School Districts Welcome:
Golden Hills School Division is proud of its 25 year international program. We offer both homestay and dormitory residence options and provide students with a world-class Alberta education. Homestay and dormitory check-ins are done by our in-house accommodations coordinators, who are available to students who have questions, need assistance settling in, or are having difficulties in their residence. Our academics advisor—a certified teacher—offers support for academic questions and concerns before they become too difficult to overcome. Every new student is invited to new student orientation, where they are given the tools they need to prepare for and adjust into a Canadian way of life.
Nearest Airport:
Calgary International Airport (YYC)
Communities in Golden Hills are safe. Students are close enough to a big city to enjoy its amenities while retaining the relationships, safety, and trust found in small-town living.
Our international students enjoy frequent activities with their homestay, dorm, or as a group. Whether it's shopping in Calgary or skiing in the Rocky Mountains, they'll see what Alberta has to offer.
Students will be immersed into their school and community, quickly taking in the Canadian culture and way of life. If you've heard Canadians are friendly, it's particularly true in small towns.
All schools in Golden Hills offer the amenities needed in our digital age, including a SMART board in every classroom and student Wifi over a dedicated fibre-optic network. Each school has a gymnasium. Other facilities will vary by school, but may include a weight room, running track, cafeteria and commercial kitchen, football/soccer field, tennis courts, and an outdoor rink.
Each school offers a number of sports teams typically enjoyed by Canadian students, including soccer, football, cross country, rugby, golf, volleyball, basketball, curling, badminton, and track and field. Extracurricular, intramural, and community sports teams may also be available.
Advanced Placement, Camps, Trips
Golden Hills offers the Global Connections Certificate (http://powerfullearning.ca/local-students-take-global-action/), which recognizes students who have developed the practical 21st century skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to become active global citizens. Once a student has satisfied all the requirements of the Global Connections Certificate, the certificate is awarded at graduation and should offer students a competitive advantage on their post-secondary applications or in the job market.
Baseball
Basketball
Curling
Dance
Digital Media
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Outdoor
Robotics
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Volleyball
School Operator: State School
Program Established: 2004
Total number of schools: 17
Total Students:
Number of High schools for international students: 7
Total international students grade 9-12: 270
Grades: K - 12
International students accepted for: 9, 10, 11, 12
Foreign Languages: French, Spanish, Mandarin, other
Info: Schools in Golden Hills offer foreign language courses based on demand. Where demand is not sufficient to run a course, other options (such as a language learning lab) may be available.
Entrance Dates: September, February, flexible entrance upon request and availability
Length of stay: 1 month, 2 months, 3 months/Term, 5 months/semester, 10 months/full year, until graduation
Application Deadlines:
Application Process: Online Application Forms, Letter of Acceptance
Website: www.ghsd-international.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ghsdinternational/
Videos on Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/GHSDInternational/videos
Location: small-town, rural
Info: Golden Hills School Division covers a large geographical area from Strathmore in the west to Drumheller in the east and Three Hills in the north. The division also includes a number of smaller communities, such as Trochu, Carseland, Standard, and Acme. Our division office is located just 40 kilometres east of Calgary in the vibrant community of Strathmore. All of our schools offer access to a big city while still retaining a small-town feel.
Number of courses / system: both - depending on individual school
Info: All high schools (grades 10-12) in Golden Hills operate on a semester system. First semester runs from September to January and second semester runs from February to June. Core grade 12 courses include a diploma exam at the end of the course. Students in high school generally take four courses per semester, with no more than three being core courses.
Most junior high schools (grades 7-9) in Golden Hills operate on the linear system. The exception is grade 9 at Drumheller Valley Secondary School, which operates on the semester system.
Accomodation: Homestay, Dormitory
Info: Golden Hills accepts international students of all ages in our schools. Students in Elementary (K-6) must reside with a parent while they are here. Students in Junior High (7-9) or High School (10-12) have their choice of residence. Homestays are vetted by our in-house accommodations staff and must meet our division's requirements before a student is placed in their home. Our accommodations coordinators offer homestay parent orientation, make themselves available for questions and concerns, and check in frequently with homestays and students.
Dormitory supervisors in Drumheller and Strathmore are Golden Hills staff. Dorm staff undergo a two-day orientation and have open communication with accommodations coordinators, students, and each other.
Student Services & Orientation & Counseling:
Students new to Golden Hills are invited to our new student orientation offered every September and February. This full day event helps prepare students for success in their school and residence as well as helping them make new friends. Our accommodations coordinators and academic advisor are available to meet with students as needed. There are also school counsellors available in each school for academic guidance and difficult issues. We offer a 24/7 after hours line for students to phone or text if there is an emergency or urgent issue outside of business hours. Finally, we provide students with access to a confidential counselling program that lets them chat, talk, or text with a certified counsellor who speaks their language and comes from their culture.
| High School | Total Enrolment | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Strathmore High School | 725 | www.strathmorehighschool.com/ |
| Drumheller Valley Secondary School | 500 | drumvss.ca/ |
| Acme School | 200 | acmeschool.ca/ |
| Crowther Memorial Junior High School | 625 | cmjhs.com/ |
| George Freeman School | 200 | www.georgefreemanschool.ca/ |
| Prairie Christian Academy | 305 | pca3hills.ca/ |
| Three Hills School | 460 | www.threehillsschool.com/ |
| Trochu Valley School | 250 | trochuvalley.ghsd75.ca/ |
| Wheatland Crossing School | 400 | wheatlandcrossing.ghsd75.ca/ |
| Application Fee | CAD 260 | EUR 178,56 |
| Full Year Tuition Fee | CAD 12990 | EUR 8921,09 |
| Semester Tuition Fee | CAD 6495 | EUR 4460,55 |
| Annual Homestay Placement Fee | CAD | EUR - |
| Homestay Monthly Fee | CAD 1305 | EUR 896,23 |
| Health Insurance Monthly Fee | CAD 80 | EUR 54,94 |
| Annual Custodianship Fee | CAD | EUR - |
| Airport Pick-up Fee | CAD | EUR - |
| Total Semester Fees | CAD 14850 | EUR 10198,48 |
| Total Annual Fees | CAD 28270 | EUR 19414,88 |
Please calculate additional costs for
Airfare approx. Euro 1200 to Euro 1700
Study Permit approx. Euro 180
Pocket money approx. Euro 250 to 300/month
If applicable additional health/accident/third part liability insurance
Health Insurance: mandatory
Guard.me
Info: In 2025-2026, dormitory fees are $7,995 for one semester or $15,990 for one year (replacing the homestay fee). Total semester fees would be $16,320 in the dormitory. Total annual fees would be $31,210 in the dormitory. There is a $125 damage deposit for both homestay and dormitory students. There are no additional costs for residence placement or monitoring, custodianship, orientation, or airport transportation when the student first arrives or leaves at the end of the year.
Specialized Dietary needs $200 (additional/month).
Please note that the program description is very much reduced. All information, in particular on the fee-structure, is based on the information provided by the individual Canadian program and is subject to change / as at 11/2024
