Language and Culture

Curricular Global Learning

Immerse yourself in a foreign culture while refining your language skills and connecting with a local community.

Japan
Tokyo skyline with mountain behind

At once ultra-modern and centuries-old, Tokyo offers never-ending avenues of exploration. Flashing lights and the latest technology share city blocks with ancient temples and traditions. Exonians study Japanese, take classes at Seikei High School, and participate in clubs and activities at the school. Students live host families and will have opportunities to explore the country on school trips to Kyoto and Hiroshima and experience Japanese culture first-hand. Open to seniors.

Fall term: September through November.

Germany
Students in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin

Exonians have been attending Theodor-Heuss Gymnasium since 1978, making Göttingen the oldest of Exeter’s term abroad programs. Located in Lower Saxony, Göttingen, with a population of 130,000, is almost at the geographical center of Germany. As such, it is well served by public transportation and an easy starting point to discover the many regions of Germany. At THG, Exonians are enrolled in German and English Literature classes, a special Göttingen seminar, and four courses of their choice. Each student also enrolls in a sport and may participate in clubs and activities offered at the school. Exonians also accompany their German classmates for a weeklong ski trip to Austria. Student live with host families. Open to seniors.

Winter term: January to March.

France
A group of students in Grenoble, France

Exeter’s program in France offers students the opportunity to stay with a host family in the 2,000-year-old city of Grenoble, situated at the foot of the French Alps. Students perfect their accent while living with host families and spending their days immersed in the language. They take five courses taught by local instructors, including French history and art, theater, linguistics and more. This central location allows for weekend trips to the coast, Paris, Switzerland and Spain, all a short bus or train ride away. Open to seniors.

Fall term: September through November.

Spain
Spanish classical buildings taken from above

Students immerse themselves in Spanish language and culture in while living in Madrid, the political, economic and cultural center of Spain and the second-largest city in the European Union. Students live with a host family and attend the Colegio Santa Maria la Blanca in the city's Montecarmelo neighborhood. The program offers courses in Spanish literature, grammar and culture, history, economics, philosophy, math and science. While in Spain, students visit the historically rich and culturally diverse cities of Barcelona, Sevilla, Toledo, Salamanca and San Sebastian. Open to seniors.

Winter term: January to March.

Italy
A group of students posed in front of classical ruins

While in Italy, students study the classics among the ruins of the Roman empire. This Classical immersion program in Rome emphasizes the study of Latin, Greek, Roman topography and classical literature. Students spend the winter term attending classes at Istituto Pio IX and St. Stephen's School, and they live together in the city with a resident director. Weekly excursions visit ancient sites and museums, mainly in the city, or in Ostia Antica to the southeast. The final week of the program consists of a weeklong excursion to the Bay of Naples region. Open to uppers and seniors.

Winter term: January to late February.

India

This program is an unforgettable opportunity to explore areas that few tourists visit and to see and experience aspects of contemporary Indian life that, in many ways, have not changed for over 2000 years.  India is very diverse in culture, language and environment.  India’s cities stand in large contrast to her villages and have their own interesting (if seemingly chaotic) lifestyle.  Varanasi and Sarnath are both significant pilgrimage sites.  In these places we get a closer view of how modern and traditional India co-exist. The journey will include sharing of the day in the evening using the Harkness format, journaling and also mindfulness-based practice including sitting, walking and eating meditation and self-reflection. Students will learn from scholars and leading experts in fields such as education, development, history, economics and religion.

SYA: France, Italy, Spain
A group of students smiling with Mont Saint-Michel in the background

Chartered collaboratively by Exeter, Phillips Academy and St. Paul’s School in 1964 and now serving hundreds of high schools, School Year Abroad offers students a yearlong, immersive, and international cultural experience. Students live with host families, learn alongside other foreign students, and go deep into a country’s culture, history, literature, art, politics and more. Students participate in clubs, sports and other activities at their host schools. SYA’s Europe programs are located in Rennes, France; Viterbo, Italy; and Zaragoza, Spain, and SYA is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Open to uppers and seniors.

September through May. Possible semester programs based on availability.

Morocco
image of Marrakesh

Students will explore and study various history, religion and culture aspects of Morocco. You’ll meet with individuals and groups who actively work towards bringing about positive social, political, and economic transformations in the country. Through their efforts, agents of change in Morocco are striving to create a more inclusive and progressive society that addresses the challenges and aspirations of its diverse population. You’ll also explore the authenticity and acculturation of tourism in the local communities, and dive into learning how the past continues to be a significant influence on the present in Morocco.