Boarding school is the best option for children whose parents have busy schedules. When it comes to education, your children deserve the best, which can be delivered by the best boarding schools in the world.
The 100 best boarding schools in the world provide high-quality personalized teaching through small class sizes and have a great balance between academics and extra-curricular activities.
Enrolling your child in a boarding school give him/her the opportunity to learn some life coping skills while having access to top-quality education.
Students enrolled in boarding schools enjoy a lot of benefits like less distraction, faculty-student relationships, self-reliance, extracurricular activities, time management e.t.c.
Without any further ago, let’s get this article started.
Table of Contents
What is a Boarding School?
A boarding school is an institution where students live within the premises of the school while being given formal instruction. The word “boarding” means lodging and meals.
Most boarding schools use House System – where some faculty members are appointed as housemasters or housemistresses to take care of students in their house or dormitory.
Students in boarding schools study and live within the school environment during academic term or year, and return to their families during holidays.
Difference between International School and Regular School
International School generally follows an international curriculum, different from that of the host country.
WHILE
Regular School is a school that follows the normal curriculum used in the host country.
100 Best Boarding Schools in the World
The 100 best boarding schools in the world were selected based on these criteria: accreditation, class size, and population of boarding students.
Note: Some of these schools are for day and boarding students but at least 60% of students of each school are boarding students.
Below are the 100 best boarding schools in the world:
| RANK | NAME OF UNIVERSITY | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phillips Academy Andover | Andover, Massachusetts, United States |
| 2 | The Hotchkiss School | Salisbury, Connecticut, United States |
| 3 | Choate Rosemary Hall | Wallingford, Connecticut, United States |
| 4 | Groton School | Groton, Massachusetts, United States |
| 5 | Phillips Exeter Academy | Exeter, New Hampshire, United States |
| 6 | Eton College | Windsor, United Kingdom |
| 7 | Harrow School | Harrow, United Kingdom |
| 8 | The Lawrenceville School | New Jersey, United States |
| 9 | St. Paul School | Concord, Massachusetts, United States |
| 10 | Deerfield Academy | Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States |
| 11 | Noble and Greenough School | Dedham, Massachusetts, United States |
| 12 | Concord University | Concord, Massachusetts, United States |
| 13 | The Loomis Chaffee School | Windsor, Connecticut, United States |
| 14 | Milton Academy | Milton, Massachusetts, United States |
| 15 | Cate School | Carpinteria, California, United States |
| 16 | Wycombe Abbey School | Wycombe, United Kingdom |
| 17 | Middlesex School | Concord, Massachusetts, United States |
| 18 | The Thacher School | Ojai, California, United States |
| 19 | St Paul's School | London, United Kingdom |
| 20 | Cranbook School | Cranbook, Kent, United Kingdom |
| 21 | Sevenoaks School | Sevenoaks, United Kingdom |
| 22 | Peddie School | Hightstown, New Jersey, United States |
| 23 | St. Andrews School | Middletown, Delaware, United States |
| 24 | Brighton College | Brighton, United Kingdom |
| 25 | Rudby School | Hutton, Rudby, United Kingdom |
| 26 | Radley College | Abingdon, United Kingdom |
| 27 | St. Albans School | St. Albans, United Kingdom |
| 28 | St. Mark's School | Southborough, Massachusetts, United States |
| 29 | Webb Schools | Claremont, California, United States |
| 30 | Ridley College | St. Catharines, Canada |
| 31 | The Taft School | Watertown, Connecticut, United Kingdom |
| 32 | Winchester College | Winchester, Hampshire, United Kingdom |
| 33 | Pickering College | Newmarket, Ontario, Canada |
| 34 | Cheltenham Ladies's College | Cheltenham, United Kingdom |
| 35 | Thomas Jefferson Academy | Louisville, Georgia, United States |
| 36 | Brentwood College School | Mill Bay, British Columbia, Canada |
| 37 | Tonbridge School | Tonbridge, United Kingdom |
| 38 | Institul Auf Dem Rosenberg | St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| 39 | Bodwell High School | North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| 40 | Fulford Academy | Brockville, Canada |
| 41 | TASIS The American School in Switzerland | Collina d`Oro, Switzerland |
| 42 | Mercersburg Academy | Mercersburg, Pennslyvania, United States |
| 43 | Kent School | Kent, Connecticut, United States |
| 44 | oakham School | Oakham, United Kingdom |
| 45 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, Canada |
| 46 | College Apin Beau Soleil | Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland |
| 47 | Leysin American School in Switzerland | Leysin, Switzerland |
| 48 | Bishop's College School | Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada |
| 49 | Aiglon College | Ollon, Switzerland |
