The Most Exclusive Boarding Schools

Surrounded by the awe-inspiring peaks of the Swiss Alps, the Ecole d’Humanité is home to students and teachers from 25 countries. The stunning natural setting provides a wholesome learning environment and exceptional opportunities for hiking, skiing, climbing, and other outdoor activities. Our 120 students live in small “families,” of 8-10 students, each headed by two or three teachers. The Ecole strives to realize an environmentally responsible lifestyle. By limiting material and electronic consumerism we create a space where students can engage directly and honestly with other people and with the natural world.
We offer a US university-prep curriculum as well as a Swiss academic program, including the Swiss Matura. Instruction in the US program is in English and in the Swiss program in German. Our academic approach promotes meaningful understanding rather than surface knowledge. Small classes (average of 6 students per class) allow for individualized instruction and demand active participation. We are an official testing center for the College Board SAT exams and for exams leading to the Advanced Placement International Diploma. Recent graduates of the US program have been accepted to Berklee School of Music, Bryn Mawr, Fordham University, Goucher, Kings College London, Les Roches, Muhlenberg College, Quest, Sarah Lawrence, Penn State, Perdue University, Reed College, Royal Halloway - University of London, Sarah Lawrence, University of St. Andrews, University of Sussex and many more excellent universities in the US, UK and around the world. Graduates of the Swiss Matura gain entrance into all Swiss universities.

To balance the intensive academic program, students devote afternoons to the arts, sports, and practical work. Blacksmithing, skiing or snowboarding, woodworking, pottery, rock-climbing, theater, kayaking, dance, music, gardening, and animal husbandry are just a few of the fields students can choose to explore. Special focus areas include our Outdoor Education Program, Farm and Goat projects, and Arts Programs, including outstanding opportunities to pursue visual and performance art. Twice a year the school sets out in small groups on 6-day hikes into the mountains of Switzerland and Italy.

Our School Program is accredited by Cognia.

THINK Global School is the world’s first traveling high school. Attendees between the ages of 15-18 gain an education by living in four different countries each year (ten countries total) and learning firsthand from their multicultural experiences. During their time in-country, students gain the expertise necessary to bring about change in our increasingly global world through a rigorous academic curriculum based on project-based learning. You can learn more about our Changemaker Curriculum on the Academics portion of this page.

Central to THINK Global School‘s mission is diversity. Its small student body of 41 students consists of attendees from over 25 countries, making it one of the most diverse boarding schools in the world. This diversity ensures that a wide variety of viewpoints are expressed during discussions and that lifelong friendships are formed with classmates from all manner of backgrounds.

Small by Design

THINK Global School is small by design to ensure each attendee has all of their individual needs recognized. At 4:1, THINK Global School possesses one of the lowest student-to-faculty ratios globally and ensures students receive near-unlimited facetime and support during their travels around the world.

An Equal Focus on Mental Health and Academics

THINK Global School recognizes that the adolescent years are among the most crucial development-wise and is committed to seeing its students flourish in all aspects of life.

To do so, students meet regularly with an advisor during their time in-country to ensure they succeed mentally and academically. School counselors also travel alongside students to each location, providing emotional support and college advice.

This focus on social-emotional health is one of the bedrocks of a THINK Global School education. Research shows that motivated students are more engaged, and their academic outcomes are improved. It’s a whole-child approach that THINK Global School is proud to employ.

Academic Calendar

Students attending THINK Global School observe a year-round academic calendar consisting of eight onsite weeks and five at home. This way, students have plenty of time in-country to develop new ideas, new appreciations, and new perspectives on best impacting their home communities without becoming homesick.

In between countries, students have five weeks at home to reconnect with family and friends, participate in online learning, including background research and preparatory reading, work on local service initiatives, and self-study for optional AP and other college entrance exams.

Even with these extended breaks, THINK Global School students still average more days of learning than students in most countries worldwide.

College Preparation

94% Of Think Global School Students Have Gone on to University.

The Changemaker Curriculum goes above and beyond to prepare students for the academic and social rigors of university. By letting students guide their learning and imbuing every aspect of their education with compassion and service, they’re empowered to become leaders in their university communities and beyond.

An education at THINK Global School includes regular one-on-one sessions with a college and career counselor, designed to give students the tools they need to navigate the university admissions process.

While most THINK Global School students go on to university, our faculty and counselors provide full support to students who envision a different route to success.

Copperfield Verbier is the world's only ski-in, ski-out international school, located in the Swiss alpine village of Verbier.

We have hired world-class teachers, built an inspiring and peaceful campus, and developed an empowering educational philosophy.

