About sixteen percent of the school's nearly one thousand students live outside the United States. A number of Stanford OHS families are military, foreign service, and expatriates from various countries. Our students attend class from locations and settings all around the world. Stanford OHS's interactive, discussion-based classes are hosted in a classroom platform that students can access from anywhere with an internet connection. In the live online setting, students see and speak with peers and instructors, annotate on-screen materials, and collaborate in small groups. Classes are scheduled between 6:00am and 10:00pm U.S. Pacific Time to allow for students in different time zones to schedule classes at times outside of a traditional school day. A Tennessee student's mid-morning math class (U.S. Eastern Time) on Tuesdays would be an evening class on the same day for their friend in Turkey.
“A pillar of Stanford Online High School is our global reach,” said Dr. Tomohiro Hoshi, Head of Stanford Online High School. “Our school unites students from diverse backgrounds and cultures. This is not just about geography – it's about a shared commitment to learning from one another and exchanging experiences, perspectives, and cultures.”
In addition to the live, online classes, there are also club meetings, guest speakers, and assemblies that bring students from across the world together into a shared virtual space. These online student life events are open to every student, including those outside the United States. Stanford OHS has over one hundred academic, cultural, and social clubs, covering interests from Latin to biology olympiads. Students in international time zones may need to consider their sleep schedule before committing to an event: a Friday night (Pacific Time) online movie screening would be Saturday morning for our students in Asia!
Regional meetups are hosted during the school year by Stanford OHS families in cities around the world, and are a highlight for the community. Meetups allow families living in close proximity a chance to further the bonds they have made in classes online with other students in their area, and to make in-person connections through fun activities. Past meetups have taken a variety of forms including a hike and lunch in the Swiss Alps, a spring celebration in Singapore, a visit to Elsinore Castle in Denmark, and a friendly gathering in Katsuura, Japan!
“One of the great things about an online school is that students can stay in their existing community while engaging with peers from vastly different contexts and cultures. Students don't have to attend a boarding school to study with peers from many locales” said Kimia Habibi, Director of Admissions.
The Stanford Online High School application is now open. The deadline to submit an application to join the school for the 2024-2025 academic year is January 11, 2024. Details about our admissions criteria and required application materials, as well as resources for international applicants, can be found on our website. The school's admissions staff are available by email and appointment. Learn more about Stanford Online High School and take a tour of our virtual campus now: https://ohs.stanford.edu/take-tour/expat.
