School Immersion – 12-18 years
This programme is open to motivated participants aged 12 to 18 who wish to study for 1 term to 1 academic year in a state-run High School in Ireland. This is a unique opportunity to live alongside young Irish people of your own age and share the daily life of your host family.
Communication and exchange are key to the success of this stay, as are open-mindedness and the desire to adapt to another way of life.
This option is therefore recommended for young people who are sufficiently independent, sociable and open-minded. To facilitate integration, it is also recommended that you have studied English for at least 2 or 3 years.
Why Ireland?
A land of legends and wild, grandiose landscapes, Ireland offers a unique blend of traditions that are still very much alive and conviviality. The Irish people are, by nature, artists and musicians, warm-hearted and joyful. The cities are dynamic, bustling and young.
Ireland has a long tradition of excellence in education, with over 80% of young Irish people passing their school-leaving exams. Recent studies have also shown that pupils receive a great deal of attention from teachers, with anaverage class size of 17. Over the last few decades, the government has also invested heavily in the internationalisation of the education system, making it very attractive to foreign students.
Placements can be made almost anywhere in Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the surrounding region.
What our students say
Our local partner works with over 110 secondary schools!
Teaching consists of compulsory subjects and optional subjects.
Compulsory subjects: Maths, English and Irish (Gaelic is only compulsory for Irish students; foreign students use this time for personal study).
Electives: a wide range of subjects are offered, varying from school to school: Modern languages (usually French or German, more rarely Italian or Spanish), Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Business studies, Accountancy, Economics, History, Geography, Music, Art, Classical Studies, Technical Drawing, Design and Technical Graphics, Engineering, Technology, etc
International students generally take 6 to 7 subjects (depending on the class), including the 2 that are compulsory (maths and English).
Class times vary from school to school, but are generally Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm.
English courses
For young people who have difficulty with English, our partner can organise private lessons with a teacher.
Extra-curricular activities
The schools offer a selection of extra-curricular activities (sports, workshops and various clubs). If you have a particular hobby or sport, please let us know. We encourage young people to continue practising their favourite activity or to discover a new one during their stay. There are many local sports clubs (football, basketball, swimming, tennis, golf, etc.), as well as dance, music and horse-riding lessons. The local correspondent or your host family will be able to help you.
Note: the family does not organise specific activities for the young person it is hosting. They integrate them into their family life and share their own activities with them.
Irish schools follow a curriculum established by the Irish Department of Education. All pupils therefore follow the same curriculum and must sit the same official examinations, regardless of the type of school they attend (state or private). Access to higher education is highly competitive and depends on the results obtained in the Leaving Certificate.
The secondary education system consists of 6 years of study, divided into 2 cycles, Junior and Senior.
JUNIOR CYCLE : Years 1 to 3 (ages 12 to 15): these 2 years prepare students for the Junior Certificate.
TRANSITION YEAR: Year 4 (aged 15 to 16): this pivotal year between the 1st and 2nd cycles allows students to test themselves in a number of areas to help them determine their future direction. The programme varies from school to school. This year is a little less academic and includes a greater number of subjects over the 3 terms (12 subjects in Transition Year compared with 6 to 9 in other years). It is an ideal year for foreign students who can benefit from personal development alongside the development of their language and academic skills.
SENIOR CYCLE : Year 5 and 6 (from 16 to 18 years old). At the end of these 2 years, students sit the Leaving Certificate.
The final year (Year 6) is not open to foreign students, as it is exclusively a preparation year for the school-leaving examination.
Note: in Ireland, some schools are co-educational, while others are “all-boys” or “all-girls”. Uniforms must be worn.
The host families are carefully selected by our Irish partner, who has 45 years’ experience in organising immersion stays for young people from all over the world. In Ireland, the majority of people live in small towns or rural areas. Placements take place all over the country.
The Irish are very attached to family values and are known for their hospitality and friendliness.
You will be accommodated in a single room with full board. You may be housed with another foreign student, usually of a different nationality.
During your stay in Ireland, you’ll have the help and support of a local correspondent. This is the person who prepares your stay, selects your host family and deals with your school enrolment.
He or she will be there to answer all your questions and sort out any minor problems that may arise. He or she is also there to intervene if there are any problems with the host family, or simply to make sure that everything runs smoothly. He or she will be your main contact throughout your stay and will contact you regularly (at least 5 times a year) and will also organise an orientation meeting during the 1st week of your stay.
Our local partner will organise 2 orientation sessions: one online before departure and one during the 1st week of your stay.
Dates 2025-2026
The start of the school year varies from school to school and runs from 25/08 to 5/09.
