International Exchange Program - Ethel Walker School

Featured Event

Walker’s Spring Preview

5/17 @ 8:45 am

King’s Academy in Jordan

Founded in 2007, deeply rooted in the 200-year-old idea of the New England boarding school, King’s Academy is a close philosophical affiliation with “The Eight Schools” in the United States, including Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Exeter, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, Northfield Mount Hermon, and St. Paul’s. Ms. Vis and her husband, Dr. Eric Widmer, former Head of School at Deerfield Academy, were asked by King Abdullah II of Jordan to establish King’s Academy, the Middle East’s first co-educational college preparatory boarding school with financial aid. Ms. Vis served as the school’s principal architect of the curriculum and Dean of Faculty, and Mr. Vis was the founding Headmaster. King Abdullah II personally awarded Meera the King Hussein Medal, Jordan’s highest honor, for her endeavors. Peter Nilsson, Head of School at King’s Academy, collaborated closely with Ms. Vis to bring this program to life.

With a core course of study grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, the King’s Academy Upper School academic program provides opportunities for both breadth and depth of study. Arabic is part of the curriculum for both native and non-native speakers. There are a variety of electives in history, religion, and the arts, including courses in vocal and instrumental music, dance, theater, sculpture, drawing, and painting. Athletics and other co-curriculars include equestrian sports, swimming, badminton, fencing, dance and the arts, Model UN and Mock Trial, and much more.

King’s Academy Facts

592 students
6:1 student-teacher ratio
72% boarding
28 AP courses
39 arts offerings
80 co-curriculars
Students from 44 countries
Located outside Amman, Jordan’s capital city

learn more

A Campus Unique in the Middle East

Designed by renowned Egyptian architect and Director of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London, Khaled Azzam, the campus and buildings are constructed on an extensive 575-dunum site (144 acres) and comprise of 35 major buildings. These include state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, a 50,000-book library, a multi-faith spiritual center and garden, an observatory, nine dormitories incorporating faculty family apartments, and a magnificent auditorium that will serve not just the school but the nation as well. The design and structure of the campus aids in the development and empowerment of young leaders from diverse backgrounds who will cherish one another and drive change towards a shared future of peace and opportunity.

Broaden Your Horizons

Walker’s students entering or currently in grades 9-12 are welcome to apply to spend a semester or a full year in Jordan at King’s Academy. We ask that interested students:

Complete the international exchange program application.

Write a one-page essay explaining why you are interested in participating in this program, what you hope to gain from it, and why you think you would be a good candidate.

Submit a written recommendation from your advisor that expresses why this program would be beneficial to you.

Include a list of three (3) references.

Applicants must also:

Obtain parental consent.

Meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.3 or above.

Interview with the Committee of Applications via Zoom.

Hold a valid passport.

Please submit this application and your statement of interest in one (1) document to Dr. Meera Viswanathan at mviswanathan@ethelwalker.org.