High School in Bolivia

Eligibility Requirements

Participants must be between the ages of  15,6 and 18,6 years old on the day of departure.

The AFS Program

After your host parents greet you with traditional hospitality, it shouldn’t be long before you feel at home in their open, friendly community. By going to a local high school, you’ll be totally immersed in a new language and customs, and what you learn during the day will be reinforced at night when you spend time with your host family. This is your chance to break out of your comfort zone and join in this diverse and ever-evolving culture.

Your high school

The education in Bolivia consists of 12 years of schooling (primary and secondary), after this time the student (17 years old) graduates from high school and is entitled to attend university.

The school year starts around the first week of February and ends around the middle of November (depending on the region). There are 15 days in June/July for winter vacation. The end-of-year vacation lasts until February.

Students attend school from Monday to Friday (very few will have classes on Saturdays). Each school will have different schedules, but generally the school day lasts from 08:00 to 13.00 with one or two recesses. Therefore, students do not have lunch at school.

Most schools require all students to take 12 to 14 mandatory subjects in a rotating schedule. The subjects that are mandatory in every school under the current education system are math, physics, natural science, literature, art, religion, computing, chemistry, social studies, philosophy, languages, physical education and music.

For more information on fees and scholarships.

Returning Home

“Life-changing” is hard to describe, yet it’s nearly always the first thing that AFSers say when asked about their experience abroad.
“Transformed” is another one. When you return home, if you’re like most AFSers, you’ll bring with you a sense of accomplishment unlike any other. You’ll have gained maturity and independence, discovered new passions, and feel like you can do anything you set your mind to. That transformation isn’t visible only to you, though – others see it as well. AFSers gain critical skills for college and careers, ranging from language fluency to intercultural competence and critical reasoning. “Life-changing” means it’s only the beginning.