Our vision is to educate students who are globally-minded, compassionate, confident, and kind. Copperfield students will be academically skilled; fluent in multiple languages; accomplished writers and communicators; artistically driven and knowledgeable; scientifically aware and trained; emotionally resilient; physically fearless; generous of spirit and skill; leaders who also know how and when to follow. Above all else, Copperfield students will be designers of their own lives and of a better world for others.

Teaching is considered one of the most valuable professions in our society. At Copperfield, we provide faculty and all staff with an environment where their individuality is emphasised and their membership of the community encouraged. All teachers have opportunities to improve their skills, launch their own initiatives, and thrive personally as well as professionally.

We are grateful when things go well, and we will bring others with us. We will share our fortune with those who need it. By opening our doors to the most talented and kind students, and not only financial resources, we will build a community that resembles the kind of society in which we would like to live. Our scholarship programme ensures that our admissions process can be needs-blind.

Above all, Copperfield’s vision is to be a global leader in forward-thinking, international education. We will be a diverse and accountable school that functions as a hub of our local community and a launchpad for the global ambitions of young people. Copperfield is, in every way, an education for all seasons.

IMG Academy, located in Bradenton, Florida, is a leading boarding school that caters to ambitious student-athletes from across the globe. Founded in 1978, the school offers specialized sports education programs that are tailored to meet the unique needs of each student-athlete. IMG Academy boasts a wide range of programs for students interested in various sports, including but not limited to basketball, football, tennis, baseball, and track and field.

IMG is famous for its exceptional facilities, providing student-athletes an environment to grow and develop. The school emphasizes academic excellence and offers a challenging curriculum tailored to each student's needs. The school has a team of highly qualified educators who provide personalized instruction, college counseling, SAT/ACT preparation, and online courses to ensure that student-athletes receive the best possible education and are well-equipped to handle the academic rigor of college.

It is more than just a school; it's a supportive community that encourages growth on and off the field. The school has a team of experienced coaches with backgrounds in professional athletics, sports science, and education, ensuring that every student-athlete receives the guidance they need to thrive. The coaches are committed to providing students with a comprehensive training program that focuses not only on the physical aspects of the sport but also on the mental and emotional aspects.

To make its programs accessible to more people, this institution has developed an online coaching platform called IMG Academy+. This platform offers personalized coaching sessions and a wealth of resources for student-athletes who cannot attend physical classes. IMG Academy+ provides student-athletes access to world-class coaches, training programs, and resources tailored to their specific needs.

IMG Academy also offers a College Recruiting Program in partnership with the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) for student-athletes who want to pursue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. The program assists student-athletes in navigating the college recruiting process and connecting with college programs and coaches nationwide. It provides student-athletes with valuable insights and guidance on how to maximize their chances of securing athletic scholarships and gaining admission to top colleges and universities.

This institution caters to athletes of all ages, abilities, and interests, and its diverse sports programs encourage growth, development, and achievement. With its commitment to providing top-quality education and training, IMG is an excellent choice for student-athletes who want to excel in sports, academics, and life. The school provides students with a supportive environment fostering personal growth, leadership, and resilience, ensuring they emerge as role models in their communities and beyond.

As IMG Academy looks to the future, it remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of sports education and adapting to the evolving needs of student-athletes worldwide. The school is committed to providing the best education and training to help students achieve their athletic and academic goals and inspire them to reach for the stars.

Brillantmont International School is one of the oldest schools in Switzerland. It was founded in 1882 and is still owned by the founding family. What makes Brillantmont special is not only its location in the heart of the vibrant city of Lausanne but also its size, which creates a strong sense of community, a real home from home, in which boys and girls aged 13-18 learn and develop in a warm, supportive environment.

Brillantmont offers internationally recognised courses leading to British IGCSE, AS and A Level examinations or a US High School Graduation Diploma with SAT. On completion of their studies, Brillantmont students enter universities all over the world. An average class size of 9 students ensures that students receive maximum teacher attention.

A strong extra-curricular programme provides opportunities for leadership (Student House Leaders, TEDx, MUN), for belonging to a sports team or fulfilling creative potential through art, vocal club or rock band. Students can participate in humanitarian work through Habitat for Humanity.

