Quick answer: When you are moving abroad with school-age children, you can choose a local school in the new country, an international school, or a U.S. online school. A local school teaches in the local language, an international school follows its own curriculum, and a U.S. online school keeps your child on the same American courses and diploma wherever you live. Whichever you pick, request your child’s records from the current school before you leave, because every option starts with them.
A move date makes the school decision urgent. This guide compares the three schooling options for a move overseas, gives you a records checklist ordered by when to do each step, and lists what to confirm with the destination country’s authorities before you commit.
Table of Contents
Moving abroad with school-age children: the three options compared
The table shows the usual pattern. Schools differ within each category, so confirm each point with the schools you are considering.
| Question | Local school | International school | U.S. online school |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language of instruction | The local language. Some schools offer language support for new students, so ask. | Often English, but it varies by school. Ask which language is used in each subject. | English. |
| Curriculum continuity | Follows the country’s own curriculum. The order of topics may differ from your child’s current school. | Follows a named curriculum, such as IB, British or American. Ask which one and how it lines up with your child’s grade. | The same U.S. course sequence from one country to the next, as long as your child stays with the same school. |
| Start dates | Set by the country’s school calendar, which may not match yours. | Set by the school. Places can be limited, so ask about space for your child’s grade. | Varies by school. Some enroll all year, and Forest Trail Academy enrolls any week. |
| Cost pattern | Public schools may charge nothing or a fee, depending on the country and your residency status. Private local schools charge tuition. Ask the local education office. | Tuition and other fees set by each school. Compare the total for a full year. | Tuition paid to the school, plus a computer and a reliable internet connection. There is no commute. |
| Diploma and how U.S. colleges read it | The country’s diploma. U.S. colleges usually ask for the transcript to be translated or evaluated, so check each college’s international applicant page. | Depends on the program. Ask the school how its graduates apply to U.S. colleges. | A U.S. diploma and a U.S.-format transcript. Colleges still review the transcript, courses, and any required test scores under their own rules. |
| What happens at the next move | New records, and often a new translation and placement review in the next school. | Easiest if the next country has a school with the same curriculum. Confirm before you rely on it. | Your child keeps the same school, courses and records. You update your address and time zone. |
School calendars are worth a closer look. The New Jersey Department of Education’s guidance on enrolling newcomers includes a country index that lists, for example, a March to November school year for Brazil, a September to June year for Mexico, and two calendars for Colombia. That index dates from 2018, so check the current calendar with any school you are considering. A child can arrive between terms, or in the middle of a term, so ask each school how it handles a mid-term start.
How to choose between the three
Four questions settle most decisions.
- How long will you stay? A long stay makes the local language and local friendships a strong reason to choose a local school. A short or uncertain posting favors continuity, which international and online schools provide.
- What grade is your child in? In grades 9 to 12, credits and the diploma matter more, so a break in the course sequence has a higher cost.
- Which language does your child learn in best? A child’s age, language support and class size all affect how a new language of instruction goes. Ask each school how it supports new arrivals.
- What can your budget cover for the full year? Add tuition, fees, uniforms, transport and materials for each option.
The choices combine well. Many families use an online school for the main curriculum and add local sports, clubs or language classes so their children meet neighbors and learn the local language.
Keeping an American education abroad: the online option
An online American school abroad works like a U.S. school that does not depend on where your child sits. Your child follows U.S. courses, a U.S. teacher grades the work, and the school keeps one transcript from enrollment to graduation. That record moves with the family from country to country.
Two checks apply to any online school you consider:
- Accreditation. Ask who accredits the school and look it up in the accreditor’s own directory.
- Local rules. Ask the destination country’s education authority whether an online school satisfies its attendance rules for your child’s age and residency status. Rules differ by country, and the section on local laws below explains where to ask.
Pre-departure records checklist, in order
School offices work at their own pace, and some records are harder to get after you leave. Use the three stages below. Each item lists why you need it. In the United States, FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s education records at a U.S. school.
