High School
Private High School in Jersey City
A Bilingual French IB Candidate High School
Welcome to The French American Academy (FAA) High School—the only private high school in Jersey City that offers an immersive bilingual education combined with an International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. Serving Jersey City, Englewood, and the greater NYC metro area, The FAA High School prepares students to become confident, bilingual, and culturally sophisticated leaders in a connected world.
We currently accept 9th grade students for the 2025-26 school year and welcome interest for future academic years.
The French American Academy offers financial aid and a referral program to support families.
Why Choose The FAA High School?
The FAA is unique in offering a high school experience that is IB, private, and bilingual—a rare combination that ensures your child is equipped with the academic rigor, cultural fluency, and personalized support needed for success. Many schools may offer one or two of these qualities, but the FAA stands out by delivering all three.
Our Key Bilingual High School Features:
✔ IB-Candidate Middle Years Program*: Our IB Middle Years Program ensures that students benefit from a globally recognized, challenging curriculum that encourages critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and independent research skills. The FAA’s IB program is specifically designed to foster well-rounded, globally minded students prepared for top universities around the world.
✔ Bilingual Excellence: At The FAA, students master both French and English, giving them a competitive advantage in today’s interconnected world. We offer dual language tracks, so no prior French knowledge is required. Our multilingual, international faculty brings diverse perspectives, ensuring that students experience a true global education at our bilingual high school in Jersey City.
✔ Small Class Sizes and Personalized Success Plans: Each student at The FAA receives a Personalized Success Plan that includes individualized college and career counseling starting in Grade 9. Our intimate classroom settings enable teachers to focus on every student’s unique strengths, ensuring a tailored learning experience that distinguishes our private high school in Jersey City.
✔ Leadership and Mentorship: Our structured mentorship programs and leadership development opportunities empower students to grow as compassionate, responsible global citizens. Through these programs, students build essential skills like confidence, empathy, and communication, which are crucial for academic and life success.
✔ Hands-On, Project-Based Learning: The FAA High School emphasizes experiential learning where students apply classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems. This approach prepares students to tackle challenges creatively and collaboratively, ensuring they are well-prepared for college and beyond.
✔ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): At The FAA, we prioritize student well-being through social-emotional learning programs. Students learn mindfulness, stress management, and resilience—skills that support their personal growth and mental health.
Located at 118 Ferry Street in Jersey City, The FAA High School offers state-of-the-art facilities and resources to enhance student learning and engagement, including:
- STEM maker spaces for hands-on innovation
- Performing arts theater with opportunities in music, drama, and visual arts
- Access to athletic facilities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, and sports fields
- A spacious cafeteria with an industrial kitchen for culinary exploration
- Diverse after-school clubs and international field trips to destinations like Montreal and Chicago, all included in tuition
As a unique private high school in Jersey City, The FAA High School fosters a community where every student’s unique talents are celebrated. Our students not only thrive academically but gain a deeper understanding of global cultures, making them well-rounded, socially conscious individuals ready to make an impact.
The FAA High School Advantage
*The French American Academy is a Candidate School for the Middle Years Program. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. These are schools that share a common philosophy-a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that the French American Academy believes is important for our students. Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programs. Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programs, visit www.ibo.org
Ready to Join The FAA High School?
Applications for Grade 9 are now open. We invite you to visit our Jersey City campus, attend an Open House, or book a personal consultation to discuss how The FAA can help your child reach their full potential. Explore a high school where bilingualism, cultural excellence, and academic rigor unite to create leaders of tomorrow.
The French American Academy offers financial aid and a referral program to support families.
Curious for More Details?
Download Our Brochure
Our high school offers a truly unique experience. Download our brochure for an insightful look into what sets us apart.
Our Timeline
High School News & Updates
Striving to Become the Best Private High School in Jersey City
At the French American Academy, our goal is to provide the best Private High School education in Jersey City, NJ. Our goal to become the first International Bilingual High School in Jersey City involves combining our proven bilingual teaching excellence with the world’s most renowned and widespread learning model to ensure student success. As the first International Bilingual High School in Jersey City, NJ, we plan to foster international citizenship and service mindsets within a nurturing and caring community. Learn how our Private High School in Jersey City, NJ, stands out by filling out the Expression of Interest Form and getting in contact with our High School Director today.
High School FAQs
No, they do not. Over 45% of our families come from households where English or another language other than French is the main language.
We will have class options that cater to French and non-French speaking students with the aim to have most of our students bilingual by the time they finish school.
We welcome all students who enjoy and want to speak more than one language!
Our maximum class size is 15 students, though they can be smaller as we prefer to have smaller classes to ensure we meet students’ learning and academic needs.
We have a robust financial aid program, especially for our inaugural year (2025-2026). This enables us to offer places to students on a need’s basis.
Students wishing to enroll at The French American Academy will need to:
- Complete the application form
- Get a recommendation from from a teacher of their choice
- Have their school release their transcripts
- Complete an interview with The FAA
- Complete the Measures of Academic Progress test at the school
The International Baccalaureate Diploma is recognized all over the world by top international universities. Over 156 countries offer the IB which makes it the most global High School qualification on the planet. The IB is known for its academic rigor, its breath of knowledge and skills, and its ability to produce independent, critically thinking students with global mindsets.
We do not offer AP courses or Honors because the IB program already receives credits at most US colleges and many Universities overseas. Our students may undertake AP testing independent of the school if they so choose.
Yes there is going to be a uniform, our plan is to have students co-design it!
Our inaugural group of students will have a big say in what clubs we co-create. Students will be able to start their own clubs in High School with the support of staff, so clubs will be constantly changing according to the interests of our student cohort. Our latest clubs were:
- Cooking
- Model United Nations
- Chess
- Entrepreneurship
- Math
- Theater/Acting
- Sustainability
Our High School is starting in 2025 so our first group of High School graduates will be in 2029. The IB has established credits and recognition within the top US Colleges from as well as non-US and overseas Universities.
Absolutely. We have a 1 to 1 computer policy so that every student has access to Google Classrooms, internet and other educational resources. We will have a Maker Space and will teach a range of skills to equip students with technological skills including: touch typing, digital citizenship, online safety and cyberbullying and more.
The International Baccalaureate is a framework that sits on top of the curriculum. It is the ‘how’ and the American (New Jersey) Curriculum is the ‘what’, the content. In High School we do not follow the entire French curriculum and will not be accredited by the French Government. However, for some subjects (French literature) we will draw from the French curriculum as necessary.
French students wishing to sit the Brevet by the end of Grade 9 will be supported to do so as ‘candidats libres’ (independent candidates). We will support them with test preparation and they may be required to understand some out-of-school classes independent of the FAA.