| 50 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| 51 | Brillantmont International School | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| 52 | College du Leman International School | Versoix, Switzerland |
| 53 | Bronte College | Mississauga, Switzerland |
| 54 | Oundle School | Oundle, United Kingdom |
| 55 | Emma Williard School | Troy, New York, United States |
| 56 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, Ontario, Canada |
| 57 | Ecole d' Humanite | Halisberg, Switzerland |
| 58 | St. Stephen's Episcopal School | Texas, United States |
| 59 | Hackley School | Tarrytown, New York, United States |
| 60 | St. George's School Vancouver | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| 61 | Nancy Campell Academy | Stratford, Ontario, Canada |
| 62 | Oregon Episcopal School | Oregon, United States |
| 63 | Ashburg College | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| 64 | St. George's International School | Montreux, Switzerland |
| 65 | Suffield Academy | Suffield, United States |
| 66 | Hill School | Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States |
| 67 | Institut Le Rosey | Rolle, Switzerland |
| 68 | Blair Academy | Blairstown, New Jersey, United States |
| 69 | Charterhouse School | Godalming, United Kingdom |
| 70 | Shady Side Academy | Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
| 71 | Georgetown Preparatory School | North Bethesda, Maryland, United States |
| 72 | Madeira School | Virginia, United States |
| 73 | Bishop Strachan School | Toronto, Canada |
| 74 | Miss Porter's School | Farmington, Connecticut, United States |
| 75 | Marlborouh College | Marlborough, United Kingdom |
| 76 | Appleby College | Oakville, Ontario, Canada |
| 77 | Abingdon School | Abingdon, United Kingdom |
| 78 | Badminton School | Bristol, United Kingdom |
| 79 | Canford School | Wimborne Minister, United Kingdom |
| 80 | Downe House School | Thatcham, United Kingdom |
| 81 | The Village School | Houston, Texas, United States |
| 82 | Cushing Academy | Ashburnham, Massachusetts, United States |
| 83 | Leys School | Cambridge, England, United Kingdom |
| 84 | Monmouth School | Monmouth, Wales, United States |
| 85 | Fairmont Preparatory Academy | Anaheim, California, United States |
| 86 | St. George's School | Middletown, Rhode Island, United States |
| 87 | Culver Acadermies | Culver, Indiana, United States |
| 88 | Woodberry Forest School | Woodberry Forest, Virginia, United States |
| 89 | Grier School | Tyrone, Pennsylvania, United States |
| 90 | Shrewsbury School | Shrewsbury, England, United Kingdom |
| 91 | Berkshire School | Sheffield, Massachusetts, United States |
| 92 | Columbia International College | Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| 93 | Lawrence Academy | Groton, Massachusetts, United States |
| 94 | Dana Hall School | Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States |
| 95 | Riverstone International School | Boise, Idaho, United States |
| 96 | Wyoming Seminary | Kinston, Pennsylvania, United States |
| 97 | Ethel Walker School | Simsbury, Connecticut, United States |
| 98 | Canterbury School | New Milford, Connecticut, United States |
| 99 | International School of Boston | Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States |
| 100 | The Mount, Mill Hill International School | London, England, United Kingdom |
Now, we will give you an overview of the:
Top 10 Boarding Schools in the World
Below is a list of the top 10 boarding schools in the World:
- Phillips Academy Andover
- The Hotchkiss School
- Choate Rosemary Hall
- Groton School
- Phillips Exeter Academy
- Eton College
- Harrow School
- Lawrenceville School
- St. Paul’s School
- Deerfield Academy.
1. Phillips Academy Andover
Type: Co-ed, independent secondary school
Grade Level: 9-12, Postgraduate
Tuition: $66,290
Location: Andover, Massachusetts, US
Phillips Academy is an independent, coeducation secondary day and boarding school founded in 1778.
It has more than 1,000 students, including 872 boarding students from more than 41 states and 47 countries.
Phillips Academy offers more than 300 courses with 150 electives. It offers a liberal education to its students to prepare them for life in the world.
Phillips Academy offers grants to students with financial needs. Infact, Phillips Academy is one of the few independent schools to meet 100% of each student’s demonstrated financial need.
2. The Hotchkiss School
Type: Co-ed private school
Grade Level: 9 – 12 and Postgraduate
Tuition: $65,490
Location: Lakeville, Connecticut, United States
The Hotchkiss School is a private boarding and day school founded in 1891. It is one of the top private high schools in New England.
The Hotchkiss School has more than 620 students from more than 38 states and 31 countries.
Hotchkiss provides an experience-based education. It offers 200+ academic courses in seven departments.
The Hotchkiss School provides more than $12.9m in financial aid. Infact, more than 30% of Hotchkiss students receive financial aid.
3. Choate Rosemary Hall
Type: Co-ed, private, college-preparatory school
Grade Level: 9 – 12, Postgraduate
Tuition: $64,820
Location: Wallingford, Connecticut, United States
Choate Rosemary Hall was founded in 1890 as The Choate School for boys and became co-educational in 1974. It is an independent boarding and day school for talented students.