Arrival : between 23/08 and 31/08
Departure : 30/05 or 31/05
2025 – 2026 school calendar
- School year: 25/08/25 – 29/05/26
- 1st term: 25/08/25 – 19/12/25
- 2nd term: 05/01/26 – 27/03/26
- 3rd term: 13/04/26 – 29/05/26
School holidays
- October: 25/10/25 – 02/11/25
- Christmas: 20/12/25 – 04/01/26
- February: 14/02/26 – 22/02/26
- Easter: 28/03/26 – 12/04/26
Accommodation is included during the October and February holidays, but is not included during the Christmas and Easter holidays (see supplement below)
Prices 2025-2026
| Scolarité, logement en famille d'accueil, chambre individuelle & repas, tous frais d'inscription compris | |
|---|---|
| Durée | Tarifs |
| Année scolaire (40 semaines) | € 15.275 |
| 1er trimestre (17 semaines) | € 8.520 |
| 2è trimestre (11 semaines) | € 7.550 |
| Semestre scolaire 1 ou 2 | € 10.195 |
| Suppléments | |
| Tranfert supplémentaire (en dehors des dates officielles de départ et d'arrivée) - par trajet | € 150 |
| Transfert en dehors des horaires prévus - par trajet | € 65 |
| Vacances de Noël et de Pâques | € 600 |
The above prices include:
- School registration fees and other administrative costs
- Accommodation with a host family on a full-board basis (packed lunch from Monday to Friday), including the October and February holidays
- School uniform and textbooks
- Bus ticket to school, if necessary
- Assistance, support and follow-up from the local correspondent throughout the stay
- 1 orientation day in the 1st week after arrival
- A return transfer from Dublin airport to the family (on the 1st day of arrival and on the last day of the programme)
- 3 excursions throughout the school year
- An evaluation report (5 times a year)
- A 24/7 emergency number
Not included:
- Travel to your destination on the dates you will be given
- Accommodation during the Christmas and Easter holidays
- Any outings or excursions organised by the school
- School supplies
- Additional transfers or transfers outside the agreed timetable
- Compulsory medical/accident/repatriation and private liability insurance
- Cancellation guarantee
- Additional week (on request only, not guaranteed)
Dates 2026-2027
The start of the school year varies from school to school and runs from 24/08 to 28/05.
Arrival (subject to change) : between 22/08 and 30/08
Departure (subject to change) : between 29/05 and 30/05
2026-2027 school calendar
- School year: 24/08/26 – 28/05/27
- 1st term: 24/08/26 – 18/12/26
- 2nd term: 4/01/27 – 19/03/27
- 3rd term: 5/04/27 – 28/05/27
School holidays
- October: 24/10/26 – 1/11/26
- Christmas: 19/12/26 – 3/01/27
- February: 13/02/27 – 19/03/27
- Easter: 20/03/27 – 4/04/27
Accommodation is included during the October and February holidays, but is not included during the Christmas and Easter holidays (see supplement below)
Prices 2026-2027
| Course, room & board, enrolment fees, taxes included | |
|---|---|
| Duration | Prices |
| 1 school year (40 weeks) | € 15.470 |
| 1st school trimester (17 weeks) | € 8.625 |
| 2nd semester (11 weeks) | € 7.640 |
| School semester (1st of 2nd) (end of august - end of january / january - end of may) | € 10.320 |
| Extra's | |
| Additional transfer (outside official departure and arrival dates) - per journey | € 150 |
| Transfer outside scheduled times - per journey | € 65 |
| Accommodation during Christmas or Easter holidays | € 600 |
| Additional week (on request - not guaranteed) | € 300 |
The above prices include:
- School registration fees and other administrative costs
- Accommodation with a host family on a full-board basis (packed lunch from Monday to Friday), including the October and February holidays
- School uniform and textbooks
- Bus ticket to school, if necessary
- Assistance, support and follow-up from the local correspondent throughout the stay
- 1 online orientation and 1 orientation day in the 1st week after arrival
- A return transfer from Dublin airport to the family (on the 1st day of arrival and on the last day of the programme)
- 3 excursions throughout the school year
- An evaluation report (5 times a year)
- A 24/7 emergency number
Not included:
- Travel to your destination on the dates you will be given
- Accommodation during the Christmas and Easter holidays
- Any outings or excursions organised by the school
- School supplies
- Additional transfers or transfers outside the agreed timetable
- Compulsory medical/accident/repatriation and private liability insurance
- Cancellation guarantee
- Additional week (on request only, not guaranteed)
Similar programmes
High School in Ireland – Dublin Region – 1 term to 1 academic year
English in Dublin | 14-17 years | Homestay | Summer stay – ISI