Stage 1: before you give notice at the current school
| Item | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| The name of the records contact, the request form, the fee and the lead time | Each school sets its own process, and the registrar sets the pace. |
| A list of credits earned and credits still needed (grades 9 to 12) | It shows what the next school must credit and what remains for graduation. |
| Course descriptions and syllabi for this year’s courses | A new school matches courses by content. Counselors ask for descriptions and syllabi to confirm the level of a course, as the Foreign Service Journal’s guide to school transitions notes. |
| Teacher recommendation letters and work samples | Teachers write the most useful letters while they still know your child’s work. |
| The admissions contact for the school you plan to use | It tells you what format of records to request and where to send them. |
| Questions sent to the destination country’s authorities | Answers on visas and school attendance can change which option you choose. See the section on local laws below. |
Stage 2: before departure
| Item | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Official transcript, sealed or sent directly to the next school | It is the standard record a school uses for placement and credit. |
| Final report card, or a progress report if you leave mid-term, with a plan for final grades | A student who leaves mid-term may receive only a progress report or an unofficial transcript, so ask how the school will send final grades later. |
| Withdrawal form or letter with the last day of attendance | It confirms the withdrawal date for both schools. |
| Immunization and health records | Schools commonly ask for them at enrollment. Ask the destination school which format it accepts. |
| Standardized test and AP score reports | They support placement and later college applications. |
| Learning support plans and evaluations, if your child has them | A new school can only continue supports it has seen documented. |
| Birth certificate and passport copies | Schools use them to confirm age, which affects grade placement. |
| Digital copies of everything | Sealed originals cannot be opened, so you need copies for applications. |
| A check on whether the destination school wants records translated or apostilled | It is easier to ask the issuing school before you leave. See the section on documents for later. |
Stage 3: after arrival
| Item | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Placement and credit decisions in writing from the new school | A written record prevents confusion at the next move or at graduation. |
| Extra certified copies of any record the new school issues | You will need them for later enrollments and applications. |
| A running file of each term’s grades and course descriptions | Every future school asks for the same items. |
| Registration with local education or immigration offices, if required | The authorities you contacted earlier will tell you what applies to your family. |
Grade placement and credit when you re-enter a U.S. curriculum
A U.S. school places a student by reviewing the records and comparing them with its own course sequence. For younger students, age and the records usually decide the grade. For high school students, the school looks at credits course by course. Our guide to the levels of education in the USA shows how grades map to ages.
Forest Trail Academy’s page on transferring credits describes the usual review: the school compares the foreign curriculum with U.S. standards, checks course equivalency, and decides how many credits each class is worth. Core subjects such as math, science, English and history usually transfer, and electives depend on how well they match U.S. courses. Not every credit transfers, and a school can ask for course descriptions or an explanation of the grading scale.
Students in high school also need to know how many credits must be earned at the school that issues the diploma. At Forest Trail Academy, for example, a student completes at least 25% of graduation credits there, as stated on the College Prep Diploma (24 credits) page. Ask every school you consider for its own figure.
How a self-paced school works across time zones
Online schools use one of two models. In an asynchronous, self-paced school, the student works through lessons and assignments at any hour. In a live-class school, the student attends sessions at set times, and a family far from the school’s time zone may find those times hard to keep. Ask these questions before you enroll:
- Are any lessons live? If so, at what times, and in which time zone?
- How does my child reach a teacher, and what are the teacher’s contact hours?
- How are exams proctored for students outside the United States?
- What happens to my child’s pace if we move again or travel for a while?
Children in a self-paced school still benefit from a routine. A regular daily start time, a quiet workspace and a weekly check-in with a parent help many students.
Documents for later: apostilles, translations and evaluations
Records issued in one country sometimes need extra steps before an institution in another country accepts them. Three terms come up most:
- Apostille. The Hague Conference on Private International Law explains that an apostille is a single certificate, issued by a designated authority in the country where the document originates, that replaces the longer legalization process between countries that joined the Apostille Convention. The Hague Conference publishes a status table of the countries that joined, so you can check your destination. Forest Trail Academy explains how to request an apostille on its apostille page.
