The Best Countries for High School Summer Programs Abroad

The best countries for high school summer programs abroad are safe, accessible and will leave students with lasting memories and life-changing experiences. Countries like Spain, Japan and Costa Rica excel in these areas, making them top choices for a transformative summer experience.

Since my first trip abroad during high school nearly a decade ago, I have traveled to 30 countries around the world. I am happy I didn’t visit some of them as a high school student. I would not have been ready to navigate the chaotic streets of Cairo, nor appreciate the challenges of exploring India.

Choosing the best country for high school summer programs abroad is an important decision to ensure the best possible experience. In this guide we will help pick out the best countries around the world for your next summer adventure abroad.

In this guide, we’ll look at:

What Makes a Country a Good Destination for a Summer Program Abroad?

The three essential factors that make a country a good destination for a summer program abroad are: Safety, Program Availability and Affordability. Summer programs abroad are about the experience, the destination is only the backdrop. Every country can be a great destination, but you need to be safe, there needs to be programs available and those programs need to fit your budget.

We researched the most popular countries for summer programs abroad and scored each of them out of 100. Here is how we broke down the scores:

Criteria scale for best countries for summer programs abroad, showing rankings: Cultural experience 25%, Cost 20%, Quality of education 20%, Safety 15%, Language 10%, Job opportunities 10%.

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Safety

Safety of a high school student on a summer program abroad should always be a top priority. We get it, traveling abroad can be scary for a teenager or their parents. The safety ultimately depends on the measures of the program provider. Make sure to ask the tough questions about safety before registering for a program.

Most parents jump right to safety risks like crime, natural disasters and major health risks. In reality common incidents on summer programs abroad tend to be one of two things:

stomach problems
bug bites

To measure the safety score of popular summer program destinations we gathered data from the World Trade Index safety ranking for travelers which looks at transport, crime-free, disease-free, sanitation and disaster-free.

Here are the top five safest countries for travelers according to the World Travel Index:

Country	Safety Score
Norway	97
Sweden	95
Iceland	94
Denmark	92
Singapore	91

»Have questions about safety on programs? Schedule a call with our expert travel advisors

Program Availability

It’s tough to go to a country when there aren’t many programs available. The best programs are competitive and it’s best to book a summer program abroad as soon as possible to guarantee your top choice.

Popular destinations like Spain have dozens of providers offering programs with multiple sessions available. Other, less popular destinations like Laos or Jamaica only have one or two programs readily available.

To rank the availability of programs we analyzed the number of program offerings available for each country on Go Overseas which aggregates information and reviews of programs abroad for students. We then gave each country a score out of 100 based on its availability compared to other countries. Here are the top five countries with the most programs available:

Country	Availability Score	% of Available Programs
Spain	97	7.04%
England	93	6.36%
France	90	5.79%
Costa Rica	90	5.68%
Italy	86	4.99%

**Program counts were accessed from available listings as of 08/15/2024 on GoOverseas.

Affordability

So the country is safe, there are programs available, and now the program needs to fit your budget to be affordable. The main costs of a summer program abroad for high school students are the program fee and the airfare to and from the destination.

To measure the affordability score of popular countries, we aggregated over 400 programs for high school students from 14 different providers. Then, we found the median airfare for a roundtrip flight from both Los Angeles and New York City in July based on Google Flight Trends. Finally, we combined this information to score each country’s affordability out of 100.

Here are the top five most affordable countries for a summer program abroad for high school students:

Country	Affordability	Avg Daily Cost	Primary Airport	Median Flight Cost
Country	Affordability	Avg Daily Cost	Primary Airport	LAX	JFK
Mexico	96	$200	Mexico City	$360	$570
Argentina	87	$228	Buenos Aires	$935	$975
Spain	82	$277	Madrid	$915	$715
Canada	81	$328	Toronto	$275	$238
Costa Rica	79	$325	San José	$423	$395

**Average program fees are based on accessing programs of various providers as of 08/15/2024. Flight costs are the median costs of the typical round trip flight in July based on Google Flights Trends.

»Learn more about scholarships and financial aid for summer programs.

Best Countries for Summer Programs for High School Students Abroad

The best countries for summer programs for high school students abroad are countries in Europe like England, Spain and France. European countries are safe, widely accessible and have similar cost of living as the U.S., making them great options for high school students looking for their first experience abroad.

