International Students | Intermediate Program | www.explo.org
When you're a young teenager, you're looking to explore. It's in your nature. And for international students, there's no better place to explore than on the Wellesley College campus at the Intermediate Program.
That's because there's so much for international students to learn and discover at the Exploration. You can make friends with American students and other international students from more than 50 countries. If you aren't completely fluent in English, you can practice in a safe, supportive environment. You can see American cities. You can try an international boarding school experience. You can take part in amazing courses. At Explo, you can do all these things.
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Through it all, you'll take classes unlike anything you've studied before while experiencing first-hand a variety of cultures and lifestyles. You'll go to Major League Baseball stadiums, learn the slang of different languages, play games of Ultimate Frisbee, and watch classic movies with your hallmates.
If you're an international student looking for something new, Explo is just the place to get a fresh perspective.
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For students interested in more formal English instruction, the Intermediate Program offers two courses in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) instruction: one for 'intermediate' speakers and another for 'advanced' speakers. The 'intermediate' level course focuses on developing students' conversational English through role-play activities (for instance, going to a movie or playing a game of baseball). The 'advanced' ESOL class focuses on improving fluency, vocabulary, syntax and grammar through active speaking, reading, and writing activities.
Intermediate Program International FAQ
| International Student FAQ |
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| Why have so many international families chosen Exploration over the years? There are many reasons why international families continue to choose Exploration. We've been told by many of these families that our long history with international students has made them comfortable trusting Exploration. At the Program, international students enter into a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that incorporates them into the activities, athletics, classes, and trips of Explo while also being open to the cultures of all of our international students. For these students, it is an exciting opportunity to get to come to America and meet students from the United States and the rest of the world. |
| Do international students really get to experience authentic American culture at Exploration? The ideal way to experience a new culture is to be completely immersed in it. All of our courses, activities, and events are conducted in English, and our enthusiastic staff represent many regions of the United States. Most international students have an American roommate who has expressed excitement about the opportunity to live with an international student. Every weekend, students leave our campus to explore sites all around New England. |
| How many students are international students?
About 20% of residential students at the Intermediate Program are international students who come from more than 40 countries around the world. |
| Where do your international students come from?
One of the most exciting facets of the Exploration Intermediate Program is our geographically diverse community. Students have come to the Exploration from over 60 countries, spanning every continent but Antarctica! Recently, international students have represented: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Curacao, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Vietnam. |
| How does your Program approach cultural differences, either between a student’s home culture and American culture or two non-American cultures? We recognize that cultural differences naturally exist between many of the students in our geographically diverse community. Part of Exploration’s mission is to encourage students to discover the world of people and ideas around them, respecting the differences that make us all individuals and finding the common ground that makes us a community. Our staff is trained to be sensitive to cultural differences, while not shying away from engaging students in honest, safe discussions for the purpose of greater understanding. Our residential advising staff and Dean’s Office create an environment of support that acts as a catalyst towards long-lasting cross-cultural friendships. |
| What level of English proficiency is necessary to attend Explo?
Because all of our courses, activities, and correspondence with students are conducted in English, it is crucial that students have at least an intermediate level of English proficiency to attend Exploration and to take advantage of everything the Program has to offer. |
| Does Explo offer ESOL classes?
Yes. The ESOL class is a full course designed for international students to practice their English and learn more about American culture. If international students wish to take the ESOL class, they must register for the class on their online application. Students may sign up for the ESOL class as one of their morning courses. |
| Does Explo require international students to take ESOL classes?
Explo does not require international students to take ESOL classes. We do, however, require that students have an intermediate or advanced level of English proficiency to attend the Program. Before international students can enroll in the Program, they need to set up a language assessment interview with our office. Please contact our Admissions Office at 781.762.7400 for complete information. |
| What kind of visa do I need for Explo?
International students need to acquire a B-2 visa for a short visit. The B-2 visa is normally obtained at the United States embassy in your home country. |
| What if I am unable to obtain a visa? Can I get a full refund?
It is rare for a student who is enrolled in an Exploration Program to have difficulty procuring a visa. Should this happen, Exploration would be happy to provide a full refund upon receipt of evidence showing the student was denied a visa. |
| Will my insurance work in the U.S.? If not, how do I enroll in Explo’s insurance? International students are required to carry American accident and health coverage, which may be purchased through Exploration. International participants and others without this coverage will be billed each session for a short term accident/health policy. |
| What is the best way to get payment to you?
Payments may be made by check or international wire. Credit cards are accepted for online deposits only, not for final payments. All payments, including deposits, tuition, and cash advances must be made in US funds. We will not accept checks drawn on a foreign bank. Click here for payment information. |
| How do you coordinate travel to and from the Program on arrival and departure days? Exploration provides transportation to and from Logan International Airport in Boston, MA to the Wellesley campus on arrival and departure days during designated times. If students choose to fly in to other airports, they are responsible for coordinating and covering the cost of their travel to the Wellesley College campus. |
| Does Exploration offer any assistance in planning travel to and from the Program? In order to help families make travel arrangements for their children, Exploration has partnered with Colpitts World Travel. Colpitts is a leader in international travel assistance and is capable of helping families plan safe, full-service travel arrangements to and from Exploration. By booking through Colpitts, you can quickly determine how many other Exploration students are already on a flight and whether the flight arrives during our regular airport pick-up hours. If it does not, Colpitts can book travel between the airport and campus through another Exploration transportation partner, BostonCoach. Colpitts negotiates discounts with the major airlines and therefore, their pricing is very competitive. |
