Top 924 boarding schools abroad

International students pursuing education at foreign schools enjoy numerous advantages, making it a rewarding experience. Most institutions featured in the catalog are among the top 100 private boarding schools, further elevating their appeal.

Private Boarding Schools vs. Day Schools: A Distinct Advantage

Private boarding schools offer a range of distinct benefits when compared to day schools, including:

• Full Board: Comprehensive care and support, including accommodation and meals.

• Dedicated Spaces for Self-Education: Quiet areas for tasks like homework and reading.

• Professional Medical Care: Access to professional healthcare services.

• 24/7 Security: Campuses are vigilantly guarded around the clock, ensuring student safety. Leaving campus without supervision is often restricted.

• Tailored Study Programs: Individualized programs cater to various needs, especially helpful for students with limited English proficiency. Extra lessons are available for language improvement, and students can design their own schedules.

• Holistic Development: Private boarding schools emphasize physical activities and creative skill development. Students can hone their physical abilities, engage in sports, explore various interests, and nurture their talents.

Comfortable Campus Living for Foreign Students

Foreign students benefit from a comfortable and welcoming campus environment, eliminating time-consuming commutes to school.

Sarah Hicklin

Director of International Admissions at Oswestry School

Does every school strive to be ranked among the best?

Everyone wants to be the best, this is a fact, but ratings, like other statistics, should not always be trusted, and therefore official tables are not so priority for many.

High Prestige: European boarding schools open doors to leading universities worldwide and promising future careers. Graduates are highly sought after in the international job market, as universities' rankings are seen as a guarantee of excellent knowledge, perseverance, discipline, and diligence.

High-Quality Education: These institutions offer high-quality, effective, and balanced study programs. While often seen as traditional, schools in the United Kingdom frequently incorporate the latest educational methods and technology. Interactive teaching, online resources, and courses, as well as cutting-edge technology and equipment, are standard.

Personalized Attention and Individual Approach

Private boarding schools, despite their higher fees, are renowned for their personalized approach to each student. Every student is considered as a an individual who has own distinct characteristics, talents, preferences, and skills. The studying is conducted in small classrooms with a few pupils, creating a cozy environment. In addition, the students can choose elective courses according to their interests.

Key Features of Individual Approach

Small Class Sizes. Students are grouped into mini-classes of 2-5 pupils, ensuring maximum individual attention from teachers. The teachers motivate students to think critically, analyze, introduce innovations in their activity. In personal communication, students are encouraged to respect different points of view.

Promoting Independence. While under the guidance of teachers and tutors, students learn to become self-sufficient. They prioritize tasks, set goals, and manage their time effectively. Middle and senior classes further encourage independence, enabling students to excel in their chosen fields of study.

Discipline. European boarding schools, particularly single-gender ones, enforce strict discipline. Prohibited activities include smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug use. Violations result in serious consequences, including immediate expulsion. Attendance, behavior, and academic performance are also closely monitored.

Fostering a Multicultural Environment

Private boarding schools and day schools create a multicultural milieu, allowing students to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds. This early exposure instills respect for varying viewpoints, cultural practices, and religious customs. It offers invaluable networking opportunities and the chance to make friends from around the globe.

Mastery of Languages

Studying at boarding schools immerses students in a linguistic environment, facilitating language proficiency. English, in particular, is acquired quickly and effectively in this new linguistic, cultural, and academic setting. Native-speaking teachers provide authentic conversational practice and refine pronunciation.After graduation, the foreign students usually are fluent in English. In addition, the graduates have proficiency in other foreign languages, such as French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Chinese.

Cutting-Edge Technological Resources

Private boarding schools and day schools abroad offer contemporary technical amenities. For effective studying, classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, specialized spaces for language learning, electronic resource libraries, modern computers. For comprehensive development of students, the schools abroad organize multimedia centers,and there are state-of-the-art sports facilities.  Such school infrastructure contributes to comprehensive development of foreign students and academic performance.

Deciding on studying in a boarding school abroad, the international students can change their life, obtaining a world-class education and immersing themselves in a new culture language environment. The applying process may be considered difficult from the first view. However, if you have good academic preparation and language proficiency, you will not face any difficulties in applying to foreign schools. Below there is a quick guide to admission to a boarding school abroad for foreign students.
Firstly, select a boarding school according to your goals and interests, financial means. Secondly, prior to making a final decision take into account such factors as location, ranking, educational programs, the number of extracurricular activities, and tuition fee. You can find detailed information about educational programs and admission requirements on the official websites.
In the next stage, it is necessary to prepare the package of all documents, including academic transcripts, standardized test scores (such as the SSAT or ISEE), letters of recommendation, and a motivation letter. Pay attention to meeting all application deadlines, due to different time frames for foreign applications. 

It is recommended to prepare for interviews, which can be in-person and online. In most boarding schools abroad,  interviews are part of the admission process. During the interview such topics as academic achievements of students, extracurricular activities, and motivation to apply to a certain school, are discussed.

Finally, it is recommended to get acquainted with the visa application process, as they may vary among countries and chosen schools. You can get advice or consultancy from the school's admission office or apply to immigration authorities to be sure that all necessary documents are prepared.
Decision on enrolling in a boarding school abroad is considered an important step towards obtaining a prestigious international education. Choosing the boarding school abroad, the foreign student prepares documents for applying, and tracks the admission process in school, increasing chances of being enrolled.