Choate Rosemary Hall offers more than 300+ courses in 6 different study areas. At Choate, students and teachers learn from one another in authentic and dynamic ways.
Each year, more than 30% of students receive need-based financial aid. In the 2021-22 academic year, Choate devoted about $13.5m to financial aid.
4. Groton School
Type: Co-ed, private school
Grade Level: 8 – 12
Tuition: $59,995
Location: Groton, Massachusetts, US
Groton School is a private co-educational day and boarding school founded in 1884. 85% of its students are boarding students.
Groton School offers a variety of academic courses in 11 departments. With a Groton education, you will think critically, speak and write clearly, reason quantitatively, and learn to understand the experiences of others.
Since 2007, Groton School has waived tuition and other fees for families with incomes less than $80,000.
5. Phillips Exeter Academy
Type: Co-ed, independent school
Grade Level: 9 – 12, Postgraduate
Tuition: $61,121
Location: Exeter, United States
Phillips Exeter Academy is a co-educational independent boarding and day school co-founded by John and Elizabeth Phillips in 1781.
Exeter offers more than 450 courses in 18 subject areas. It has the largest high school library in the world.
At Exeter, students learn through the Harkness method – a student-driven approach to learning, created in 1930 at Phillips Exter Academy.
Phillips Exeter Academy devotes $25 million to financial assistance. 47% of students receive financial aid.
6. Eton College
Type: Public school, boys only
Grade Level: from Year 9
Tuition: £14,698 per term
Location: Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
Founded in 1440, Eton College is a public boarding school for boys ages 13 to 18. Eton is the largest boarding school in England, with more than 1350 students.
Eton College offers one of the best academic programs, along with a broad co-curriculum designed to promote excellence and opportunities to participate.
In the 2020/21 academic year, 19% of students received financial support and about 90 students pay no fees at all. Each year, Eton devotes about £8.7 million to financial aid.
7. Harrow School
Type: Public school, boys-only school
Tuition: £14,555 per term
Location: Harrow, England, United Kingdom
Harrow School is a full boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18, founded in 1572 under a Royal Charter granted by Elizabeth I.
Harrow curriculum is divided into the Shell year (Year 9), the GCSE year (Remove and Fifth Form), and the Sixth Form.
Each year, Harrow School offers means-tested bursaries and scholarships.
8. Lawrenceville School
Type: Co-ed preparatory school
Grade Level: 9 – 12
Tuition: $73,220
Location: New Jersey, United States
Lawrenceville School is a co-educational preparatory boarding and day school located in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States.
The school uses the Harkness learning method – a discussion-based classroom model. It offers a lot of academic courses in 9 departments.
Lawrenceville School offers scholarships to eligible students. Each year, approximately one-third of our students receive need-based financial aid.
9. St. Paul’s School
Type: Co-ed, college-preparatory
Grade Level: 9 – 12
Tuition: $62,000
Location: Concord, New Hampshire
St. Paul School was founded in 1856 as a boys-only school. It is a co-educational college-preparatory school located in Concord, New Hampshire,
St. Paul School offers academic courses in 5 areas of study: humanities, mathematics, sciences, languages, religion, and the arts.
In the 2020-21 academic year, St. Paul School awarded $12 million in financial aid to over 200 students. 34% of its student body received financial aid in the 2021-22 academic year.
10. Deerfield Academy
Type: Co-ed secondary school
Grade Level: 9 – 12
Tuition: $63,430
Location: Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States
Deerfield Academy is an independent secondary school located in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1797, it is one of the oldest secondary schools in the US.
Deerfield Academy offers a rigorous liberal arts curriculum. It provides academic courses in 8 areas of study.
At Deerfield Academy, 37% of students receive financial aid Deerfield grants are outright awards based on financial need. There is no repayment required.
We’ve come to the end of the list of the top 10 boarding schools in the world. Now, let’s quickly look at the top 10 international boarding schools around the globe.
Top 10 International Boarding Schools in the World
Below is a list of the top 10 international boarding schools in the World:
- Leysin American School in Switzerland
- TASIS The American School In Switzerland
- Brilliantmont International School
- Aiglon College
- College du Leman International School
- Ecole d’ Humanite
- Riverstone International School
- Ridley College
- Bishop’s College School
- The Mount, Mill Hill International School.
Note: International boarding schools are boarding schools that generally follow an international curriculum, different from that of their host country.
1. Leysin American School in Switzerland
Type: Co-ed, independent school
Grade Level: 7 – 12
Tuition: 104,000 CHF
Location: Leysin, Switzerland
Leysin American School in Switzerland is a prestigious international boarding school. Founded in 1960 by Fred and Sigrid Ott.
LAS is a Swiss boarding school offering US high school diploma, International Baccalaureate, and ESL programs.
