15 Top Boarding Schools in England for International Students

There are wonderful boarding schools in England for International students, really amazing ones. This blog post highlights and discusses these schools, as well as, provides application links where you can make further inquiries and begin the application process to enroll your child or ward.

An international student is a common phrase used to refer to students from other countries who come to another country for the sole purpose of studying. However, when you hear the phrase “international student” your mind instantly goes to students going to study at a tertiary or postsecondary institution in another country without even realizing that it covers every student including secondary or high school students.

Just as many tertiary institutions in England and the UK as a whole that accept international students, many secondary schools accept international students. It is in this regard that we publish this blog post on boarding schools in England for international students. To help provide resourceful information to parents and guardians who want to send their child or ward to a boarding school in England.

Many boarding schools in England now accept students coming from other countries. They make arrangements for them to ensure that they are in a learning environment that is conducive to their learning. Since these children are leaving their native nation, the school puts in extra work ensuring that they are comfortable in their new surroundings.

Apart from that, the majority of these schools provide dorms or boarding homes available for overseas students to stay in. A good boarding school in England should offer quality education, a conducive boarding house, learning facilities like labs, transport and gym services, and facilities for extra-curricular activities like a swimming pool, football pitch, tennis court, etc.

There are numerous advantages to attending boarding schools in England for international students, such as offering a secure path to top UK universities, world-class education, well-furnished boarding houses, language fluency, fewer distractions, and exposure and experience of an international city. These are some of the benefits of attending a boarding school in England as an international student.

However, bear in mind that the best boarding schools in England are expensive, especially for international students but you can peruse our list of cheapest boarding schools in Europe and the cheapest boarding schools in the world to find other affordable options.

What is a Boarding School in England?

A boarding in England is a school that provides the usual education provisions as well as accommodation and meals for the pupils during term time.

Can International Students Attend Boarding Schools in England?

Yes, international students can attend boarding schools in England, it will help their English fluency which will further help them to school or work anywhere in the world. It will also help them to familiarize themselves with the environment and, as a plus, entering tertiary education in England will be much easier.

Requirements to Apply to a Boarding School in England

For international students, the requirement to apply to a boarding school in England is simply to have a student visa, fill out the application form of your preferred school, and pay the application fees and tuition. This should be carried out by parents.

boarding schools in England for international students

Best Boarding Schools in England for International Students

Below is the compiled list of the best boarding schools in England for international students with their details discussed further below;

  • DLD College London
  • Rosall School
  • Mount Mill Hill International School
  • Westminster School
  • Marymount International School London
  • Ashbourne Independent Sixth Form College
  • Kensington Park School
  • Brentwood Private School
  • Harrow School
  • Portland Place School
  • Royal Russell School
  • David Game College
  • Queenswood Private School
  • St. Paul’s School
  • Taunton School

1.      DLD College London

DLD College is one of the boarding schools in England for international students with a conducive learning environment and dormitory to suit students’ needs and make them comfortable as if they never left home. The college was established in 1931 in the heart of London overlooking the River Thames and Westminster, it is also a stone’s throw from the Houses of Parliament.

The College offers a wide range of flexible courses and programs including A-Level, GCSEs, BTEC, and International Foundations Programs to students aged 14 to 19 years old. Using a friendly and flexible learning approach, the school can develop students’ confidence in their abilities. And the small class sizes allow for dedicated and focused student-staff contact.

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2.      Rossall School

Rosall School is one of the boarding schools in England for international students with a long history dating as far back as 1844 and admits students from a diverse range of backgrounds. The school is committed to inspiring young people to develop their potential by providing them with a first-class educational experience within the context of an intellectually exciting and culturally creative community.

Students from ages 0-18 are admitted into various classes based on their age and their potential. There are also state-of-the-art laboratories and other learning facilities as well as amenities for extracurricular activities which are important to student educational development. Students with excellent English can enroll in one of the mainstream (or “main school”) courses, while those who need to improve their English can enroll in one of the Fast-track international courses.

Rossall School is one of the best private schools in the UK with scholarships that extend to all students, including international students.

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3.      Mount Mill Hill International School

Mount Mill Hill International School is owned by the famous Mill Hill School and it opened in 2005 to prepare international students to study in the UK and adapt to a new language, as well as, a new cultural, social, and educational system. The main school – Mill Hill School – was founded in 1807 and is considered to be one of London’s best boarding schools teaching British citizens and international students aged 13 to 18 years.

Mount Mill Hill International School is one of the best boarding schools in England for international students with a cozy, spacious hostel accommodation – Collinson House – located at the heart of the campus. There are separate rooms for boys and girls with 1-3 persons occupying a room. The school is also equipped with an excellent sports infrastructure where students can engage in different kinds of sports activities such as swimming, aerobics, cricket, badminton, basketball, tennis, squash, and gymnastics.

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4.      Westminster School

Westminster School is one of the boarding schools in England providing both day and boarding services to students from all over the world, welcoming the diversity of cultures, experiences, and educational backgrounds that they bring. The application process for international applicants is the same as for a UK citizen, therefore, students can take the entrance exam in their own country but must come to the school for an interview on the day they are invited to come.

Another requirement for international applicants is that they must be fluent English speakers, pupils who have been educated in English for at least three years before coming to Westminster School are preferable. Pupils from age 7 to 16 are accepted into the school. Well-furnished dorms, laboratories, and sports equipment are provided to enhance student learning and create a conducive learning environment.

