About TIE
The International Experience
The International Experience is an exchange program begun in 1974 which gives South Burlington students the opportunity to live with a family in a foreign country while attending classes at a partner secondary school. Students participate in family life, school life, and in the many activities and excursions arranged by the host school. The exchanges last approximately 2 ½ weeks.
TIE is a program for students interested in meeting and interacting with people from a different country and culture. It is neither a travel program nor a vacation. Students will be challenged socially, emotionally, and intellectually. They will experience a mixture of enjoyment and frustration as they interact with new friends and adjust to new situations in a foreign environment.
General Requirements
Students who travel abroad usually miss 5-6 school days. Therefore, TIE applicants must have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and a 2.5 GPA for the current school year. In addition, selected participants must maintain at least a C average in all courses during the school year in which they travel abroad. Students who are not sure if they meet the GPA requirement should check with their guidance counselor before applying.
Students who play winter sports should note that the abroad portion of the program often takes place during end-of-season tournaments; these students will have to choose between participating in these tournaments and the TIE program. If you plan to play in a tournament that takes place during the foreign visit, do not apply to the program.
Parents and students should note that this is a family-to-family exchange program. The anticipation is that both the student and parents have the time to welcome a foreign student into their home and to actively participate in the hosting activities.
Application Procedure
Program information and applications will be available around the beginning of December each school year. All student applicants must submit a completed application form and recommendations from 2 high school teachers. Students are encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of the deadline and should not expect teachers to fill out recommendation forms at the last minute. The final step in the application process is an interview with the two teacher chaperones and the TIE coordinator. The interviews will be scheduled soon after the application deadline and the date and time will be communicated to students well in advance.
Cost
The cost of the Spanish, German, and French programs is approximately $3400 and the Japanese, $3800. This includes all travel arrangements, accommodations, and excursions. In addition, students should plan to bring approx. $150 in spending money. After an initial deposit of $500, a payment of $400.00 (or more) on the 1st of the month is required. A payment schedule will be provided at the orientation meeting.
The cost of the program can be mitigated by fundraising. There will be voluntary fundraising projects which will be distributed to SBHS student participants in direct proportion to their participation in the projects. Any money not used to cover expenses will be returned to students before going abroad.