Students and families of students who are interested in studying abroad are encouraged to access the U.S. State Department website as a starting point for information and link to programs.

Students and their families should conduct thorough research on different exchange agencies, taking into account the following:

• the length of stay abroad
• academic options
• cultural excursions
• varying costs associated with each program

To ensure graduation requirements are fulfilled, it is important that high school students who wish to study abroad meet with their counselors before leaving the country to discuss how the trip will impact his or her progress towards graduation.  It is the responsibility of the student to fulfil MSDE graduation requirements in order to graduate upon return.  Not all academic programs abroad will transfer academic credits and many of the courses taken may likely transfer as elective credits.

Upon the student's return to AACPS, the foreign transcript (original and translated into English) must be submitted to the IWC school counselor for an evaluation of credits.  If possible, students should request course descriptions of the classes they take while abroad in order for the IWC school counselor to make a complete evaluation.