International Student Program
Providence is located in Lilburn, Georgia, which is about 25 miles outside Atlanta in suburban Gwinnett County. It is authorized under Federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. We have had the privilege of welcoming students from South Korea, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Equatorial Guinea, the Dominican Republic, Sweden, Nigeria, and Australia to the Providence family.
Academics
Providence offers a college-preparatory curriculum that includes a wide selection of Honors and AP classes across all major subject areas. Dual Enrollment, where students take college courses while still in high school, is also an option. Our graduates have been accepted to top colleges and universities nationwide including Harvard, Rice, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Emory. All classes are taught by caring Christian teachers who infuse their subjects with a Biblical worldview. Our guidance counselors help students to choose courses wisely in light of their college and career goals, and they also assist with college applications.
Providence’s STEM program is ranked in the top 10 percent nationally. Students in grades K-8 are introduced to STEM principles as part of their regular curriculum. High school students may choose to take our STEM courses as electives. The first two years introduce students to various design principles and types of engineering. Third year students can choose either a structural engineering or biomedical engineering course depending on their interest. Fourth year students complete a capstone design project and/or an internship.
International students whose mother tongue is not English are not required to study a foreign language at Providence. This gives a bit of extra room in their schedule for electives. Students can take extra academic courses in an area of interest such as science or history. Providence also has a wide variety of fine arts offerings (including band, chorus, art, and drama) as well as classes like Graphic Design, Digital Photography, and Sports Performance. Students may also study almost any subject online.
Getting Involved
We strongly encourage international students to get involved in something outside of class. This helps significantly with language and culture learning as well as making friends with students who have similar interests. It is also an integral part of the American high school experience.
Providence has boys’ and girls’ teams for cross country, basketball, soccer, swimming, baseball/softball, track and field, golf, and tennis. Boys may also participate in football and wrestling, and girls have volleyball and cheerleading teams. In the fine arts, Providence produces 2-3 plays a year which regularly win state-wide awards. We also have a marching drumline that plays at football games. Other opportunities for involvement include Academic Team, Math Team, and Robotics Club. Student-led clubs vary from year to year but have included things such as Ballroom Dance, Jewelry Making, Magic Club, and E-sports.
Home Life
Most international students live with a local Christian host family. Host parents are excited to open their homes to our international students - to introduce them to America and help them navigate their years here. Host families are carefully selected, including background checks, interviews, and home visits.
Expectations
International students interested in applying to Providence must demonstrate a level of English proficiency that allows them to participate in classes and extracurricular activities. Remedial tutoring is available if needed, but international students will be in classes with American students from their first day and are expected to have the skills needed to keep up with assignments.
American students at Providence all come from Christian homes. We recognize that this is not always the case with our international students, but they must be willing to be respectful of Christian teaching and attend church with their host family.
New international students are expected to arrive about 10 days before classes start. This allows time to settle in and get to know their host family, get over jet lag, and participate in an orientation time. They can then start the year confident and ready for classes and for making new friends!
Application
Families interested in applying for admission should first contact Julie Panek, International Student Coordinator, at j.panek@providencechristianacademy.org. As part of the application process, students must provide:
- School transcripts in English for the past 3 years
- Proof of sufficient financial resources
An online face-to-face interview is also required.
Cost
Required tuition and fees for 2021-2022 are:
| Grades 5-7th | $19,170 |
| Grade 8 | $22,400 |
| 9th to 12th Grade | $23,900 |
These amounts include a $3900 annual registration fee for international students that covers the extra services and support that they receive. It also includes a $1000 activity fee that covers costs that come up during the year - extracurricular activities, STEM classes, trips, etc. Any leftover activity fee amount will be refunded when the student finishes at Providence.
Students who live with a host family will need to pay an additional $12,000 for living expenses.
First-year students will need to pay a $300 application fee, and first-year families should also be prepared to budget up to $3000 for English tutoring if needed.
The total amount must be paid in one lump sum at least 2 months before the start of classes.