Study in Houston, Texas 2024

Houston is as diverse as any other major city. The foreign students will easily fit into the local multicultural community thanks to the huge number of students from different countries who come all the time. One of the reasons for this influx is the oil and gas industry: many large companies are based in downtown or on the west side of Houston in an area known as the Energy Corridor. Many Britons, Europeans, Australians and Scandinavians live, study and work here.

The metropolitan area, which consists of 9 counties, has dozens of state-approved boarding schools and approximately 200 private schools. Houston offers a full range of educational opportunities for all ages — from kindergartens and preschools to community colleges and highly ranked universities.

Schools in Houston, as in most places in the United States, are divided into school districts, but most international students choose private schools: they accept students from any school district if they meet the admission requirements (usually this is an interview to make sure that your child does not have behavioural problems).

As it was mentioned, Houston is a surprisingly diverse and cosmopolitan city, where representatives of many nationalities live, international companies and organizations work. With the growth of international trade, the demand for international schools has increased: they contribute to the international mobility of students, since a uniform curriculum ensures continuity and a smooth transition from school to school, no matter what continent the student is on. In an international learning environment, a student naturally acquires an open global way of thinking, accepts and respects the rich cultural diversity, learns to communicate with classmates from all over the world. International schools provide an expanded, rich education along with a diverse atmosphere, graduates become competitive, get a global perspective.

Students who have completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, international accredited schools, continue their studies in educational institutions around the world and have interesting global career opportunities. IB is an internationally recognized qualification that is highly regarded as challenging and academically rigorous.

Svetlana Iakovleva

Director of International Enrollment Management

US boarding school rankings: what criteria are used to compile them? How much can they be trusted?

I have been asked this question many times and finally Forbes Education, Russia, offered me to write an article about the ranking criteria, so all detailed information can be found there. The general approach – please do not make the choice for your kid based only on the ranking position of the school. Please consider your choice from different angles and make sure that the school will be able to provide a full academic and social environment where your student can thrive and plan a bright future ahead.

• Village School

This school initially served 100 students aged 3 to 5 years. Today, Village School occupies more than 28 acres in a residential area of West Houston and still plans to expand the campus. A community of students from more than 60 countries shares the desire for unusually high levels of academic achievement. Dedicated faculty and staff continue to prepare students for future success at the most prestigious colleges and universities around the world.

• Amerigo Houston St. Pius X

A private, coeducational secondary school where students can explore their strengths, earn university credits and gain hands-on experience that will prepare them to study at US universities. Catholic Secondary School of St. Piya X, an exclusive partner of Amerigo Houston, offers tools, resources and teachers that will open the door to a successful future. The beautiful campus of St. Pius X High School is located in the heart of the city. The school provides students with a quality education, offers access to more than 100 AP, Honors, Dual Credit, College Prep courses in a wide range of subjects. Students can take part in the work of 30 clubs and 20 sports teams. In addition, the school offers a unique engineering program, which was created in collaboration with the famous Cockrell Technical Faculty of the University of Texas – one of the best engineering programs in the United States.

Studying at schools in Houston will allow the foreign students to prepare for studying at prestigious universities in the USA. The schools have their own requirements for applicants – registration fees, tests, personal interviews. The cost of education in English school in Houston varies from 45,000 to 65,000 USD per academic year.

The application deadlines are in December-January. Personal interviews are conducted in person or by Skype until February. The international students obtain an invitation in March-April.

To enrol in a school in Houston, the foreign student must pass a standard test, most often it is SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination), which determine various aspects of knowledge of English and mathematics.

Below the list of documents is provided:

• The copy of passport
• School annual grades for the last 2 academic years + quarter/trimester grades for the current academic year
• International language certificate
• Recommendation letters from teachers of mathematics and English
• Motivation letter
• Registration and school forms.

In addition to the above list, children are also required to take internal school tests in mathematics and English to determine whether the children are sufficiently well prepared at the time of admission to English school in Houston.

General information about Houston

Cost of living in Houston

Accommodation options in Houston

Coordinates of Houston