20 Most Expensive Schools in The World and How Much They Cost

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Ngozika Agu
By Ngozika Agu
Most Expensive
Most Expensive Schools in the World
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A common adage has it that anybody who thinks education is expensive should try ignorance. This is all well and good and emphasizes the indisputable importance of education in life, but there is also no denying the fact that some institutions of learning are ridiculously expensive that one may begin to doubt whether it is truly worth it.

Some of the world’s most expensive schools charge hundreds and tens of thousands of dollars per annum. In turn, students get access to exquisite facilities as well as undivided attention from their teachers. Such schools are mainly located in Switzerland and populated by the children of ace business executives and royalty. There are however, some in America which mostly provide specialised education for children with learning disabilities. These are the costliest schools in the world right now

20 Most Expensive Schools in The World 

20. IMG Academy Florida

  • Country – U.S.A
  • Fees – $63,000
  • Student-teacher ratio – 12:1
IMG Academy
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The IMG Academy is not just an ordinary private boarding school. It is also a premier sports academy and offers student-athletes the opportunity of holistic personal, academic and athletic development. Situated in Bradenton, Florida, IMG provides training across eight sports disciplines such as soccer, lacrosse, football, golf, track & field, basketball, tennis, and cross-country. It, therefore, has exquisite sports facilities such as over 50 tennis courts, a 5000-seat state-of-the-art stadium, an 18-hole golf course, two 10,000 square feet weight rooms, and two basketball gyms with multiple courts.

For residential purposes, the school boasts of more than three dorm buildings that are designed with relaxation in mind. The aim is to provide their hardworking student-athletes with the facilities to wind off. The IMG Academy has been especially successful with regards to tennis. Famous alumni include the likes of Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, Kei Nishikori, and Maria Sharapova.

19. Berkshire School Massachusetts

  • Country –U.S.A
  • Fees – $64,200
  • Student-teacher ratio – 5:1
Berkshire School Massachusetts
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The Berkshire School came into existence as an only boys-institution in the year 1907. Over the years, its profile soared, and there was soon agitations for girls to be admitted into the school. That agitation was eventually yielded to in 1969. That co-ed system remains in existence to date, and Berkshire is now one of the foremost prep schools in Massachusetts. Located in the heart of the city, it boasts of a pretty campus with a backdrop that consists of a maple-lined lane, a little rocky bridge, and a freshwater pond.

Facilities available include a fine arts centre and a math and science centre. There is also a Dixon observatory that houses state-of-the-art equipment that teachers and students can use to observe the solar system. Berkshire students reside in dormitories that simulate family life. They have faculty members who help them with homework. They also get movie nights as well as free laundry services.

18. The Lang School New York

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $65,000
  • Student-teacher ratio: 2:1

The 18th most expensive school in the world right now is the Lang School. Located in New York City, it caters to kids who have high IQs and are twice-exceptional (2e), i.e. boast of one learning disability or the other such as autism or dyslexia. This unique school was started by a lady named Micaela Olsson after she found it hard getting an institution that would tend to her genius son with ADHD.

Having tried unsuccessfully for some years to find a suitable school, Olsson decided to take the bull by the horns and found one herself. The Lang School is based on the philosophy that the school should adapt to the needs of the child rather than the child to the school. To this end, their large rooms feature sleeping nooks for children who get overwhelmed and need a break. Other facilities are a sensory gym and a rock-climbing wall. All these of course don’t come cheap and as such, the school is quite expensive. Some parents however sue the city to reimburse them.

17. Mary McDowell Friends School New York

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $66,010
  • Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
Mary McDowell Friends School New York
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The Mary McDowell Friends School is also dedicated to students with learning disabilities. It has specialized, challenging, and supportive programs based on the longstanding Quaker values of equality, integrity, and social responsibility. The school provides a range of athletics and club activities for students. They also help out their students by providing them with therapies such as language and gross motor sensory therapies.

Also on offer are dedicated health and wellness services as well as lessons in social skills and emotional understanding. The fees for MMFS is quite steep but they do offer a range of financial aid and payment plans on a needs-basis. The school has a high success rate with regards to college enrollees as 80% of their graduates go on to attend a four-year college.