Top 100  Boarding School from the List with SMAPSE Guidance

Personalized Consultation by SMAPSE

At SMAPSE, our experts have experience in the field of education abroad, so they can give you professional advice for choosing foreign boarding school. Our specialists are readily available to address all your inquiries. With a vast array of private boarding schools at reasonable prices and engaging study programs, we're here to help.

How to Reach Us

Getting in touch with SMAPSE is a breeze. You can request an individual consultation and receive assistance in selecting boarding schools in Europe for your child by simply giving us a call or sending an email. For added convenience, we've also set up Skype communication for our clients.

Exploring Tuition Fees

Are you interested in understanding the tuition fees for specific private boarding schools featured in the TOP 100 catalog? You can easily access this information through our online chat service.

Simplify Your Search

If you're pressed for time and seeking to send your child to study abroad, we've got you covered. You can streamline the process by ordering a list of schools through the form on our website. A SMAPSE specialist will promptly reach out to you, crafting a tailored list based on your preferences and requirements.

No Cost, No Obligation

We want to emphasize that our individual consultations, whether conducted over the phone or online, come at no cost to you. Furthermore, these consultations do not bind you to any future commitments with SMAPSE. Nevertheless, our utmost commitment is to identify a private boarding school that aligns perfectly with your needs. Your child's educational journey is our priority.

The cost of studying at private boarding schools and colleges in Europe and the rest of the world depends on their rankings, students' exam results, prestige and history of school.

The average cost of studying at boarding schools in Europe (including accommodation and meals) is presented in the table below:

Essential Documents for Admission

While the specific document requirements may vary slightly among private boarding schools, there are core documents that every independent boarding school typically requests for international students:

1. Reports cards with grades: These academic performance reports should track the academic grades, which were obtained during the last 2-3 years in the native school.

2. Copy of Student's ID Card.

3. Letters of Recommendation: As a rule, it is required to provide several recommendation letters, which are prepared by teachers of mathematics, English, or another foreign language. Additionally, recommendations from school administrators, such as directors or deputies, are often requested. Such letters are written in a free form and are translated into English if it was prepared in another language.

4. Certificate of Language Proficiency: The requirement of providing the language certificate is not compulsory for all day schools and private boarding schools abroad. However, some educational institutions may require a certificate of language knowledge. In cases where this requirement has not been established, the school organizes a language test as part of the admission process.

5. Ukiset Test (Specific to the UK): In case of enrolment in some private boarding schools and day schools in Great Britain, the foreign students may be asked to pass the Ukiset, prior to applying the package of documents. This is typically applicable only to schools in the UK.

6. School Registration Forms: Our managers can help you with filling in school registration forms.

7. Skype Interview: Admission school commission conducts an interview with the applicant via Skype.

8. Special Entrance Test: In addition to taking the Ukiset test, the foreign students may need to pass a separate entrance test for admission. This situation is typical for the UK.

Exploring Top 100 Boarding Schools Abroad

Applying to our company, you get access to the list of the top 100 private boarding schools, day schools, and colleges abroad and in Europe, Canada, and Austria. With a great choice of schools abroad, you can find the most suitable educational institution according to your interests, budget opportunities.

Please contact SMAPSE managers in case of any questions or concerns. Our team has extensive experience of working in the education field, and can provide answers and professional guidance throughout the application process to school. Your achievements in the academic sphere are our priority.

The academic year in boarding schools abroad is usually 9-10 months. This is a long school year that provides additional time for deeper study of academic subjects and skill development.

Children are usually admitted to boarding schools abroad from the age of 6. This corresponds to the beginning of elementary school, which includes 1st grade. But the age criteria can vary greatly depending on the particular school and country. Some schools can accept children from 3-4 years old, for example, Switzerland, and some only from 11-12 years old, for example, Austria.

Boarding schools in Europe may offer education in different languages, depending on the particular school, its location and the program of study. However, in most international boarding schools in Europe, English is the main language of instruction. English is often used as the language for teaching academic subjects and it is also used for communication within the school.

The average cost of boarding school tuition can vary significantly depending on several factors, such as the location of the school, the age of the student, the comfort level of the accommodations provided, and other factors. In general, the cost of tuition at international boarding schools abroad can range from $30,000 to $85,000 or more per year. However, it should be noted that in some prestigious boarding schools or in regions with high living standards, the cost can be even higher.

A full boarding program in schools usually includes not only education, but also a complete package including accommodation, three meals a day, access to recreational and sporting activities, and medical support.

Studying at a boarding school abroad offers students unique advantages. First, it is an intercultural environment that fosters tolerance and understanding of different cultural backgrounds. Secondly, boarding schools typically provide a high quality education with an emphasis on personal development. Finally, boarding also fosters independence as students learn to make decisions and take care of themselves outside of the family environment.

The time needed to adapt to boarding school can vary depending on the individual characteristics of the student. However, on average, the adjustment process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. It is important to keep in mind that adaptation depends on many factors, including the age of the student, the degree of support from the school and parents, and sociocultural differences.

For successful enrollment in a boarding school, it is recommended to start the process early, usually a year before the intended study. This gives enough time to prepare all the necessary documents, take tests and interviews, and apply for a visa, if required. It is especially important to pay attention to admission deadlines in advance, as they can vary from school to school and country to country, and some schools may have a limited number of places available.

Selective boarding schools differ from non-selective boarding schools primarily in their admissions process. In selective boarding schools, students are selected on a competitive basis, usually based on academic achievement, ability and talent. Non-selective boarding schools typically educate children regardless of their academic background, creating a more diverse student body with different levels of knowledge and interests.

Students who graduate from boarding schools receive a quality education, cross-cultural experience and many opportunities for successful career and personal development.

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