and natural beauty.

Location: Guatemala and Costa Rica
Program length: 70 days
Age range: 17-22
Starting price: $15,900 USD
What's included: accommodation, all meals, in-country transportation, excursions and activities, international travel insurance

✅ Pros:

• This program is beginner friendly, with no language requirements.
• You can earn up to 18 university credits through this semester program.

❌ Cons:

• Younger teens are not eligible to participate.
• Accommodation can be very basic and rustic at times.

Travel through Guatemala and Costa Rica with Carpe Diem Education for 10 exciting weeks on the go. You’ll experience the perfect blend of Spanish classroom learning and local language immersion while you trek, swim, and volunteer your way across two beautiful Central American countries.

This semester program has a focus on sustainable agriculture, environmental justice, and the reintroduction and care of native species. You’ll work with small NGOs and indigenous farmers to learn about permaculture, tree planting, building with recycled materials, organic farming while respecting local beliefs and traditions.

While there is a lot of structure, there is some flexibility built in, too. Your last week in Guatemala, you and your group will have the freedom to plan your own travel adventure!

Location: Costa Rica
Program length: 11 or 22 days
Age range: 14-18
Starting price: $4,295 USD
What's included: accommodation, all meals, in-country transportation, excursions and activities

✅ Pros:

• Spanish classes can accommodate complete beginners to more advanced students.
• The volunteering projects are varied, from helping at an animal rescue center to community cleanup.

❌ Cons:

• Dietary options can be limited for vegetarians and vegans.
• Due to the short nature of the program, there’s not a lot of downtime between activities.

Travel For Teens offers 11- or 22-day Spanish immersion programs for high school students that will take you across Costa Rica. Both options include participation in local volunteer projects where you’ll practice your Spanish skills working alongside community members.

When you’re not brushing up on or practicing your Spanish, you’ll be rafting, ziplining, boating, trekking, and observing wildlife with your group and guides. Travel for Teens keeps groups small so you’ll be traveling with 13-24 other high school students from across the US and the world!

Location: France and Switzerland
Program length: 25 days
Age range: 14-18
Starting price: $7,590.00 USD
What's included: accommodation, airfare to and from Toronto, in-country transportation, flights between France and Switzerland, breakfast and dinner, excursions and activities,

✅ Pros:

• You’ll spend at least 4 days in each location so while the trip is quick, there’s time to soak it all in.
• There are ample opportunities to practice your French skills in real-life settings throughout the 25 days.

❌ Cons:

• Flights depart from and arrive to Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada so you may need to arrange additional flights to get to and from the meeting point.
• Lunches are not included so you will need to budget accordingly.

If you want to practice your French skills in not one but two countries, you'll love the Summer High School Language Immersion Program in France & Switzerland through MEI International Academy. Enjoy the beauty of these two European destinations while taking your French skills to the next level.

During these dynamic 25 days, you'll live the cosmopolitan life in Paris, discuss French literature in historic Annecy, and experience the wonder of the Swiss Alps, all before rounding out your trip in Lyon, Montpellier, and Nice. As you travel through France and Switzerland, you’ll visit a load of cultural sites, make new friends, and practice your French daily along the way. Groups have a maximum of 10 students so you're sure to form close bonds with your classmates and teachers.

Location: Shanghai, China
Program length: 12-31 days in summer
Age range: 13-18
Starting price: $2,800 USD
What's included: accommodation, all meals, free laundry service, airport pickup and dropoff, 24/7 support from bilingual counselors, visa assistance

✅ Pros:

• Absolute beginners through advanced students are welcome.
• Camps are held on self-contained university campuses where you’ll stay in a double room with access to cafes, dining halls, grocery stores, banks, and other amenities ensuring both safety and convenience.

❌ Cons:

• Itineraries are highly scheduled without a lot of down time.
• If you’re not ready for intensive daily Chinese study for the duration of your trip, this may not be the camp for you.

Based in Shanghai, the RISH Chinese Learning Center Full-immersion Summer Camp provides 24/7 opportunities to learn and practice Chinese paired with excursions to Hangzhou, Beijing, and Nanjing. Through hours of intensive Chinese lessons and 1-on-1 tutoring sessions, your language skills will soar. Outside of the classroom, you’ll have endless opportunities to fully immerse yourself in Chinese culture, art, history, and food.

There is even an option for parents to join while staying in separate hotel accommodations on campus and taking their own Chinese language classes. If your parents are hesitant to let you fly solo to China, this could be a good compromise.

Location: Peru
Program length: 4 weeks in summer
Age range: 15-18
Starting price: $8,450 USD
What's included: accommodation (including homestays), all meals, in-country transportation, all activities and excursion, equipment rental

✅ Pros:

• Plenty of time outdoors will allow you to fully appreciate the natural world and disconnect from hectic everyday life back home.
• Living with a local indigenous family will give you insight into identity and the importance of cultural preservation.

