The top 10 boarding schools with tuition over $100,000 per year are located in the Swiss Alps. All ten have coeducational classes, teach primarily in English, offer an International Baccalaureate program, and offer a wide range of opportunities for development and self-improvement.
Boarding schools, or boarding schools, have historically been common in the UK, but today this model is used in other countries as well. Initially, such educational institutions were divided into male and female, but nowadays the mixed type predominates. Boarding usually involves living on campus: in some schools, students go home on weekends, in others – only for holidays. If the program begins in kindergarten or primary school, until about 10 years old, children do not spend the night in a dormitory, but come to boarding, as in a regular school. Constant access to rich infrastructure expands students’ opportunities and stimulates their development.
The need to pay not only for tuition but also for accommodation makes this format of education quite expensive. However, it is considered to be more than worth it. The Association of Boarding Schools TABS conducted an international study and found that 52% of state school graduates, 60% of private school graduates and 77% of boarding school graduates agree that the educational institution helped them develop leadership qualities. 39%, 71% and 87% of respondents who graduated from state educational institutions, private schools and boarding schools, respectively, said that the school prepared them for entering a university. 23%, 36% and 78% of graduates feel well adapted to independent life in society. The shares of those who learned to plan their time thanks to their studies were distributed in the same way.
The selection of the most expensive boarding schools includes schools included in the ratings of Forbes and other publications, in particular Fortune magazine, and receiving good reviews from parents and other interested parties. All educational institutions are located in Switzerland among the picturesque Alpine mountains, valleys and lakes. Almost all boarding schools are from 50 to 150 years old, many have the same directors for decades. Teaching is conducted in English, but each boarding school provides the opportunity to study other foreign languages. Representatives of more than fifty countries often study in these schools, but in some the share of children from one country cannot exceed 10%. The curriculum usually takes into account the requirements of different educational systems. Each boarding school organizes the reception of international and regional exams, which are required for admission to universities in different countries of the world. All schools work on the International Baccalaureate program, the number of elective courses in them is in the hundreds, the available sports are in the dozens (particular emphasis is placed on winter and mountain sports). Boarding schools host outreach events around the world, offering students the opportunity to try out different fields. Camps are organized during the holidays. Alumni form clubs and sometimes return to their alma mater to teach the next generation of students.
1. Institute on Rosenberg
Location: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Tuition: $170,318 per year
Founded: 1889
Age of students: 6–18
Number of students: 230
A family-run boarding school renowned for its wide range of school subjects, well-developed infrastructure and excellent living and learning conditions. The average class size is eight, with a teacher to student ratio of one to two.
2. Institute Le Rosey
Location: Rolle and Gstaad, Switzerland
Tuition: $158,580 per year
Founded: 1880
Age of students: 8–18
Number of students: 420
One of the oldest international boarding schools in Switzerland has two campuses: a summer lakeside campus and a winter mountain campus, both with luxurious grounds. The heirs of presidents and kings study here. The school has the highest academic standards.
3. College Alpin Beau Soleil
Location: Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
Cost per year: $143,000 per year
Founded: 1910
Age of students: 11–18
Number of students: 300
With nearly 100 clubs, from hip-hop to baking and from debating to birdwatching, teenagers can develop a variety of talents. The school offers challenges such as taking part in a night climb or a half-marathon, helping Ethiopian farmers pick coffee, or white-water rafting on the rivers of Patagonia.
4. Aiglon College
Location: Chezières, Switzerland
Tuition: $140,845 per year
Founded: 1949
Age of students: 7–18
Number of students: 400
The boarding school students are required to go hiking and sailing. Their physical skills are supported by survivalist Bear Grylls and Manchester City footballers. The boarding house is modest, the day is tightly scheduled: the value of this school is not in luxury, but in high educational standards.
5. La Garenne International School
Location: Chezières, Switzerland
Tuition: $130,531 per year
Founded: 1947
Ages: 4–18
Students: 160
Until recently, the boarding school was limited to junior and middle grades and did not offer the International Baccalaureate program. The first IB class was in 2023. Instruction is in English and French. Students travel to Costa Rica, Thailand, and go on Mediterranean cruises.
6. St. George’s International School
Location: Montreux, Switzerland
Tuition: $126,516 per year
Founded: 1927
Age of students: 1.5–18 years
Number of students: 480
You can send your child here as early as one and a half years old to immerse them in a bilingual French-English environment. Representatives of more than 60 of the world’s best universities hold an annual education fair at the school, helping students choose their future educational path.
7. Leysin American School
Location: Leysin, Switzerland
Tuition: $119,375 per year
Founded: 1961
Age of students: 12–18
Number of students: 300
Graduates receive, among other things, a certificate of completion of an American high school. Advisors help them continue their education at the best universities in the United States or other countries. Outstanding musicians regularly perform in the school’s concert hall.
8. College of Léman
Location: Versoix, Switzerland
Tuition: $112,476 per year
Founded: 1960
Ages: 2–18
Students: 1,800
The boarding school offers both residential and residential tutoring. Students can work individually with tutors in the arts and sciences, as well as a personal trainer. The school has exclusive partnerships with MIT, The Juilliard School, and UNICEF.
9. Le Regent International School
Location: Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Tuition: $104,700 per year
Founded: 2015
Age of students: 5–18
Number of students: 260
The youngest of the schools on the list, and one of the highest: 1,500 m above sea level. The emphasis is on learning French language and culture. The boarding school closely cooperates with Institut Le Rosey.
10. TASIS The American School in Switzerland
Location: Montagnola, Switzerland
Tuition: $104,044 per year
Founded: 1956
Ages: 3–18
Students: 750
The oldest of the European schools preparing for admission to American universities. About a third of the students live on campus. Instruction is in English and Italian.