School Immersion in Vancouver – Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows – 13-18 – Semester or Academic Year

This High School programme located in the Vancouver area is available for all motivated students aged 13 to 18 who wish to experience a unique and unforgettable new lifestyle in Canada.

You will be integrated during 1 semester or 1 academic year in a Canadian high school of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows district, while sharing the day-to-day life of a local family. The Canadian educational system is seen as one of the best in the world and Canadian people are known for being welcoming, tolerant and open-minded. This programme provides a true linguistic and cultural immersion in the heart of Canadian life.

Destination highlights

  • Residential towns located at the foot of Thompson Mountain Ridge, 45 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
  • The best of 2 worlds, a safe and friendly environment close to a cosmopolitan and vibrant metropolis
  • Outdoor activities throughout the year
  • Numerous courses including International Baccalaureate
  • Personalised pedagogical support
  • Presence of a coordinator in charge of the host families recruitment within the schools

Why Canada ?

Canada is the second largest country in the world. It’s one of the most outstanding countries in terms of geographical diversity. First and foremost, Canada is full of adventure and advantages for those wishing to study there. Some of these advantages include :

  • Residential towns located at the foothills of the Thompson Mountain Ridge, just 45 minutes from downtown Vancouver.
  • The best of both worlds – a safe and welcoming environment close to a vibrant and cosmopolitan metropolis.
  • Year-round outdoor activities available.
  • Numerous academic programs including the International Baccalaureate.
  • Personalized educational support.
  • Presence of a coordinator responsible for host families within the schools.
  • Optional: a 3-week summer course before the program to prepare thoroughly.

The United States and Canada are vast countries where geographical distances are significant. The car is the primary means of transportation, and public transportation networks are generally less developed, except in some major cities. International students coming from Europe, where public transportation networks are more advanced, will need to adapt to this difference when studying in North America. They may need to reconsider their transportation habits by planning their trips based on the available transportation options.

Maple Ridge – Pitt-Meadows

Nested east of Vancouver between the Thompson Mountain Range and the great Fraser River, the communities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows have a population of approximately 100,000 people. They offer a warm, relaxed, family atmosphere and a wide range of cultural and recreational activities (multiplex cinema, libraries, sports and recreation centres, water and outdoor sports, hiking and skiing trails, etc.), as well as proximity to the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, recognized as one of the most attractive places to live in the world.

What do our students think ?

“This experience helped me immensely !”

“This experience helped me tremendously. Initially, my English was not too bad, but at the beginning, I admit I didn’t understand everything and sometimes struggled to find my words. After one month, I noticed that during my classes, I no longer needed to use a translator. After 2-3 months, I observed that I was using words I hadn’t used before, and I understood people better. By the end, I realized I understood almost everything, I didn’t think at all before speaking, I made far fewer mistakes, used more complex sentences, etc. I think this experience helped me immensely !” – Lea, 18 years old, 1 semester

The schools

The District of Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows represents 6 high schools with 800 to 1200 students. They are recognized for the quality of their education (PiSA/OECD ranking).

All schools offer educational support and personalised follow-up to foreign students in order to help them achieve their goals.

Each school offers a wide range of subjects, extra-curricular activities and sports. The core curriculum is common to all schools (English, Math, Science and History). The options offered vary from school to school and include : Accounting, Economics, Marketing, Metal, Culinary, Art, Digital Video Animation, Automotive Technology, Entrepreneurship, Management Innovation, Robotics… You can choose 4 subjects per semester.

Below are the main characteristics of each school. You tell us your objectives and interests and the district will suggest the best option according to your request and profile.

Garibaldi Secondary

  • International Baccalaureate school
  • Interdisciplinary Arts programme (Acting, stage production, singing, dancing)
  • Developed music programme
  • Teaching Kitchen
  • Languages offered : French, Japanese

Maple Ridge Secondary School

  • Excellent music programme : concert band, jazz band, choral music
  • Wide selection of team sports : Field hockey, Cross country soccer, Badminton, Volleyball, Curling, Wrestling, Basketball, Golf, Rugby
  • Digital Arts Academy
  • Teaching kitchen
  • Languages offered : French, Japanese, Spanish, German

Pitt Meadows Secondary

  • Music programme
  • Robotics
  • Microsoft IT Academy
  • Strong Basketball programme
  • Ice Hockey Academy
  • Languages offered : French, Spanish

Samuel Robertson Secondary

  • Few foreign students (25 out of 800)
  • School of Rock
  • Teaching Kitchen
  • Ice Hockey Academy
  • Languages offered : French, Spanish

