International Students
Phillips Academy welcomes inquiries and applications from international students studying abroad and in the United States. Andover has a current enrollment of approximately 1,100 young students from 46 states and 40 foreign countries. Ten percent of the total student body is made up of international students.
The school’s beautiful 500-acre campus is set in the town of Andover. Andover is reminiscent of a New England village with old homes, tree-lined streets, a country inn, coffee houses, small shops, and municipal services. Residents are active in Andover activities, and there is an easy, friendly relationship between town and academy. The city of Boston is 21 miles to the south of Andover and has an international airport servicing most major airlines.
Application Process
The application process for all students who apply to Andover is the same. The first step is to complete the Candidate Statement, Part One of the application and send it to the Admission Office with a nonrefundable $60 fee. The Candidate Statement can be found online or in the application packet. Checks are made payable to the Trustees of Phillips Academy; students who apply on-line are able to pay by credit card.
Testing
All students are required to submit standardized test results as part of the application process. Students should submit SSAT scores (or SAT scores for older students.) It is recommended that all non-native English speaking candidates submit the results of a TOEFL examination in addition to the required SSAT test results.
On-Campus Support
International Student Coordinator
Susanne Torabi, PA’s international student coordinator, serves as an advisor for international students in the Phillips Academy community and works to promote understanding and appreciation of foreign cultures and languages. She also assists international students and their families with all aspects of their life here at Phillips Academy, serves as an academic advisor to the one-year international seniors, issues I-20 forms, and organizes a special two-and-a-half day student orientation prior to the beginning of school to help new international students start their year with confidence.
In addition to her role as international student coordinator, Torabi is a German instructor and serves as the advisor to the International Club. Club meetings, which are both educational and social, take place on Wednesday evenings. During the meeting students share customs, describe holidays, explain educational systems, try to find solutions to cultural incidents, and talk about their country. The club also invites speakers to talk about current events or global issues. In early November just around the time of the anniversary of the United Nations, the club sponsors the International Festival, which includes an international talent show and an international food festival prepared entirely by the students.
Torabi is also faculty advisor to the following clubs: Andover Philanthropist Society (APS), a club that organizes and hosts the yearly Swim-A-Thon, and Ink Oasis, a Chinese painting club that combines the beauty of Chinese Art with Phillips Academy’s non sibi spirit of community service and awareness. All of the three clubs think global and look for opportunities to raise money for people in need locally and globally.
Clubs and Organizations
Among the other cultural and religious organizations with an on-campus presence are: AfLatAm, Alianza, Andover Korean Society, Andover Japanese Connection, Asian Society, The Mission of Andover’s African Student Union, Catholic Student Fellowship, Christianity Happening in Living Life, Chinese-Taiwanese Student Association, Gay-Straight Alliance, Hindu Student Union, IndoPak, Interfaith, International Club, Jewish Student Union, Mosaic, Muslim Student Union, and Women’s Forum.
With the support of the CAMD office, these groups will be responsible for pursuing a number of on-campus initiatives such as: Asian Arts Festival, Gay Pride Celebration, International Women’s Day, Latino Arts Celebration, Community Service Public Service Speaker Series, Black Arts Weekend, Jewish Cultural Weekend, Muslim Student Union and many more.