- Certified translation. Schools and ministries often want records translated by a qualified translator. Ask the receiving office what it accepts.
- Credential evaluation. Some colleges and schools ask an outside service to explain a foreign record in U.S. terms. NACES is a trade association of independent credential evaluation services in the United States.
Ask the receiving school or college which of these it requires, since requirements differ from one institution to the next.
Visas and local schooling laws: what to check and where
Laws and visa conditions differ by country and can change, so this guide does not state any country’s rules. Ask the following offices, and keep their answers in writing.
- The destination country’s ministry or department of education. Ask the age range for compulsory schooling, whether children of foreign residents must attend a registered school, and whether an online school meets that rule. The compulsory age range differs from country to country, and the New Jersey index mentioned above lists ranges that vary across its ten countries.
- The destination country’s embassy, consulate or immigration authority. Ask whether your visa category carries any condition about your children’s schooling and what documents your children need.
- Your employer’s relocation or human resources office. It may already know the local rules for families.
- The embassy of your own country in the destination country. It can often point you to practical guidance for citizens living in that country.
Forest Trail Academy for families abroad
Forest Trail Academy (FTA) is a private, accredited, secular online school in West Palm Beach, Florida, for kindergarten through grade 12. It has served more than 10,000 students since 2007, and its graduates have been accepted at more than 1,000 colleges. Courses are self-paced, certified teachers grade the work, and families can enroll any week of the year.
- Time zones. FTA’s American online school page says its classes are not live. Courses are asynchronous and self-paced. Teachers hold live office hours twice a week for each class, and attendance works from any time zone. Families can reach support by chat, phone or email. The site lists support hours of Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday, 12 PM to 4 PM, but it does not state the time zone, so ask admissions. Its expat families page adds that proctored exams are available remotely.
- Records. A transferring student sends the latest transcript or report card, and FTA reviews credits and requirements to build a course plan. Later records requests go through the Document/Records Request link and downloadable forms on the site.
- Diploma from abroad. The guide on earning an online U.S. diploma from abroad covers the enrollment steps in more detail.
- By country. FTA has pages for families in specific countries, including the UAE, Singapore and Germany.
Tuition is listed on FTA’s tuition page.
Frequently asked questions
What are my school options when moving abroad with kids?
You can choose a local school, an international school, or an online school that follows a U.S. curriculum. Many families combine an online school with local activities. The comparison table above sets the three side by side.
How do I keep my child’s American education while living abroad?
Enroll in a U.S. online school that is accredited, keeps one transcript for your child, and offers courses in the grades your child needs. Check with the destination country’s education authority that this meets its attendance rules.
What records should I request before moving abroad?
Request an official transcript, a final report card or progress report, a withdrawal letter, immunization records, test scores, course descriptions, and any learning support plans. The checklist above puts each item in the order to do it.
Do I need an apostille for my child’s school records?
Only if a school, ministry or college in the destination country asks for one. Ask the receiving office before you leave, then ask the issuing school how to request an apostille. The Hague Conference status table shows which countries use apostilles.
Can my child attend an online school while we are traveling?
Yes, if the school is self-paced and the student has a reliable internet connection. Ask how exams are proctored from other countries and how the school handles a change in your pace while you travel.
How are grades and credits handled when my child changes schools?
The new school reviews the transcript and course descriptions and decides which credits it accepts. Policies differ by school, so ask each school for its transfer policy in writing.
What if my child already attended school in another country?
The online school reviews the transcript and decides which credits it accepts. As one example, FTA’s international student program page asks for an authenticated official transcript issued by a governmental authority, and says a transcript that is not in U.S. terms must be translated by a service approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.
Want to talk through your move date and your child’s grade? Book a call with admissions.
