Military Family Student Completes Florida Driver Education Course from South Korea

July 15, 2026

Emily Charpentier, an FLVS Flex student living in South Korea, recently completed the FLVS driver education course.

Florida Virtual School Flex (individual courses) student Emily Charpentier, who currently lives in South Korea, recently completed the FLVS driver education course from abroad, preparing her to apply for a learner’s permit when she returns to the state this summer.

The rising junior and her family, who call Fleming Island, Fla., home, have spent the past year in South Korea, where her father serves as a commander in the U.S. Navy. Florida law allows a student temporarily living overseas due to a parent's military assignment to take courses through Florida Virtual School.

The family moves every two to three years, and each transition brings new schools and cultures, along with academic challenges such as credit transfer issues and limited access to traditional programs like driver education.

“Being a student overseas is challenging at times, but it also comes with opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Charpentier said.

Under Florida law, teens younger than 18 must complete a state-approved driver education course before obtaining a learner’s license. The law also requires students to pass vision and hearing screenings, complete the Class E Knowledge Exam, submit parental consent, and hold a learner’s permit for at least 12 months before earning a driver’s license.

Living thousands of miles away, Charpentier turned to FLVS, which she had previously used to stay on track academically after credits from a previous school did not transfer. The program’s flexible, self-paced format allowed her to balance the online course with her in-person classes overseas.

“I was able to complete the course at my own pace while also taking classes in person,” she said. “It made it so much easier to stay on track while being outside the U.S.”

“Getting my learner’s permit will help me gain independence and freedom,” she said.

Because of South Korea’s driving laws, she will only be permitted to drive on base until she turns 18. 

“As long as you are legally allowed to drive where you live,” she said. “This course means that everyone can have the chance to get their learner’s permit.”

Charpentier is already looking ahead to the next steps toward earning her driver’s license. Next summer, she plans to return to Florida after holding her learner’s permit for a full year so she can apply for her driver’s license.

The trip will also give her an opportunity to tour colleges as she begins planning for life after high school. Charpentier hopes to pursue a degree that combines business, entrepreneurship, and music, with a focus on music engineering and technology.