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5.      Marymount International School London

Marymount School was established in 1955 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary as a small, independent catholic day and boarding school for girls aged 11 to 18. It also admits pupils from other countries making it one of the boarding schools in England for international students that is fully committed to the academic, emotional, spiritual, and social development of its students.

Girls from other cultural and religious traditions are also accepted at the school to prepare them for its unique IB programs. Cutting-edge computer and art labs, as well as sporting facilities, are available at the school.

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6.      Ashbourne Independent Sixth Form College

Ashbourne College is a private high school in London providing A-level courses for more than 35 years to UK-based pupils and international students. The College provides boarding and day services as well as an online distance learning option. It is one of the best boarding schools in London you may want to send your child or ward to, to enjoy quality education.

Throughout a student’s stay in Ashbourne, they are assigned to a personal tutor who provides them with individual academic and pastoral support and guidance. The school also offers specialized university application programs for competitive courses such as Medicine, Finance, Engineering, and related courses and entry to Cambridge and Oxford universities.

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7.      Kensington Park School

Kensington Park School is located in the heart of London and was founded in 2017 providing secondary education to pupils aged 11-18 years old. It accepts mixed students from all socio-economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. This makes the school one of the boarding schools in England as it provides conducive hostel accommodation for international students enrolled at the school.

Programs are also available for students aged 7 to 9 years old but they must be day students. A-level and GCSE programs are also provided to prepare students for admission to the best universities in the UK. There is an international admissions team always ready to help foreign students prepare for their journey at the Kensington Park School.

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8.      Brentwood Private School

Brentwood Private School is one of the boarding schools in England, established in 1557 and still in operation providing one of the best pre-university education to students aged 3 to 18 years. Only students aged 13 and above can stay in the hostel or dorms as boarders.

The school provides academic programs in GCSE, A-Level, and IB while supportive English language courses are provided to foreign students. Among the facilities the school has is a music room with different musical equipment for students who want to be involved in music.

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9.      Harrow School

Harrow School is an only-boys boarding school in England that was established in 1572 and offers educational programs in A-levels, high school, and GCSE. It is one of the top all-boys- aged 13 to 18 – boarding schools in England for international students providing classical education of the British standard.

The school has an extracurricular center with popular sports for the students to engage in, including basketball, karate, football, swimming, water polo, judo, cricket, golf, and many more.

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10. Portland Place School

Located in the heart of Central London and accepting both boys and girls aged 10 to 16 years is one of the best boarding schools in England for international students – Portland Palace School. The school offers admission to UK-based citizens and foreign students from diverse backgrounds and puts them together to achieve a common goal – meeting their educational aims.

There are separate dormitories for boys and girls with 1 to 3 students occupying a room. The rooms are conducive and the learning environment also has facilities to make student learning a fun and exciting one.

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11. Royal Russell School

Royal Russell School is one of the best private boarding schools in England for international students. It was founded in 1853 and has been offering innovative academic programs to date. Programs are offered to middle classes, GCSE / IGSCE, and A-level students aged 11 to 18 years. Day and boarding services are provided by the school, the boarding is especially for international students. There are also entries for pupils aged 3 to 11 years in the junior school category.

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12. David Game College

This is one of the best boarding schools in England for international students established in 1974 and is one of the leading Independent Sixth Form Colleges in London for 13 to 22-year-old students. A-level and GCSE programs are also provided to both boys and girls enrolled at the school.

Students who graduate from David Game are offered admission into some of the prestigious universities in the UK such as UCL, Imperial, Oxford, and Cambridge.

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13. Queenswood Private School

Queenwood is a private boarding school for girls aged 11 to 18 years offering GSCE and A-level educational programs that make them a good fit for the most prestigious universities in the UK and around the world. The community is a vibrant and diverse one where students can learn in an extensive, fun, and exciting environment and overcome any challenges to achieve excellent results.

Students can engage in extracurricular activities through the sporting amenities provided by the school. the activities include table tennis, hockey, self-defense skills, aerobics, horseback riding, football, rowing, gymnastics, and many more.

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14. St. Paul’s School

St. Paul’s School is an all-boys school committed to developing excellent students who stand out in all aspects both in academics and in their respective extracurricular activities. St. Paul’s has a good record of many of their students furthering their education into Oxbridge, Ivy League Universities, or equivalent. The school is also selected among the top 10 Secondary for Academic Results by The Sunday Times.

Most of their international boarders are senior boys who join as full boarders at 16+ for their Level studies. Year 9 boarders are still welcome, but only as weekly boarders.

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15. Taunton School

Taunton School is one of the best co-ed boarding schools in England that has been accepting international students for more than 100 years to date. Depending on your kid(‘s) age and level of English, he or she will enter the Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior, or International Schools, where they offer the greatest range of educational pathways at the secondary level.

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These are the top 15 boarding schools in England for international students, you can decide to go for the mixed or separate boarding schools, whichever works better for your child. Also, as an international student, the tuition fee for your child is way higher compared to the citizens.

FAQs

How much does boarding school cost in England?

The cost of boarding school in the UK varies from school to school but it can cost between a price range of £20,000 to £30,000 per year for a child.

Can international students go to boarding schools in England?

Yes, international students can go to boarding schools in England, and a number of these schools have been listed and discussed in this blog post, read it carefully and start your application in due time.

Are there any free boarding schools in England?

The state boarding schools in England provide free education but students will have to pay boarding fees.

Can Americans go to England boarding schools?

Yes, they can but the education system here is different from how it is in the US.

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