| About VIA | |
| School | Virginia International Academy (VIA) |
| Location | Virginia, USA, in a high-quality East Coast school district, about one hour from Washington, D.C., near Shenandoah National Park |
| Grades | Middle School (Grades 7–8) and High School (Grades 9–12) |
| What Sets Us Apart | The first U.S. school built to help young international students transition, offering American middle and high school academics, language and cultural transition programs, and U.S. college navigation and advising |
| Who We Serve | Alongside local native-English day students, VIA enrolls international students in Grades 7–11, strengthening their language and academics, building independence, and guiding them through the full U.S. college application process |
| New Campus | In 2025 VIA acquired a new campus in Maurertown, Virginia, with renovated classrooms, dormitories, and dining hall. Shenandoah County Park next door offers disc golf, tennis, basketball, volleyball, and baseball, with an indoor gymnasium planned for indoor training and competition |
Every year, when parents entrust their children to me and to VIA, I feel deeply that my responsibility is not only to educate these children, but to help shape the leaders of tomorrow and to honor the hopes each family carries.
Each year, seeing our new students, I remember coming to the United States to study in 1990. Although I was about ten years older then than they are now, I still clearly recall the confusion of that ocean of unfamiliar information, and the challenges of adapting to American school life and a foreign culture. Having lived through all of it, I now hope that these experiences will not have to be repeated by the children in my care.
At VIA, we take pride in our deep understanding of different cultures, and we empathize with the particular challenges these children face. We are fortunate to earn parents' trust to witness, take part in, and guide these students through one of the most important journeys of their lives.
VIA will do everything it can to support them academically, socially, physically, and in self-management through their first years in America, preparing them fully for U.S. high school and university and laying a solid foundation for their future study and life. This is not only a mission — it is a shared promise.
Sincerely,
Helen Wu
Principal, Virginia International Academy
| Mission | |
| Mission | VIA is committed to becoming a benchmark of excellence in American middle and high school education, emphasizing each student's holistic development — moral, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical — and fostering gratitude, dignity, enthusiasm, engagement, independence, maturity, and responsibility. |
| Motto | Learning and Growth. Learning is a lifelong, continuous process; growth is reflected in a student's systematic improvement across academic, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical dimensions — moving beyond childishness toward maturity. |
| Honor Code | I will not lie, cheat, or steal. I will be responsible for upholding the school's honor code. |
| Core Values |
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| Student Achievements | |
| College Admissions | VIA alumni have been admitted to (partial list): MIT, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, the University of California campuses, Georgia Tech, University of Virginia, USC, Emory, Rhode Island School of Design, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Parsons, the School of Visual Arts, and Bard College's early-entrance program. |
| Math Competition | The VIA Math Club won the regional MATHCOUNTS team championship in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, Frank Zhu placed 2nd individually; in 2019, Vincent Hu, Michael Liu, and Claudia Li swept the top three individual places and were featured in the local press. |
| National Honor Society | More than 50% of VIA students become National Honor Society members during high school — well above the U.S. average. |
| Honor Roll | More than 50% of students earn the Board of Directors Award, Principal's Award, Academic Dean's Award, or other honors for academic achievement and community service. |
| Athletics | Many students have played on and earned awards with high school varsity teams, including the school's first Asian football player's Rookie of the Year and a Most Improved Player in basketball. VIA student Louis Tang earned a full scholarship to an NCAA college basketball team. |
| Contact | |
| Address | 257 Toll House Rd, Maurertown VA 22644, USA |
| Phone | +1 (703) 818-9178 |
| Principal Email | helen.wu@usvia.org |
| Principal WeChat | helenwuva |
| Admissions | apply@usvia.org |