Thomas Haney Secondary

  • Unique school following a self-directed teaching model
  • Ideal for independent and mature students
  • Developed IT courses (robotics, photography, media design)
  • Teaching kitchen
  • Languages offered : French, Japanese, Spanish

Westview Secondary

  • Microsoft Academy
  • Soccer Academy
  • Basketball Academy
  • Languages offered : French, Spanish

Nechako Valley Secondary

  • Specialized courses: Aviation program, Entrepreneurship
  • Arts education program (Music, Art, Visual Arts)
  • Languages offered: French, Spanish, Japanese
  • Wide selection of sports (Rugby, Basketball, Wrestling, Curling, Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding…)

Lake District Secondary

  • Small school (360 students)
  • Offering industrial education (automotive technology, computer education, foods & nutrition, metals, textiles, woodwork)
  • Fine Arts program (art, dance, drama, guitar, photography)
  • Wide selection of sports (alpine skiing, snowboarding, basketball, archery, mountain biking…)
  • Languages offered: French, German

English lessons

English as a foreign language courses are available at the schools. This means that students with a slightly lower level of English can take part in the programme.

Extra-curricular activities / excursions

The schools offer a wide selection of extra-curricular activities accessible to all. These include: Team Sports , Swimming, Ski & Snowboard, Book Club, Social Justice, etc.

An optional activity and excursions programme is also organised for foreign students, allowing everyone to discover the region and experience the thrill of trying out the local sports and outdoor activities while meeting other international participants in a friendly setting.

Examples of activities on offer* : Victoria Sightseeing tour, PNE Fright night tour, Vancouver Canucks hockey game, Ski trips (twice a year), Rocky moutains trip…

*This programme may be subject to certain restrictions related to COVID-19.

Young Canadians study a minimum of 12 years (Primary School + Secondary School). This programme offers international students to attend a local public High School. In the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, High School is divided into two 3-year cycles. Junior High includes the first 3 years of high school (grades 7-9), High School takes the last three years of secondary education: grades 10 to 12.

The school year is divided into two semesters. As an international student you can integrate a class for a semester or a full academic year.

 In many Canadian schools, the choice of subjects is wide. This is a unique opportunity to discover new materials or improve a chosen field. Some courses are offered for one semester only, therefore students have the opportunity to change the subject in the middle of the year.

You can also choose subjects regarding sports, culture or social subjects. The school offers a unique chance to blossom in subjects and activities that are unknown. But this will also be the perfect opportunity to integrate into Canadian life and get to know people your age.

Canadians are renowned for their hospitality, tolerance, and open-mindedness.

Families are carefully selected by the district’s accommodation service based on their genuine desire to welcome a young foreigner and share their culture with them through daily life. This service visits the families’ homes and ensures they can provide the participant with a balanced and warm environment.

There is no typical profile of a family. Each one is unique and reflects the society and lifestyle of the country you have chosen. The family hosting you may have children or not; they may be a blended family or a single-parent family, a single person whose children no longer live at home, retirees, or younger individuals. It’s not the composition of the family that matters, but their availability and motivation to share their culture with you.

Families reside in the residential neighborhoods of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

A member of the accommodation service is available once a week at the schools to assist foreign students with any requests or difficulties they may encounter. This person is your point of contact for any questions related to the host family.

The local coordinator is an experienced person who knows the host families and schools. They are in contact with each individual student at least once a month to ensure that everything is going well. He/she is available to answer any questions that students may have. Once there, he/she can assist with different approaches and are able to react quickly should any urgent problems arise. He/she is your main and priviledged interlocutor on site.

Finally, an emergency telephone number will be given to you in case of any urgent problem occurring during the stay.

In order to ensure that your stay is as smooth as possible and that you are as well informed as possible about the different elements of the programme, you can attend an information and orientation meeting organised by Easy Languages in Brussels at the end of May / beginning of June. This is an opportunity for students to meet and exchange questions and experiences with each other and with our staff. It is also during this meeting that the final administrative formalities are launched.

If you do not live in Belgium, contacts and information can of course be organised by phone or online chat.

A second meeting will be held in Canada, within 15 days of your arrival. You will be contacted by your local representative, who will be able to answer all your questions about your stay and conduct.

  • Be between 13 and 18 (the participant can celebrate his or her 19th birthday during the stay up to the end of the school year)
  • Minimum recommended level of English : A2/B1. Pupils with a low level of English may participate under certain conditions.
  • Have achieved good academic results in the last two years
  • Be willingly to make new friends and share the daily life of a host family
  • Demonstrate motivation, maturity and adaptability

Do you fit the criteria for admission and think this programme is for you ?

