At the Calgary Board of Education, all schools have the same curriculum, the same teaching standards and are comprehensive schools. This means that most programs are offered at all schools. You can be assured that wherever you go to school you will receive a great education. The Global Learning Services has designated a number of schools that are the best for international students. Each of these high schools has an international coordinator to help international students with their academic and social programs. Check our website for a current listing of these schools. Please note that not all schools are able to receive international students (e.g., certain schools are full).

Schools are chosen based on space and program availability. You may request a specific school and we will make every attempt to accommodate your request. However, the Global Learning Services reserves the right to make the final placement decision. Please note that not all Calgary schools can accept international students.

Transportation is the responsibility of the parent or custodian.

The CBE will evaluate your transcripts and, if the courses you completed are equivalent to high school courses here, you will be granted credit for those that are required for an Alberta high school diploma.

You will likely be placed into the same grade you are currently in at your local school.

A course advisor at your new school will help you to plan your program based on your English level, your interests and your goals. We would look at the courses you finished in high school in your country and the marks you received. If the grades you completed are equivalent to high school courses here, you would be given a test to see if you could be placed in the next level. Our courses have prerequisites so one level must be finished before a student can enter the next level. 10 is level 1, 20 is level 2 and 30 is level 3. You need to take English 10, then 20 and then 30.

New international students are not eligible for the IB program. However, once you have been at school in Calgary for a year or more, you may be eligible to apply providing you meet the high academic standards required for the program.

If your child is in elementary school (aged 12 and under), he/she must have a parent living in Calgary for the entire duration of their studies or live with someone who has been verified to be an immediate family member. Please contact us for further details. Please note: if you are living in Calgary with your child while he/she studies, your child is not required to have a custodian.

No. As long as the custodian is available for your child 24 hours a day, the child can live elsewhere.

The Global Learning Services will arrange for homestay accommodations if your child is between 15-19 years of age. Please complete the homestay application form and submit with the placement fee. We can also arrange a homestay that will accept custodianship for your child.

All host families are required to have:

• a police record check for all adults over the age of 16 living in the home;
• an intensive interview;
• a thorough home inspection;
• a private bedroom with study area for the international student.

We seek host families who are interested in sharing their lives with an international student. All of our families are committed to including your child in all family activities.

ABSWER REQUIRED

The custodian acts as the parent to the child and takes on the same responsibilities that the parent would have. Please see our custodianship guidelines.

A custodian should be at least 25 years of age and must be a Canadian citizen. Please use caution in choosing a custodian. The custodian should be someone who has the best interests of your child in mind.

No. As long as the custodian is available for your child 24 hours a day, the child can live elsewhere.

Please visit the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site for Study Permit application information for your country.

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Before your child can enter school, he/she must take an assessment test to determine his/her English level. Please make an appointment for this test by phoning 403-777-7373. Please bring the child’s passport to the assessment test for verification. Once the assessment is completed, your child will receive a Permission for Admission which he/she will present to the school.

To get a basic high school diploma in Alberta you must have 100 credits. The credits must include the following:
• English 30-1 or 30-2
• Social Studies 30 or 33
• Mathematics 20 Pure or 20 Applied or 24
• Science 20, or Science 24, or Chemistry 20, or Biology 20, or Physics 20
• Physical Education 10
• Career and Life Management (CALM)
• Two grade 12 courses (10 credits) in addition to English and Social Studies
10 credits at any level from:
• Career and Technology Studies (computer applications, design studies, cabinet making, food studies, fashion studies, metal technology, communications technology)
• Fine Arts: Art, band, drama, choral music
• Second Languages: French, Mandarin, German, Spanish

This depends on several things like your level of English upon arrival, your prior courses of study, when you arrived, and what your graduation expectations are. However, in most cases, students who require English as a Second Language programming (ESL) will take longer to complete the requirements than a student who was born in Canada. Many students take four years to complete high school with a diploma.

Alberta high school diplomas are recognized around the world. Students from the CBE can apply to any university or college and will be accepted based upon the marks of certain required courses. For example, the University of Calgary requires students applying to a general program to have: • English 30
• Social Studies 30
• Three of:
• Math 30
• Biology 30
• Chemistry 30
• Physics 30
• Any other 30 level courses

All students wanting to go to university must complete the highest level of English in high school (English 30-1) with a mark of 75% in order to enter university. Then they must complete four more 30 level academic courses (senior level). All students in Alberta must complete a Canadian based course of Social Studies (history and geography), which covers Canada's government and Canada's role in the world. The two other required courses are Physical Education 10 and Career and Life Management (CALM) 20.