At LAS, over 30% of its students receive some form of financial aid – the highest percentage in Switzerland.
2. TASIS The American School In Switzerland
Type: Private
Grade Level: Pre-K through 12 and Postgraduate
Tuition: 91,000 CHF
Location: Montagnola, Ticino, Switzerland
TASIS The American School in Switzerland is a private boarding and day school.
Founded in 1956 by M. Crist Fleming, it is the oldest American boarding school in Europe.
TASIS Switzerland offers American Diploma, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate.
3. Brilliantmont International School
Type: Co-ed
Grade Level: 8 – 12, Postgraduate
Tuition: CHF 28,000 – CHF 33,000
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Brilliantmont International School is the oldest family-owned day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 13 to 18.
Founded in 1882, Brilliantmont International School is one of the oldest boarding schools in Switzerland.
Brilliantmont International School offers IGCSE and A-level programs. It also offers High School Diploma Programs with PSAT, SAT, IELTS, & TOEFL.
4. Aiglon College
Type: Private, Co-ed school
Grade Level: Year 5 – 13
Tuition: $78,000 – $130,000
Location: Ollon, Switzerland
Aiglon College is a private not-for-profit international boarding school located in Switzerland, founded in 1949 by John Corlette.
It offers two types of curriculum: IGCSE and International Baccalaureate to more than 400 students.
5. College du Léman International School
Type: Coed
Grade Level: 6 – 12
Tuition: $97,200
Location: Versoix, Geneva, Switzerland
College du Léman International School is a Swiss boarding and day school for students aged 2 to 18 years old.
It offers 5 different curricula: IGCSE, International Baccalaureate, American High School Diploma with Advanced Placement, The French Baccalaureate, and the Swiss Maturite.
College de Leman is a member of the Nord Anglia Education Family. Nord Anglia is a world’s leading premier school organization.
6. Ecole d’ Humanite
Type: Co-ed, private school
Tuition: 65,000 CHF to 68,000 CHF
Location: Hasliberg, Switzerland
Ecole d’ Humanite is one of the most renowned boarding schools in Switzerland. It offers education in both English and German.
Ecole d’ Humanite offers two types of programs: the American program (with Advanced Placement courses) and the Swiss program.
7. Riverstone International School
Type: Private, independent school
Grade Level: Pre-school to Grade 12
Tuition: $52,530
Location: Boise, Idaho, United States
Riverstone International School is a premier, private international baccalaureate world school.
The School offers an internationally-recognized curriculum, the international baccalaureate middle year, and diploma programs.
It has more than 400 students from 45+ countries. 25% of its students receive tuition assistance.
8. Ridley College
Type: Private, Coed school
Grade Level: JK to Grade 12
Tuition: $75,250 – $78,250
Location: Ontario, Canada
Ridley College is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, and the independent boarding school in Canada authorized to offer the IB continuum program.
Each year, approximately 30% of its student body receives some form of tuition assistance. Ridley College devotes more than $35 million to scholarships and bursaries.
9. Bishop’s College School
Type: Coed independent school
Grade Level: 7 – 12
Tuition: $63,750
Location: Quebec, Canada
Bishop’s College School is one of the schools in Canada that offers an International Baccalaureate program.
BCS is an independent English-language boarding and day school in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.
Bishop’s College School offers over $2 million in financial assistance each year. Financial assistance is awarded to families based on their demonstrated financial aid.
10. The Mount, Mill Hill International School
Type: Coed, independent school
Grade Level: Year 9 to 12
Tuition: £13,490 – £40,470
Location: London, United Kingdom
The Mount, Mill Hill International School is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 13 to 17 years old and forms part of the Mill Hill School Foundation.
It offers a broad range of academic programs in 17 subjects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes a Good Boarding School?
A good boarding school must possess these qualities: academic excellence, safe environment, extracurricular activities, high pass rate on standardized tests e.t.c.
Which Country has the best boarding school in the World?
US is home to most of the best boarding schools in the World. It also has the best education system in the World.
What is the Most Expensive School in the World?
Institut Le Rosey (Le Rosey) is the most expensive boarding school in the world, with annual tuition of CHF 130,500 ($136,000). It is a private international boarding school located in Rolle, Switzerland.
Can I enroll a troubled child in a Boarding School?
You can send a troubled child to a therapeutic boarding school. A therapeutic boarding school is a residential school that specializes in educating and helping students with emotional or behavioral issues.
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Conclusion
Enrolling in one of the best boarding schools in the world can be a great advantage for you. You will have access to top-quality education, extracurricular activities, large school resources e.t.c.
Regardless of the type of boarding school you are looking for, our list of 100 best boarding schools in the world covers all kinds of boarding schools.
We hope this list was helpful in choosing your choice of boarding school. Which of these boarding schools do you wish to attend? Let us know in the Comment Section.