Préfleuri is an exclusive international boarding school in the Swiss Alps that caters for children from 3 to 13 years of age. Since 1948, Préfleuri has been a loving home to many children, giving them the very best in education and sports as well life ethics. Préfleuri still upholds a strong tradition of care and education for children from all over the world. Préfleuri teaches children to think independently, deeply and creatively, and is fully engaged in the new world society that is being born. Préfleuri offers its children the possibility of becoming actors in a world where communication is the basis of all interrelation and evolution. Préfleuri is a traditional wooden chalet, situated in a private park of two hectares, surrounded by pristine woods and traditional farmland. Our classes are small; our teachers are specialized in personalised tuition. Sports, cultural and other extra-curricula activities complement our children’s experience of living in Switzerland. We also welcome pupils for Winter and Summer camps with intensive language courses. Préfleuri believes in child-centred education, emphasizing the importance of the development of the whole person, as well as in the introduction of a foreign language at an early age. It is with these aims in mind that, at Préfleuri, a child is guided and encouraged, step-by-step, towards gaining the self-assurance of being a responsible citizen of the future, positively shaping his own life. We encourage our students to share their culture and traditions with their classmates. By discovering different codes and customs, they acquire an openness that time will never erode. At Préfleuri, learning English and French is assured. Asian students naturally become trilingual. Bilingualism at Préfleuri means keeping one’s roots, one’s culture, whilst becoming receptive to differences. Our academic program follows official English and French curricula; in addition we provide teaching of mother languages such as Chinese, Japanese or Russian. A child has the energy and ability to learn that far exceeds that of an adult who would often feel tired in the same situation. We believe that young people who graduate from Préfleuri are fully equipped to cope not only with challenging secondary education programs but also the demands of a fast changing world.

Education with Impact:
Since 1961, Leysin American School in Switzerland has rooted itself in its family-run identity. Founded by a family of educators inspired to bring students together across cultures in the aftermath of World War II, LAS benefits from the strategic oversight and genuine love that the school’s original caretakers have passed along through the decades.
For three generations, the Ott family and a team of talented educators have nurtured students from around the world, motivating them to reach their highest potential in academics and extracurriculars. Under their thoughtful stewardship, LAS has grown into the place it is today—a sprawling alpine campus that is home to over 300 students from across the globe (our student body represents 50 nationalities!).
At LAS, students develop into the best versions of themselves, become true citizens of the world, and have the adventure of a lifetime in a secure, inspiring location.

Our Incredible Location:

Summer:
Since 1949, LAS Summer in Switzerland has offered an incredible residential summer experience at our beautiful campus in the Swiss Alps. Our program combines all the elements of an incredible summer camp, and students from all over the world connect in a safe and supportive alpine community as they enjoy classes, clubs, and exceptional summer activities. Switzerland is their playground, and our weekend excursions allow our summer students to take advantage of the best that our incredible country has to offer. Join us, and see why so many of our campers return year after year!

Founded in 1897, Saint-Charles International School Switzerland is located in outstanding settings in Ajoie, in the Swiss Jura Canton. Our mission is to provide students between 8 and 20 with a high-quality education while developing the attributes of kindness, respect, and responsibility towards others and the environment.

Saint-Charles follows the humanist and Christian values of caring for others and the environment, respecting cultures and individuals, and approaching the world with openness and positivity. Thus, the school aims to develop the same values in students and to support students in becoming responsible, global citizens who work to make the world a better place.

Our slogan, “Accompagner pour grandir” (“Guiding the path to growth”) embodies the essence and the spirit of Saint-Charles. It reflects just how fortunate we are to be allowed to guide young people in such a holistic manner during a crucial period of their development, based on our fundamental values. It is our deeply cherished motivation to build and support the community of Saint-Charles International School Switzerland and to lead it into the future.

Saint-Charles offers a complete curriculum for students aged between 8 and 20. We do everything possible to ensure that from primary level right through to the Maturité, students can learn at their own pace and find their way successfully. Our commitment to the youngsters in our care and their parents is based on high-quality teaching, the skills and dedication of our staff and personal monitoring of students – founded on the concepts of care and attentive listening.

Primary school - Initiating Knowledge
The first steps a human being takes on the path to knowledge are decisive. At Saint-Charles, children and adolescents follow the public school curriculum. The reduced class sizes allow students to tackle subjects in greater depth. This makes all the difference.

Collège - Structuring Knowledge
At Saint-Charles, we accompany your child to ensure their success by providing them with the tools to make the right choices. Our structure makes it possible to postpone student orientation until transition to secondary school. Orientation takes place at the end of the 9th year, on the basis of academic results, as part of the secondary A or secondary B pathways.

International Baccalaureate MYP Program
The International Section of Saint-Charles focuses entirely on the International Baccalaureate, taught in English, giving our graduating students the very best access to top Universities, both here in Switzerland and around the world.

The MYP is the ideal preparation program for the final two years of the IB Diploma. Young people are supported in linking their academic learning to the world and its different realities, as well as to develop complementary skills to the disciplinary knowledge itself. As students grow with us, they develop the skills young people need to continue their studies and to be successful life-long learners through the IB Learner Profile. This is widely integrated into all aspects of teaching and learning within the MYP programme.

