International Student

The International Student Program at Ben Lippen, open to middle and high school-aged students from the United States and around the world, is an international learning community hosting students in on-campus housing, and additional international students in American homes. On-campus international students reside in homes surrounding a lake. Each home is staffed by caring houseparents who balance love, encouragement, and discipline.

International Student Life

The International Student Program at Ben Lippen High School hosts approximately 80 students from around the world. Countries represented include China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, El Salvador, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, the United States, and Vietnam. Ben Lippen School offers an alternative to typical dorm life in traditional boarding schools by creating a family atmosphere within contemporary-style houses. A structured environment during the week provides for academic excellence and study. Weekends allow for free time, social events, and sports. On Sunday, all students participate in worship services and small groups at local churches and on campus.

Housing & Houseparents

Each of our six resident houses holds up to 14 students, supervised by caring houseparents who are trained to balance love, encouragement, and discipline. Our houseparents come from a variety of backgrounds, some of which were once boarding students themselves.

Meet Our Houseparents

Culturally Diverse. Academically Rigorous.

International students attend classes alongside American day students, providing an enriching cross-cultural experience while greatly enhancing the English skills of the international students. Students participate in honors-level courses and many receive college credit through Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual (college) enrollment courses. Ben Lippen’s challenging college-prep curriculum prepares students for the academic rigors of higher education, with 100 percent of students being accepted to college.

The class of 2020 received over 6 million dollars in renewable scholarships to some of the finest colleges and universities. Recent graduates have been accepted to Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Southern California, Duke, Boston College, University of Washington, Syracuse, and Penn State. Three international students from the Class of 2019 currently attend Stony Brook University and University of Washington – Seattle, two of the top five colleges in the United States.

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Ben Lippen offers varying levels of ESL instruction, from beginner to advanced.

Ben Lippen does have non-native English requirements for applicants in the eleventh and twelfth grades. The TOEFL iBT standard is used. Juniors are required to start the year with a TOEFL of a 60, and seniors are required to start the year with a TOEFL of a 70. ESL classes correlate closely with the TOEFL information, thus students are being prepared for the test as they take ESL. Please enter the Ben Lippen School TOEFL school code (3307) for Ben Lippen to automatically receive a student test score page. Our goal is to prepare international students to excel in their high school academics and to be accepted into the college of their choice upon graduation.

Guidance Program

Every student receives personalized assistance with college applications, financial aid, scholarships, and vocational choices, equipping them for college and beyond.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Confidence, personal interests, and talents are developed through a wide array of co-curricular opportunities in academics, arts, athletics, leadership, and service.

Accreditation/Affiliations

Ben Lippen School is accredited by the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA), Cognia (formerly AdvancED), and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and is a member of the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA).