International Students

Vistamar School has had an International Student Program since 2016. Currently, we have 14 international students enrolled, coming to us from China, Korea, Singapore and Ukraine. Our goal is to enroll a diverse group of international students interested in studying in the United States for high school.

Our international students have enrolled in prestigious colleges and universities such as:

Berklee College of Music
Parsons School of Design
Pratt Institute
Purdue University
The University of Pennsylvania
The University of Washington
UC Berkeley
UC San Diego

True to our mission, we know that having a diverse global perspective will enrich our community and help all of our students prepare for a global society. We recognize that English is not a first language for most of our International students, therefore we have developed an English as a Second Language (ESL)/Sheltered Immersion program for 9th and 10th grade students. International students are supported and monitored with a dedicated ESL instructor/advocate throughout their time at Vistamar School. More information is below and on our website here.

Application Process

Vistamar School partners with international placement agencies and consultants. We encourage international candidates and their families to contact an agency or consultant to begin the admissions process. Agencies and consultants provide key services to international students, such as:

Application guidance
Reserving an admission spot
The I-20 Form Visa Application Support: The certificate of eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status
Finding a vetted homestay family
Providing a Power of Attorney (POV) for host families to act as guardians
Tuition payment
Health Records
Health Insurance
Communication with the families in their native language

In some cases, we can work with students who already have specific immigration status without the support of an agency.

International students are welcome to apply as 9th graders or transfer students (grades 10-12) for the 2023-2024 school year.

For more information about applying to Vistamar School, please review the Admissions Process below.

Application Process Steps

Step One: Submit the Inquiry Form

Future Applicants: Please fill out the online inquiry form. This step will add you and your family to our admissions database. It will let us know of your interests and ensures you receive important communications from the Admissions Office. Please note: If you have already completed the inquiry form, you are in our database and do not need to fill out the form again.

Step Two: Visit Vistamar

The best way to get to know Vistamar School is to visit our innovative campus and see for yourself what we are all about.

We offer in person options to attend an Open House or a Discover Visttamar Day during the fall admissions season. These events provide prospective students and parents the opportunity to learn more about Vistamar’s curriculum, faculty, administration, student life, college acceptances, athletics, extracurricular activities, and more. Information on these sessions is listed on the events page of our website.

Until you can get to campus, our Virtual Campus Tour is live! See what it's like to learn, play, and create at Vistamar School.

Step Three: Apply Online

Vistamar School uses the Standard Application Online (SAO) To begin your application, click here. Make sure to select "Vistamar School" from the school list.

The deadline to submit an application for the 2024-25 academic year was January 16, 2024. Vistamar School will consider applications beyond the deadline in Rolling Admissions.

*There is a one-time application fee of $125. If you would like to request a fee waiver, more information is included below.

The Character Skills Snapshot is not required as part of the application process. We will accept the report if a family chooses to submit it. Click here to submit the snapshot.

Step Four: Schedule Your VWA or Standardized Test

Vistamar School is test optional for students applying for fall 2024-2025 consideration. Applicant families are welcome to submit the ISEE, SSAT, or HSPT but are not required to do so. If you do elect to submit standardized test scores, all test results must come to Vistamar School directly from the testing company. We will not accept scores from an applicant’s family or consultant.

If a student elects to forgo taking any of the listed exams, they will be asked to sit for the Vistamar Writing Assessment (VWA). The VWA is can be administered either online or in person.

Step Five: Supplemental Forms

In addition to the application, each student is required to submit transcripts and three letters of recommendation -- one from an Administrator, one from an English teacher, and one from a Math teacher. The standard recommendation forms that all members of the LAIS (Los Angeles Independent Schools) Consortium use are available below.

We will also accept the forms requested through your SAO portal.

For the 2024-2025 school year, these forms can be submitted between December 2023 and mid-January 2024 or as soon as possible after your application is submitted.

Step Six: Schedule Your Interview

After you have submitted your Student Profile, Parent Statement, and Student Essays on the SAO, we will contact you to set up an in-person or virtual interview with a member of the Vistamar Admissions Committee.

We will interview you and your parent(s) or guardian(s) on the same day. At least one parent or guardian is expected to attend the interview with you. Interviews typically last 45 minutes to an hour at Vistamar.

Additional Information for International Students

Housing Information

In order to provide an I-20 Visa, we must have proof and confirmation of a student’s local living arrangements. Students must have a local guardian even if they have or will turn 18. Vistamar School does not offer on-campus housing, but partners with host family placement organizations to find family hosts in the area. Students MUST confirm housing prior to the start of each year in order to keep their Visa in good standing.

In order to expedite an F-1 Visa application, students need to make arrangements with their agencies to establish a U.S. address to meet visa requirements.

For additional information, please email the Admissions Team, admissions@vistamarschool.org

Tuition Information

Tuition for International Students and those enrolled in the ELL program for the 2023/2024 year is $51,587.

A deposit of 10% of tuition is due with the contract. Tuition must be paid in full in US dollars for the I-20 to be processed. Tuition insurance is available for international students for an additional charge. Please refer to your contract for more information.

English as a Second Language (ESL)/Sheltered Immersion Program

International students who enter Vistamar will spend their freshman and sophomore years integrated into mainstream courses. However, instead of taking a foreign language course, they will take a course that offers them further foundational support with the building of English skills.

Cultivating critical thinkers who are empathetic and comfortable in culturally diverse settings is at the heart of learning in the ESL program and across the school. Units of study in the ESL program are based on the California Department of Education Standards for English Language Development. Once students have exited the ESL program, they will continue to have dedicated office hours with the ESL instructor for any academic guidance they may need.

International Students Talk About Vistamar

Contact Us

Ivette Bustamante | Assistant Director of Admissions

Lucia Linares | ESL Instructor/ Int'l Student Advocate

TOEFL requirement or equivalent standardized testing

International students who apply to Vistamar School must take the TOEFL or equivalent. Vistamar School's TOEFL code is "C219." The TOEFL test measures all four academic skills — reading, listening, speaking and writing. The TOEFL is one factor we consider in gaining a clear academic picture of each applicant.

The combined minimum score we typically accept for a 9th grade applicant is 60 (the equivalent score in Duolingo is 100).

For transfer 10th grade applicants the TOEFL minimum score is 72 (the equivalent score in Duolingo is 105), given that Vistamar’s Humanities program in 10th grade requires a higher proficiency level in the target language than in 9th grade.

For transfers to 11th and 12th grade, a combined TOEFL score of 91 is required (the equivalent score in Duolingo is 120).

Here are performance descriptors for the TOEFL iBT test. An equivalency chart for the two tests can be downloaded here.

If students have also taken the ISEE, SSAT, PSAT, or AP Testing we will accept and review those official scores as well. Here are our school codes: ISEE: 054327 & SSAT: 7976

All test results must come to Vistamar School directly from the testing company or through the agency.

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