Lycée
Achieving a high school diploma opens the doors to higher education institutions (University, HES, HEP) or other professional training paths. The Lycée Saint-Charles is an institution recognised by the Swiss Confederation and is authorised to let its students sit the Maturité exams. As of 2016, Saint-Charles offers a bilingual French-English Maturité exam.

• Average class size of 12-15 students
• American curriculum leading to an American High School Diploma
• Advanced Placement (AP) courses
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme
• Individualized four-year university counseling
• Excellent university placement in the UK, US & worldwide
• Over 60 nationalities & 30 languages spoken on campus
• 45 minutes from central London
• 25 minutes from Heathrow Airport

Located in a beautiful mountain town in Costa Rica, New Summit Academy is an independent, year-round, supportive boarding school and study abroad experience for adolescent males (ages 14-18) who are in grades 9-12. Integrating college prep classes with cultural immersion, service projects, adventure trips and travel, New Summit offers an excellent environment for academic and social-emotional growth. An intentionally small learning community, New Summit works with up to 24 high school students who enroll for a minimum of 6 months. New Summit Academy students are bright, creative, and capable but may struggle with anxiety or depression, executive functioning, attention, self-confidence, identity or difficult social or family dynamics. Within this supportive boarding school, students build positive coping skills for their anxiety, adopt healthier lifestyles for their mood, and develop strategies to support their learning and executive functioning needs.

Whether in the mountains or in an urban environment, Swiss Boarding Schools Disentis & Zurich provide a safe and comfortable home for your child during his or her school years. In the friendly, yet performance-oriented, atmosphere of our English-language boarding schools, our learners can develop their skills and prepare for their International A Levels – a qualification that opens the doors to the world’s most prestigious universities.

Collège du Léman is an international Day and Boarding School in Geneva, Switzerland, for boys and girls 2 to 18 years old.

Identifying and developing each child’s strengths.

The school believes that every child has a unique contribution to make to the world. The Collège du Léman approach to education allows them to discover and develop what they enjoy and excel at. This is achieved by bringing an exceptional range of learning opportunities together with world-class teachers that guide and transform each child.

Students can choose to study in English or French, or follow a Bilingual programme, leading toward a choice of renowned diplomas: the International Baccalaureate (IBDP), the International Baccalaureate Career Program (IBCP), an American-style High School Diploma with Advanced Placements, the French Bac and the Maturité Suisse.

Building on this academic foundation, the school offers outstanding wellbeing programmes, a wealth of 100+ extracurricular activities, and collaborations with MIT, the Juilliard school, and the United Nations.

As a member of the Nord Anglia Education family of schools, Collège du Léman is part of a Global Campus that include 68 sister schools around the world.

Enabling students to work with anyone anywhere.

It is essential to help each student find their place in this ever-changing world. They need to learn how to work with anyone anywhere, becoming global citizens and leaders.

Collège du Léman brings together a family of more than 110 nationalities, united by the school’s values of Respect, Internationalism, School Spirit and Excellence. All members of the school community are expected to understand and embrace the importance of equality and diversity.

The boarding programme provides a 24/7 learning opportunity that goes beyond the classroom. Students make friends from around the world and build a network for life. They learn how to work and live independently and how to connect with their peers. Weekends and evenings are filled with activities, both at school and exploring Switzerland.

Swiss excellence: Instilling rigour and resilience.

The school achieved a 99% pass rate across its graduating diplomas in 2020. This commitment to excellence leads to places at leading universities around the world, including in the US, UK and Switzerland.

As part of a learning community, the school expects students to display a growth mindset, becoming their best possible self, through intrinsic motivation, resilience and ambition.

All this on a beautiful, green campus on the edge of Lake Léman, in full view of the snow-capped Alps, and within minutes of the global city of Geneva.

Founded in 1967 to serve the needs of global and local families, ACS International Schools educate over 2,400 students, aged 2 to 18, day and boarding, from more than 70 countries. Our three schools in Greater London are all non-sectarian and co-educational.

Our world-renowned curriculum includes all International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes, and top US programmes including Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the AP Capstone & International Diplomas. Academic success enables ACS graduates to attend the university or college of their choice, and our students leave our schools equipped with the skills to thrive on the global stage. 

We have three schools in Greater London.

ACS Cobham is a leading international day and boarding school for students aged 2 to 18. With world-class facilities and a rigorous academic programme, we empower our students to realise their full potential, stand out, and achieve excellence.

ACS Egham is a world leading school for students aged 4-18 and is one of only two schools in the UK to offer all four International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes. The IB is an aspirational, global and modern curriculum that develops learners who are ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

ACS Hillingdon is a renowned London international school, celebrated for its diverse community, challenging curriculum, and exceptional facilities for students aged 4 to 18.