SAGE partners with a world-renowned international boarding school in India to provide a unique Academic Gap Program. Kodaikanal International School is set in the tropical highlands of South India, and offers both the structure as well as the independence which Gap Year students are looking for. Students live in the residence halls and can take a wide variety of courses, while simultaneously getting involved in the local community and designing and carrying out their own independent study or service project. Gap year students may attend Kodaikanal for one semester, or for a full year.
A SAGE Gap Year is a great way to prepare for college by taking a few extra courses to strengthen your transcript, or even place out of college classes by taking I.B. courses. Additionally, you can take classes in areas which you haven’t tried before: Indian history, Asian religions, Indian music or dance or Hindi language, to name a few. Since you don’t need to fulfill graduation requirements, you have considerable freedom in your course selection.
The School: Founded in 1901, Kodaikanal International School is an independent multicultural, coeducational K-12 boarding school. Kodaikanal School offers both the American curricula and the full International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, and is the oldest IB accredited school in India. Its college prep curriculum is recognized throughout the world.
Campus:
Kodaikanal School is located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the peaceful Palani Hills in a region known for its rugged beauty and cool temperate climate. The school is situated in the heart of Kodaikanal town, overlooking the wooded surroundings of beautiful Kodai Lake.
Students casually stroll through the open air campus consisting of several traditional stone buildings topped with terracotta tile roofs set amongst verdant gardens and lawns. The memorable 'quad' with its covered verandahs and heritage tree has a distinct collegiate feel. Kodaikanal students live in dorms in and around Kodai town and walk through the market to get to school.
Poondi: is a 92 acre wilderness campus used to support a well established outdoor program and provides courses and practical experience related to environmental concerns and student leadership training.
Students & Faculty: The High School presently has close to 400 students representing over 30 countries. Over half of the student body is from India, with the rest representing nationalities all over the globe. KIS has a diverse staff with currently over 20 nationalities represented. The student:teacher ratio is roughly 7:1.
Program Details:
This program is designed for recent high school graduates. Participants come from around the world, with a variety of backgrounds.
Program Cost: $10,000 per semester
- Included: tuition; room and board; textbooks; student and program fees. It does not cover the cost of international travel to and from India.
- An additional $1000 is required to set up a refundable personal spending account for the year from which students may draw funds; and a refundable $1000 security deposit is held against damages.
- Students (and family members) may elect to join the one month Winter Tour of India in between semesters.
Financial Aid: Financial aid is available to assist qualified students who need financial assistance. If you would like to request financial aid, please fill out the financial aid application form and send it in with the student application forms.
Travel arrangements: Transportation costs to and from Kodaikanal are the responsibility of the participant. SAGE will coordinate air travel so that the students can travel together. Upon arrival into Madurai, students will be met by a school representative and escorted to the school.
Health Insurance: The SAGE Program requires that all students are covered by a medical insurance policy. This insurance is widely available at low cost through many commercial providers. SAGE uses HTH Worldwide Insurance, though offers no endorsement of their services.
- March 1st for Fall semester admission
- October 1st for Spring semester admission
Program Dates: Kodaikanal School starts in mid-July and goes through the end of May. Winter break is from mid-November to the beginning of January. The optional Winter Tour takes place during this time from the end of November through mid-December.
Accommodations: Volunteers stay with peers in safe, dormitory-style housing. Meals are included in the program cost.
