International Applicants
Application and Financial Aid
Stanford OHS does accept and enroll students living outside the United States. International applicants are also eligible to apply for financial aid.
We recommend that international students who have not attended a school in which English is the primary language of instruction record a Video Essay for their application.
Transcripts and Records
Any transcripts or recommendations for students who have attended international schools must be translated to English by a third party prior to application submission.
Standardized Testing
Stanford OHS does not require TOEFL scores or any standardized test score for application. A score report from one of the approved tests may be provided, but it is not required for admission. If you wish to submit a test score, review the conditions on our testing page.
Communication With Parents
Please note that there is a parent questionnaire portion of the application that must be written or translated in to English. If admitted, Stanford OHS holds annual Parent-Teacher Conferences, as well as additional instructor and administrative meetings in English. The family will be expected to find an adult who can act as a translator for these circumstances.
Students at Stanford OHS are expected to be fluent in English, as that is the language of instruction and communication.
Residency
As an online school, students can attend Stanford OHS from their home country. We do not require attendance in person. Stanford OHS is not involved in student visa arrangements.
Course Times
Students are allowed to take courses between 6:00 am and 10:30 pm Pacific Time in their local time zone. We want to ensure that students are able to get enough sleep to remain focused and healthy, so that they are in a position to be mentally present and active in class. Students who wish to take a class outside of these hours because of unique circumstances must obtain special permission. These requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis after the student is enrolled at the school. More information about course times at Stanford OHS can be found at Take the Tour.
Homeschooled Applicants
Transcripts and Records
Homeschooled applicants will fill out additional questions about their coursework in lieu of a transcript. In preparing to apply to Stanford OHS, homeschooled students should keep detailed records of their coursework, including: duration of course, instructor name, format of instruction, curriculum materials used, and style of grading or examination. If grade reports or transcripts are available, you will be requested to attach them to your application in addition to the required detailed responses.
Standardized Testing
Submitting a test score is optional for all applicants, including homeschooled applicants. For those who wish to submit test scores, any of the tests mentioned in our Criteria and Standardized Testing page will be considered, regardless of the applicant's grade level. A standardized test score is recommended for homeschooled applicants whose schoolwork is not being graded and evaluated by someone outside the family.
Recommendations
Homeschooled applicants often have some difficulty selecting recommenders. We require two recommendations: ideally, one from an adult who has worked with the student in mathematics or science and another from an adult who has worked with the student in English, history, or another humanities or social sciences subject. If these subject-specific requests cannot be met, we recommend choosing two adults who have worked with the student in an academic context. Parents cannot submit recommendations for their children. Please contact the Admissions Office if you have questions regarding possible recommenders.