❌ Cons:

• There is a component of rugged travel and trekking included in this program so if you’re not used to walking long distances, it may be challenging.
• Due to the mountainous terrain, some may experience altitude sickness.

If you're a student with a true appetite for adventure and the authentic experience of life in Peru, the Sacred Mountains summer program with Where There Be Dragons for you! Known for pushing participants out of their comfort zone (in a good way!), WTBD provides a safe and challenging experience geared toward personal growth and the appreciation of indigenous culture in Peru. Practice your Spanish daily and become acquainted with Quechua, the language of the Incas.

The comprehensive four-week program takes you to the Andes in Peru where you will navigate the local area on foot and by bus, truck, and canoe, while camping and staying in villages along the way. The highlight of the trip is a five-day circular trek around the base of Mt. Ausangate. Past participants felt this experience was especially transformative.

Location: Heredia, Costa Rica
Program length: 14 days in summer
Age range: 13-17
Starting price: $3,700 USD
What's included: homestay with local family, all meals, 40 hours of classes, weekend activities, daily tours and excursions, airport pickup and dropoff,

✅ Pros:

• Living with a host family and sharing meals together (breakfast and dinner) is a great way to practice your Spanish while forming close relationships.
• There are never more than 6 students in a classroom meaning you’ll get plenty of attention and time to speak during lessons.

❌ Cons:

• Breakfast is at 7 am and classes start at 8 so if you’re not an early bird, you’ll need to stick it out for two weeks.
• Days are filled with class and activities so there’s not a lot of solo time if you are someone who needs it.

Tico Lingo is a fan favorite due to their fun and immersive programs and their Teen Spanish Summer Camp in Costa Rica is no different. Spend two weeks at their Spanish school in Heredia immersing yourself completely in Spanish during morning classes and getting to know the local area in the afternoons. There are plenty of scheduled excursions and tours to keep you busy from a kayak tour and whitewater rafting, to dance classes, and even a visit to an animal rescue center.

While in Heredia, you’ll stay with a local host family where you’ll have a private bedroom and access to wifi. Tico Lingo is a community-oriented organization and host families are carefully vetted and included in the life of the school, including receiving access to free English classes at the center.

Location: Spain
Program length: 3 or 5 weeks
Age range: 14-18
Starting price: $7,250 USD
What's included: homestay with local family, all meals, excursions and activities, in-country transportation

✅ Pros:

• Be prepared to take your Spanish to a new level as you are fully integrated into your host family and local rural community.
• Programs are tailored to your specific interests and goals.

❌ Cons:

• If you aren’t enthusiastic about speaking Spanish for most of your time in Spain, this may not be the program for you.
• Internship opportunities can be more limited in small towns.

LITA's Spanish immersion programs for high school students in northern or southern Spain are the perfect fit for anyone with a true commitment to language acquisition and an adventurous spirit.

For the majority of your 3- or 5-week program, you’ll live in a homestay in rural communities, where you'll undertake a volunteer internship with a local business. Alternatively, you can complete an independent research project or take language classes. You’ll also enjoy excursions to heritage sites across the country and classes covering traditional Spanish food and dance.

LITA offers a highly personalized experience and will match you with a homestay family with teens your age. This means you’ll have host siblings to get to know, too! Rural communities in Spain are safe and welcoming and you are encouraged to explore the local areas to learn more about the culture, food, and traditions.

Location: Osaka, Japan
Program length: 2 or 3 weeks
Age range: 14-18
Starting price: $5495 USD
What's included: accommodation, some meals, all excursions and activities, hotels on excursions, in-country transportation

✅ Pros:

• There is a good balance of immersive class experiences and free time to relax and hang out with new friends.
• Culture elective classes cover a range of interests including manga, photography, food, history, and art.

❌ Cons:

• Past participants wished there were trips with longer durations available.
• Experiencing Japanese cuisine and trying new foods are focal points in this program so picky or unadventurous eaters may struggle at times.

If you want to improve your Japanese or simply start your language learning journey, World Class Programs’s summer program in Osaka is a great option for beginners or advanced students alike. Supportive staff foster a learning environment that is both academic and fun, balancing language study with interesting electives. As often as possible, you’ll take your time in class out of the classroom and into Osaka to put your Japanese to good use while checking out everything the city has to offer.

Independence is fostered on this program while also maintaining high safety standards. Staff are available 24/7 and are housed in separate accommodation near student apartments. Living in a shared apartment allows you to cook and relax with your roommates in your free time while also enjoying privacy and a sense of freedom.

Learning a language abroad changes you for the better! Not only will you grow academically but you’ll learn more about yourself and the world around you. Invest in yourself and your future this year and give one of these high school immersion programs a try!