16. The Oxford Academy Connecticut

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $67,000
  • Student-teacher ratio: 2:1

Would like your child’s teacher to focus all of his/her attention on just your child? Then, for $67,000 yearly, that can be arranged at the Oxford Academy located in Connecticut. Founded in 1906, the Oxford Academy is modelled on the teaching methods of the likes of John Dewey and Socrates. It specializes in training young men of average or superior intelligence in a prep program tailored to meet their unique needs.

To this end, education at the school is completely individualized with one class consisting of one teacher and one student. The student moves at his own pace, and his curriculum is designed to support his unique ability, interests, and learning rate. Such a marvellous teaching method means that the Oxford Academy is in demand amongst parents that can afford it. It is difficult to get into the school though as they teach a limited number of students and only take on new ones when one of their existing students graduate.

15. The Woodhall School Connecticut

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $74,500
  • Student-teacher ratio: 3:1

Another Connecticut school that ranks amongst the most expensive schools in the world is The Woodhall School. This is a small independent day and boarding school, dedicated solely to boys, and its residential life is o top-notch. The school has two dormitories and six faculty members live in apartments connected to each dorm to serve as dorm parents. In the dorm itself, two students share a room and are responsible for maintaining it.

For food, there are homemade meals prepared by the school chef. These meals follow an internationally-varied menu including seasonal fruits and vegetables. Breakfast is served cafeteria-style and is both hot and cold. Lunch and dinner are served family-style and include homemade soup and extensive salad. For a social life, Woodhall students are allowed some free time at the weekends during which they can go to town for shopping, movie theatres, and trampoline parks. The school also organizes events where the boys can mingle with female students from local schools.

14. The Quad Prep School New York

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $74,850
  • Student-teacher ratio: 2:1
Quad Prep school
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The Quad Prep School is also similar to the Lang School in that they are dedicated to students that are gifted and twice-exceptional. They transform the lives of these special kids by offering an alternative education that redefines the school experience. Their program encompasses both academic, psychological, and emotional learning and is tailored to meet the need of particular students.

Students are not assigned to the regular grades as we know it. Rather, each child is assessed in each academic subject area in order to determine the level that they have reached. They are then given a level of instruction that is appropriate for them. Courses on offer at the school include music, art, theatre, applied computing and engineering, Italian, and Spanish.

13. Brehm Prep School Illinois

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $77,500
  • Student-teacher ratio: 4:1

Brehm Prep carefully deconstructs the traditional classroom structure and curriculum and then puts it back in a manner that will better accommodate the challenges that kids with complex learning disabilities and learning differences face. Situated in Carbondale, Illinois, it caters to both boys and girls and has a diverse staff comprising of teachers, counsellors, and nurses. There are also dorm parents, recreational staff, speech pathologists, and a mental health team.

The Brehm Prep campus features five dorms which house 12 – 20 students each. The students receive school work in accordance with state standards. For recreation, they get to indulge in activities such as swimming, paintball, fishing, basketball, soccer, bowling, gymnastics, and flag football during the weekdays. At the weekend, students can embark on trips to the zoo, museum, Water Park, and sporting events. Given all this, it is not surprising that the school is quite expensive.

12. Forman School Connecticut

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $78,600
  • Student-teacher ratio: 3:1

The Forman School is widely acclaimed for its success in training students that have learning differences. As the story goes, the school was founded by a couple named John and Julie Forman in 1930. They were determined to train students who failed in the traditional setting and set about achieving this objective with much vigour. They hired a pioneer in reading methodologies, Dr. Samuel Orton, to determine how to teach the fundamentals of reading.

They also got the renowned Albert Einstein, who had significant learning disabilities himself, to be their advisor. The result was the success of their students, and they received accolades from far and wide, including the New York Times. The Forman School is still standing tall to date and remains dedicated to people who learn differently, especially people living with ADHD and dyslexia.

11. Brillantmont International School

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $83, 375
  • Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
Brillantmont International School
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Several Swiss institutions rank amongst the most expensive schools in the world, and one of them is the Brillantmont International School. Situated in Lausanne, it is one of the oldest boarding schools in Switzerland. It also accommodates day students and is co-educational. Brillantmont emphasizes a rigorous academic curriculum, rich cultural life, and active sports program. The whole package is made special by the warm family environment, which permeates the whole school.

Brillantmont students can take part in either a British or American program. At the end of their studies, most of them end up in universities in the U.S. or U.K. Extracurricular activities available in the school include skiing, photography, cooking club, yoga, and school band. Students are also encouraged to travel to less-privileged countries and take part in charitable activities. They also lend their time to non-profits such as habitat for humanity.

