Harvard-Westlake students participate in student exchange programs during their junior year. Interested students can apply to semester long programs in the United States or full year programs abroad. Any interested student can find out more information from Jim Patterson, Director of the Kutler Center.

School Year Abroad
Harvard-Westlake is a member of the School Year Abroad (SYA) consortium. Students accepted into the SYA program spend their junior or senior year in Spain, France, China, or Italy. They live with a host family while earning U.S. high school graduation credits. Founded in 1964 by Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, SYA is supported by a consortium of 44 independent schools across the country, including Harvard-Westlake. The program is recognized internationally and is enthusiastically supported by top universities. To visit the SYA website, go to www.sya.org.

The Mountain School
The Mountain School is an independent semester program that provides high school juniors the opportunity to live and work on an organic farm in rural Vermont. Each semester the Mountain School draws forty-five high-achieving students from all over the United States. Courses provide a demanding, integrated learning experience that takes full advantage of the school's small size and mountain campus. While living with teachers in small houses, students help to make important decisions concerning how they live together and manage the farm. To visit their website, go to www.mountainschool.org.

HMI Semester at The High Mountain Institute
The HMI Semester is a unique opportunity for juniors in high school to spend a semester living, traveling, and studying in the mountains of central Colorado and the canyons of southeastern Utah. In essence, the HMI Semester combines the best qualities of an academic program at a rigorous boarding school with the adventure of a summer backpacking expedition. To visit their website, go to www.hminet.org.

Financial Aid
These programs offer need-based, financial aid, and families interested should review the policies and procedures on each program’s website.