High School Programme & Guardianship
International House Galway provides a personalised Guardianship service to high school and first year university students in Ireland whose parents live overseas.
We provide a range of educational programmes for students who wish to study at a secondary school in Ireland and our mission is to ensure that students have a memorable experience on their educational journey in Ireland and that they achieve their full personal and academic potential.
High School Programme
Study in Ireland
International House Galway works in partnership with Zara Education for high school placement and guardianship services. Like IH Galway, Zara Education is a boutique education company. Committed educators, they have been helping international students to achieve their learning objectives for many years.
Your son or daughter will have a personalised and friendly service, backed up by specialised knowledge and experience of Irish and international education.We also offer academic support for your son or daughter, as well as English language support before and during their education journey in Ireland, whether it is for academic English writing or speaking, or Cambridge/IELTS Test preparation.

With years of educational knowledge and experience, your child is in safe hands.
We work with schools in Ireland with excellent educational and academic standards and our guardians mentor, nurture and support our students, providing academic advice and pastoral care, in a warm, friendly and supportive way. We give students and their parents the peace of mind to know that their child is receiving the highest standards of education in Ireland, in a safe and friendly environment.
International House Galway works in partnership with Zara Education for high school placement and guardianship services. Like IH Galway, Zara Education is a boutique education company. Committed educators, they have been helping international students to achieve their learning objectives for many years.
What we offer your son or daughter
Personalised selection of school
We have been working with the highest quality schools in Ireland for many years and we have developed excellent relationships with them. We will help you select the best school for your child, taking into account their academic and personal needs, as well as their interests.
Quality assurance and student welfare
We will help your sonor daughter have the best individual and personalised attention throughout their study journeyin Ireland.Student safety is central to our valuesand our safeguarding and welfare procedures ensure that your child is taken care of from the moment they begin their study journey with usuntil they return home.
Education in Ireland
The Irish Government invest €8.759 billion per year in our education system and our country has a long history of welcoming international students from all over the world. Students from other countries can go to school in the only English-speaking country in The European Union and experience life in one of the friendliest, safest countries in the world.
The school year in Ireland is approximately 9 months long and is split into three terms:
Term 1: September – December
Term 2: January – March/April
Term 3: April – June

High School in Ireland explained:

Why choose Ireland as a destination for your son/daughter’s secondary education?
With a population of 4.6 million, Ireland has a small, but highly globalised economy, with a substantial number of multinational companies based here.
Your son or daughter:

Boarding School
Why choose the boarding school experience for your child?
Boarding schools in Ireland have an excellent reputation and most students go on to study at top level universities in Ireland and around the world.
Schools are privately run but they are also inspected by the Irish Department of Education authorities and receive subsidies from the Irish Government.
You can choose one of the following options:
7-day boarding (weekend activities organised)
5-day boarding (weekends in homestay)
Boarding Schools
We have very well-established partnerships with a number of boarding schools in Ireland. We work very closely with these schools to ensure a smooth transition to Irish school life for our students and to ensure they settle well into life in Ireland.
The boarding school option gives students the opportunity to live in a caring, supportive environment alongside their fellow students, leading to firm friendships that last a lifetime. They are also able to access a comprehensive extra-curricular programme of recreational activities. Students normally stay in dormitory accommodation with two to six students per room.
5-day boarding school option: students live in school from Sunday to Friday (5 nights per week). In this case, we will arrange for the student to live with a local host family over the weekends and during school holidays.
7-day boarding school option: students live in school 7 days a week and the school organises extra-curricular activities over the weekends. These schools will have holidays and exeat weekends throughout the school year, and we can arrange local host family or residential accommodation during these times.
Private Day School
Why choose the private day school experience for your child?
Private day schools have an excellent reputation in Ireland and most students go on to study at top level universities in Ireland and around the world. Class sizes are small, with 20-25 students per class on average. Students receive a high level of individual attention and each student is encouraged to reach their full potential.
Students stay with one of our carefully selected homestay families for the duration of the academic year.
State/Public Day School
Why choose the state/public day school experience for your child?
State day schools also have an excellent reputation in Ireland and most students go on to study at top level universities in Ireland and around the world. Class sizes are small, with 20-25 students per class on average.
Students stay with one of our carefully selected for the duration of the academic year.
Guardianship Services
Guardianship Services - What's included?
• Pre-arrival video meeting to introduce your guardian to the student and family
• One meeting with the student during their first week, either in person or on a video call and monthly thereafter to ensure the student is settling in well
• 24/7 emergency phone assistance for the school, student and parents
• Arrangement of monthly supermarket shop order and delivery
• Arrangement of suitable and vetted accommodation during
exeat weekends and school holidays
• Liaising with the school for and management of airport transfers
• Arrangement of transfers to and from accommodation for school breaks
• Irish Sim Card
Guardianship Services - Extra optional services
• Healthcare visits – doctor, dentist etc
• Assistance with arranging extra-curricular activities (music, dance sport etc)
• Assistance with arranging private tutor arrangements
• Ordering of school uniform and/or books
• Assistance with opening bank account, arrangement of visa appointments for non-EU students, PPSN number (Irish identity card, essential for some services)
• Assistance and advice on choosing school subjects
• Assistance on arranging Transition Year Work Experience