For the adventurous student that wants something a bit different from Europe, there are plenty of great countries in the Americas, Asia and Oceania that are excellent choices as well. Countries like our friendly neighbor up north, Canada, Costa Rica in Central America or Singapore in Asia, will all offer unique experiences.

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5 Top Countries for Summer Programs Abroad in Europe

#1 United Kingdom (England)

Total Score: 87

Safety: 89; Availability: 93; Affordability: 72

Best For:

Summer Study Abroad

Group of students cooking paella in a large pan together in Spain.

#2 Spain

Total Score: 87

Safety: 82; Availability: 97; Affordability: 82

Best For:

Summer Study Abroad, Language Immersion, Cultural Immersion

The Arc de Triomphe or Victory Arch in Paris

#3 France

Total Score: 85

Safety: 85; Availability: 90; Affordability: 76

Best For:

Cultural Immersion, Language Immersion

#4 Ireland

Total Score: 81

Safety: 90; Availability: 68; Affordability: 79

Best For:

Summer Study Abroad

A quaint village in Germany with a river running through it.

#5 Germany

Total Score: 81

Safety: 88; Availability: 68; Affordability: 79

Best For:

Summer Study Abroad, Conservation, Adventure

Explore Teen Travel Programs in Europe

5 Top Countries for Summer Programs Abroad Outside of Europe

Bright, light blue lake in the mountains in Canada.

#1 Canada

Total Score: 79

Safety: 84; Availability: 69; Affordability: 81

Best For:

Summer Study Abroad, Cultural Immersion

Shopping street in Singapore with a women taking a photo in the center of the street.

#2 Singapore

Total Score: 78

Safety: 91; Availability: 61; Affordability: 69

Best For:

Summer Study Abroad

Group of travelers putting their hands together in a huddle with a surf instructor.

#3 Costa Rica

Total Score: 77

Safety: 68; Availability: 90; Affordability: 79

Best For:

Service Learning, Conservation, Adventure

The red gates in Japan with a student walking through them.

#4 Japan

Total Score: 76

Safety: 80; Availability: 75; Affordability: 75

Best For:

Language Immersion, Cultural Immersion

A studen traveler petting a small kangaroo in Australia.

#5 Australia

Total Score: 74

Safety: 83; Availability: 69; Affordability: 60

Best For:

Service Learning, Conservation

Explore Teen Travel Programs in Asia

Ranking of Most Popular Countries for Summer Programs Abroad for High School Students

Country	Region	Total	Safety	Availability	Affordability
England	Europe	87	89	93	72
Spain	Europe	87	82	97	82
France	Europe	85	85	90	76
Ireland	Europe	81	90	68	79
Germany	Europe	81	88	73	74
Denmark	Europe	80	92	64	75
Norway	Europe	79	97	62	61
Italy	Europe	79	79	86	69
Canada	North America	79	84	69	81
Sweden	Europe	79	95	63	61
Netherlands	Europe	78	90	65	69
Austria	Europe	78	89	63	74
Singapore	Asia	78	91	61	69
Switzerland	Europe	77	91	68	57
Costa Rica	Central America	77	68	90	79
Czech Republic	Europe	76	86	64	71
Portugal	Europe	76	83	64	76
Japan	Asia	76	80	75	68
Iceland	Europe	76	94	61	52
Belgium	Europe	75	88	62	61
Australia	Oceania	74	83	69	60
South Korea	Asia	72	76	68	70
New Zealand	Oceania	71	82	64	56
Argentina	South America	71	68	66	87
Hungary	Europe	70	81	60	54
Greece	Europe	69	74	67	60
China	Asia	68	60	78	71
Peru	South America	65	56	74	76
Mexico	North America	65	53	63	96
Thailand	Asia	62	54	75	66
South Africa	Africa	60	51	67	70
Vietnam	Asia	60	55	64	65
India	Asia	58	48	64	74
Indonesia	Asia	58	52	62	67

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which country is best for high school students?

The best country for high school students largely depends on their interests and goals, but based on a balanced evaluation of safety, program availability and affordability, countries like Englan and Spain rank highly. These countries offer a variety of well-established programs, a safe environment and relatively affordable costs, making them excellent choices for high school summer programs abroad.

Which is the safest place for summer programs abroad?

According to the World Trade Travel Safety Index, Norway is the safest place for summer programs abroad, with a high safety score of 97 out of 100. Other safe destinations include Sweden, Iceland and Denmark, all of which are also located in Europe and offer secure environments for high school students. When on a summer program abroad, the safety measures of the program provider can be more important than the destination.