  1. Fill in the pre-registration form as soon as possible.
  2. Upon receipt, we will send you a provisional confirmation, including the total amount of the stay, a request for payment of €100 (for the language test and the motivation interview), as well as the complete application form for the chosen programme. We will also ask you to send us a copy of your school reports for the last 3 years.
  3. We will then invite you to come and take the language test and interview at our offices in Brussels or Paris (paid on receipt of the pre-confirmation). This amount is non-refundable, but is deductible from the balance of the stay in case of definitive registration and acceptance to the programme. A first part of the application form must be completed and brought with you to the interview.
  4. We will confirm the result of the test no later than 8 days after the interview.
  5. If the interview is positive, we ask you to pay a deposit of 25% of the total amount of the stay (with a minimum of €1500 and to complete all the elements of the file which includes, in particular, letters of recommendation from your teachers and other information necessary for the study of your file on site. As soon as it is complete and we have received the payment of the deposit, we will send it to our partner.
  6. Definitive acceptance to the programme is granted by our partner.
  7. Once your application has been accepted, our partner starts the search and selection of a host family and proceeds with the school registration.
  • April 15 for a departure in September
  • November 15 for a departure in February

Beyond these dates, it is still possible to register depending on the availability of the schools. However, we recommend that you register at least 3 months before your departure for a better preparation of your stay.

An extra fee of €200 will be charged for any urgent registration (submitted after the deadline).

Please contact us for more information on how to register. Candidates who do not meet the age or level requirements are invited to meet with us to discuss other possible options.

Travel

Departure usually takes place at the end of August/beginning of September for stays of one term, semester or academic year. Departure is also scheduled in late January/early February for stays of one term or semester. Your host family or local correspondent will meet you at the airport and drive you back there at the end of your stay.

Once the registration has been accepted and confirmed by our Canadian partner, we can take care of booking your trip to Canada, if you wish. The booked ticket includes as few stopovers as possible. It can usually be changed once at no charge in the same fare class once the return date is known.

If you prefer to book your trip yourself, we will provide you with all the information you need to proceed with the booking.

ETA & Study permit

The school year is divided into two semesters. As a foreign student, you can attend classes for one semester (in September or February) or for a full academic year, but also for 3 or 4 months.

For a stay of one academic year, you will need a study permit which will be issued for the duration of your stay. We will provide you with all the necessary documents to obtain it and assist you in the process. All information on the website (click here for more information).

WARNING : Since 31/07/2018, when you apply for a visitor visa, study or work permit (except U.S. nationals), or permanent residence you will need to give your fingerprints and a photo. Fingerprints taking costs $CAD 85. You can go to one of these official locations to give your biometrics:

  • visa application centres (VACs) worldwide (find your VAC here). Depending on the location, you may need to make an appointment.

If you are leaving for an academic semester or less*, you will simply need to complete an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) which you can fill in directly on the website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/apply.html

*Note: in this period of COVID-19, a study permit is required by the Canadian government for any stay of any length.

This information is valid for citizens of the European Union. Non-EU nationals please check this page for more information : https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada.html

Full medical coverage is included in our booking fees for the whole duration of your stay.

Dates 2024-2025

  • Academic year: September to June
  • Semester: September to January or February to June

Prices 2024-2025

Fares including flights subject to ticket prices at the time of booking.

WPCS 42.0.3
Tuition, Homestay full board and registration fees
DurationPrice without flightsPrice including flights
1 semester€ 13.595€ 15.495
1 academic year€ 23.395€ 25.295
IB Program€ 1.195-
Summer preparatory session (course, homestay, activities and transfer on arrival)Fees
3 weeks€ 2.895-

The fees include:

  • English level assessment and interview
  • All documents required to obtain a visa
  • High School registration for a semester or a full academic year
  • Supervision during the stay by the local correspondent
  • Accommodation in host family, full board (lunch box, lunch on school days)
  • Personal assistance, support and advice from our local correspondent
  • Medical insurance
  • Personal support to parents throughout the stay
  • Regular contacts and assessment reports
  • Official certificate of attendance and courses transcripts.
  • Round-trip flight if chosen, from Brussels, Paris or Geneva airport
  • Round-trip transfers from the arrival airport to the host family

The fees do not include:

  • Excursions and local activities
  • Potential entrance fees to sport clubs
  • Lunches taken at the school canteen
  • Visa (fees)
  • Pocket money: (recommended amount $200-250 per month)
  • Round trip flight to Vancouver, depending on the chosen option

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