International Admissions
St. Vincent De Paul College Prep has been fortunate to welcome and share culture with students from countries around the globe. The international student program began over six years ago, but St. Vincent de Paul has been educating youth in Sonoma County, CA for over one-hundred years.
SVDP is a small school with fewer than 200 students, which provides a safe and nurturing atmosphere that allows international students to flourish. We cultivate a strong relationship between our students, faculty, and staff—giving our students the tools they need to succeed in a new school in a new country.
We also develop their academic and spiritual growth. Moreover, we strive to foster a social environment in which students can thrive. In a recent WASC accreditation report, SVHS was described as the “Friendliest School in America.” The SVDP International Student Program also offers support services for our foreign students through our International Student Coordinator.
The school is located in the safe, quiet, comfortable, suburban community of Petaluma, California. The location offers our students the opportunity to experience life in beautiful Sonoma County, and they are only 40 miles (64km) from San Francisco, California.
College Preparatory Environment
St. Vincent De Paul College Prep is a rigorous four-year college preparatory school. We provide a mixture of advanced placement and honors courses to ensure that every student is challenged in their areas of strength. The curriculum emphasizes excellence in the sciences, mathematics, language arts, social sciences, world languages, theology, computer technology, and the arts.
SVDP graduates are expected to demonstrate mastery of many skills and disciplines.
Host Families
Our host families are responsible for providing safe and welcoming homes for our international students. All host families receive a monthly stipend to help them provide a nurturing home environment for the student. Prospective host families undergo a rigorous application process and preparation meetings to help them welcome their new family member.
Are you interested in being a Host Family? Email us at international@svhs-pet.org to learn how!
Partnership with Ivy International Group
How to Apply
All applicants must do the following:
- Complete our online application
- Provide the applicant’s transcripts for the past three years (one copy must be in the original language and one copy must be translated into English by an official translator or school official). These records should include courses taken and credits earned.
- Submit a letter of recommendation from a school administrator at the applicant’s current school. This letter should include the student’s discipline and attendance records.
- Provide a copy of the applicant’s immunization records.
- Provide a copy of a valid passport.
- Complete I20 Questionnaire. Please note: St Vincent De Paul College Prep is approved to admit international students and issue I -20 forms to facilitate the visa process.
- Participate in a Skype interview.
- Write a brief written essay (instructions to be issued during the interview process).
- Provide test scores to demonstrate English Proficiency.
Please email or mail any application materials to:
Kerry Pedersen
Director of Admissions
admissions@svhs-pet.org
Why International Students like SVDP
In the past 10 years, more than 99% of our graduates have been admitted to college
21 Advanced Placement and Honors Courses are offered
Over 20 Clubs and Organizations
Art/Music courses, Athletics, and Technology courses are offered
College counseling services to help with the university admissions process
Our students have gone on to many prestigious American universities, such as Brown, California Polytechnic University, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Notre Dame, NYU, Reed College, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC and Yale.
