Attending high school in the United States has many benefits that can help students from other countries succeed academically and professionally. A US high school diploma is recognized by colleges and universities around the world, making it easier for students to gain admission to American schools. Additionally, a US diploma can help students secure jobs and pursue careers that they are passionate about in the United States following graduation.
However, for students that attend high schools outside of the US, there are a few barriers that need to be addressed before achieving similar dreams. These include obstacles like:
- Student visa application
- Transferring transcripts
- Diploma and credential evaluations
- Passing the TOEFL exam
- Completing standardized exams
- Financing or financial aid programs
- Deciding on the best college for your career goals
This list represents numerous challenges that students must face if they want to pursue new opportunities in the US. For most, moving stateside to attend high school is not a simple, convenient, or desired option.
So, how does a student earn a diploma in the USA from another country? A dual diploma program allows international students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma in the United States and their home country without having to move or physically attend class. Instead, all lessons are hosted virtually and can be accessed from truly anywhere there is an internet connection.
While a dual credit diploma does not remove these obstacles completely, it can play an instrumental role in lowering the barriers and creating an easier transition to pursuing post-secondary education goals in the United States.
How It Works
You might be wondering how exactly a dual credit diploma works. The process combines an online U.S. high school with a school in your home country so that you can earn valid credits from both institutions.
By using transfer credit, you are able to earn U.S. credits while completing classes in your local school. These credits are transferred to be considered valid toward earning a U.S. diploma at the same time.
Depending on your school’s participation in this type of program, you can earn as much as 75% of U.S. graduation requirements without having to change schools or move. As long as you have completed the 8th grade or an adult that has graduated, has at least a moderate level of proficiency in English, and has a desire to submit quality work each week, you are eligible to enroll!
The Credit Transfer Process
The credit transfer process involves four simple steps toward earning your diploma in the USA.
First, you must enroll in the dual diploma program. At Citizens High School, we then require that students attend our international student orientation course. This helps to assist students in navigating the credit transfer so that they can successfully begin earning credits as soon as possible.
Next, you submit your official transcript. If your transcript is not already in English, we will request that you also fill out a form that informs us which classes you have completed so that we can best determine your necessary requirements to succeed in the program.
Once we have your transcript, our Student Service team reviews it and compares it to our own courses. This allows us to see which course requirements in our curriculum you have already satisfied.
Lastly, you receive the results of the review and we provide you with a list of remaining courses that will be necessary to complete the Sample Transcript Valuation. For example, if you have taken 3 years of mathematics, but we require 4, this will mean that you need to finish one more math course.
As you work toward completing your dual credit diploma program, our Student Service team remains available to provide you with guidance if you need assistance planning the rest of your curriculum. We are committed to helping our students succeed so that they can benefit from more equitable access to education.
Plan Your New Academic Future with Citizens High School
Citizens High School empowers both American and international students with high-quality, accredited diploma programs so that they can pursue the future they have always dreamed of. Part of our mission includes expanding access to US-accredited education throughout the rest of the globe through innovative partnerships like our dual credit diploma program.
If you are interested in earning US high school credits while attending an educational institution in your home country, contact us today to learn more about enrollment.
