FAQs

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE A STUDENT AT ORONO HIGH SCHOOL?

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WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?

  • Tuition
  • Host Family placement
  • 5-day orientation and welcome dinner
  • Airport pick-up
  • Meals: Lunch at school (and dinner and breakfast with your host family)
  • Basic health insurance
  • School bus transportation to and from school, if your host family does not live within walking distance of the school
  • MacBookAir for the year
  • Textbooks
  • Sports
  • Clubs
  • Most activities for international students, such as cross country skiing, kayaking, university visits, volunteering, shopping trips, camping, ice fishing, holiday parties, apple picking, paintball, and more!
  • Access to a full-time program coordinator
  • 1:1 college counseling
  • Conditional acceptance to The University of Maine with a $12,000 scholarship
  • Free access to the public bus in Orono
  • Membership to the Orono Public Library and University of Maine library
  • Student Ambassadors to help you integrate into life at Orono High School

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  1. When do students arrive?
    • A specific arrival date will be sent. Generally, it's around August 25th/26th/27th. Students MUST fly into Bangor International Airport (BGR), which is 15 minutes from Orono High School. The host family and/or the Program Director will pick-up the student at the airport. There is a 5-day orientation; school starts in early September.
  2. When is the school year over?
    • Mid-June. Students are required to leave Orono within 3 days of graduation/the end of school. The date of graduation for the 2018-19 school year is June 9, 2018.
  3. Can I stay longer? Can I arrive early?
    • Students should not arrive in Orono before the scheduled arrival date, nor should they plan to stay more than 3 days after graduation. Students are allowed to travel before and after the school year as long as their visa allows, but Orono High School cannot provide accommodations and is not responsible for students outside of the stated timeframe.
  4. Can my family visit me? Can they bring me to Orono?
    • Families are welcome to visit. However, they must find their own accommodations-they cannot stay with the host family. Additionally, we ask families to respect their student's schedule. The orientation process is especially important, so if families wish to "drop-off' their student, we suggest families depart from Orono on the first day of orientation.
  5. What type of visa will I get?
    • F-1. Students will receive an I-20 from Orono High School, which allows them to apply for an F-1 visa.
  6. I applied and have been accepted. Now what?
    • Congratulations! Now you can relax and wait to hear from us. Here's what to expect:
      1. March/April: we may ask for additional information so we can find you a host family.
      2. May/June: we will send an enrollment packet for you to complete.
      3. June/July: you will apply for your F-1 student visa.
      4. August: we will send an orientation schedule and confirm arrival information.
  7. Does Orono High School have uniforms?
    • No, OHS students do not wear uniforms.
  8. What's the weather like in Orono, Maine?
    • Maine has all 4 seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall.
      • When students arrive in August, the weather is perfect: 25-30 C and sunny
      • Fall is from September to November. Generally, it's 10-25 C.
      • Winter is from December-March and we often get snow. The temperature ranges from -15 to 10 C. All of the buildings are heated, so it's quite cozy!
      • Summer is busy with tourists because Maine boasts some of the best weather in the US. Temperatures at night are around 16-22 C, and 20-32 C during the day.
  9. What courses will I take? Can I pick my classes?
    • The courses you take will depend on your grade, English skills, and academic history.
    • US History is required for a high school diploma.
    • Students will take 7 or 8 classes. Students will take math, science, English and history. The other 3-4 classes are the student's choice.
      • Generally, students can pick which science they take (Biology, Chemistry or Physics).
      • OHS may administer a placement exam for math, if we're unsure what the best fit will be.
    • Students can change classes within two weeks of school starting.
    • The Director of the International Program will help students pick classes.
  10. Orono has scholarships for some students. What is the scholarship based on?
    • Scholarships are based on:
      • Need
      • Academics (English skills and grades)
      • Country
      • Interest in getting involved
  11. I want to see more pictures. How can I do that?
  12. Why can I only study for one year?
    • The US Government will only allow students to study at a public high school on an F-1 visa for one year.
  13. Can I get a job while I'm studying at Orono High School?
    • Unfortunately, the F-1 visa does not allow for high school students to have a job.
  14. How many international students does Orono High School have?
    • In the 2017-18 school year, there are 14 international students from 11 countries:
      • China (1)
      • Italy (1)
      • Finland (1)
      • Netherlands (3)
      • Norway (1)
      • Romania (1)
      • South Korea (1)
      • Switzerland (2)
      • Thailand (1)
      • Vietnam (1)
      • Venezuela (1)
  15. How does the host family placement work?
    • Orono High School does the host family placements. We will ask you lots of questions to learn about the type of family you're hoping to live with. Most host families live within walking distance of the school and downtown Orono.
  16. What do students do on the weekends?
    • You will spend weekends with your host family. Additionally, the international program offers an average of 4 activities per month. Examples of activities include:
      • trip to Boston
      • shopping trips
      • holiday celebrations
      • apple picking
      • pumpkin carving
      • camping
      • hiking
      • skiing
      • and more!
  17. How will I make friends?
    • Orono has a Student Ambassador Program. Student Ambassadors are local students interested in getting to know international students. Upon acceptance, we'll match you with a Student Ambassador based on mutual interests. That Student Ambassador will be part of orientation-they'll be a familiar face the first few weeks of school! Student Ambassadors also participate in many of our activities.
    • Another great way to make friends is to join a sports team-87% of our students play sports! Clubs and the arts are another great way to meet people. We encourage international students to join as many activities as possible.