The four-day Venture Orientation Program welcomes new international students to St. Stephen's in August and offers personalized attention to help them adjust to all aspects of being a boarding student. Students participate in activities focused on both academic and extracurricular skills while also meeting teachers and administrators and becoming familiar with the campus and the city of Austin.

The St. Stephen’s Transitional English Program, led by Grant Brennon, allows students who have not previously been at an English-instruction school to engage in literary analysis and comprehensive revision. Because of the small class size, students benefit from individualized writing support and grammar instruction, as well as unique opportunities for class participation.

The International Program office helps international students manage travel and immigration concerns, including visa applications, college transfers, border-crossing concerns, and other processing procedures.

The Host Family Program has existed for more than two decades. Our international students are paired with local St. Stephen’s families who include them in activities throughout the school year. Host families help our international students feel like they have a home away from home. For many of our international students, their connection with their host family is one of the most important relationships they have during their time at St. Stephen’s.

Read more about the host family program here.

The Japanese Exchange Program has provided the opportunity for St. Stephen's students to study abroad as one-year exchange students in Osaka, Japan since 1973, and in Tokyo since 2000. The program began as a post-WWII effort to promote lasting peace between the United States and Japan, and it continues to foster a sense of international community and friendship. Two St. Stephen's students are selected by faculty to represent the school in Japan, and St. Stephen’s welcomes two Japanese exchange students from our sister schools.