10. Shortridge Academy New Hampshire

  • Country: U.S.A
  • Fees: $85,000
  • Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Shortridge Academy
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The most expensive school in the world, as well as the most expensive in the United States, is the Shortridge Academy. Sited amidst an idyllic setting comprising of mountains and the seacoast, this school looks much more like a picturesque bed and breakfast rather than an educational institution. It remains a place of learning though, and offers an academically-focused and therapeutically-supportive college preparatory program for its students all year round. The school curriculum emphasizes individualized learning styles and challenges. They also promote student inclusion and offer them a big role in the decision-making process.

9. The American School in Switzerland (TASIS)

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $88,796
    Student-teacher ratio: 6:1

TASIS is the oldest American boarding school in Europe. It is situated on a hillside in the sunny southern part of Switzerland and boasts commanding views of snow-capped mountains, palm trees, and the majestic lake Lugano. The student body comprises about 700 students from 60 nationalities, and the school emphasizes education, travel, and service. When it comes to education, the TASIS academic program features extensive fine arts, Singapore math, English, and additional language sections.

With regards to service, students are encouraged through the global service program to be mindful of humanitarian needs and be inspired towards a life of active and community service. Students of TASIS also get to travel extensively throughout Switzerland and Europe. This brings them face to face with the rich cultural heritage of the continent as well as its spectacular natural beauty.

8. Think Global School

  • Country: New York, U.S.A
  • Fees: $89,382
  • Student-teacher ratio: $4:1
Think Global School
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Think Global is not just global in name but also indeed. It is the world’s first travelling high school, and students get to undertake their studies in as many as four countries per year. This means that they would have lived in about 12 countries at the end of their three-year program. Such a novel method was inspired by the ambition to produce students who are compassionate individuals, knowledgeable about their world, and willing to make a meaningful change.

To this end, the students of Think Global are encouraged to carry out a project that satisfies a local need in their host community. They are also exposed to a variety of cultural experiences, in conjunction with local experts in their field, and are expected to acquire a basic knowledge of the local language of the host country. Travelling to all these countries can’t surely be cheap, and as such, the fees for Think Global are quite expensive.

7. Institut auf dem Rosenberg

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $92,427
  • Student-teacher ratio: 3:1
Institut auf dem Rosenberg
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Regarded as one of the best boarding schools in the world, the Institut auf dem Rosenberg is located in the town of St. Gallen and caters to about 230 students from over 45 different nations. This diverse student body is housed in the carefully-restored and beautifully-maintained art-nouveau villas with students getting single or double rooms that have en-suite bathrooms.

Rosenberg has a rich talent and enrichment program featuring about 100 courses that students can choose from. Some of these courses include fashion design, performing arts, robotics/A.I., medical sciences, and international law, and are run in conjunction with local industries and business experts. Rosenberg students also enjoy a varied athletics program including horse riding, fencing, football, kickboxing, golf, archery, yoga, personal training, basketball, swimming, hip hop, and contemporary dance.

6. Leysin American School

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $93,182
  • Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Leysin American School
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This is a co-educational independent boarding school that prepares students for college. It is located in the alpine resort village of Leysin and the language of instruction is English. Students can choose to pursue a regular American diploma or an international baccalaureate. They also get the option of choosing classes that most satisfy their individual needs.

Facilities at the Leysin include a computer lab, media centre, libraries, black box theatre, and performance hall. Students also get access to horseback riding, ice skating, tennis, hockey, and swimming. The school also offers its students the opportunity to explore the globe. There are weekend trips to various parts of Europe and beyond. There are also periodic educational trips to destinations around the globe. Leysin also has its famed cultural trips during which students can explore the cultures of countries such as Romania, Croatia, Italy, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

5. College du Leman International School

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $96,339
  • Student-teacher ratio: 9:2
College du Leman International School
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College du Leman is a prestigious international day and boarding school for boys and girls aged from 2 – 18. It belongs to the Nord Anglia education system and is ideally located on the outskirts of Geneva. The school offers its pupils the choice of a French, Swiss, U.K., or U.S. education. They also get the opportunity to form multicultural friendships as the student body hails from as many as 100 nationalities.

Leman has an eight-hectare campus that boasts of 10 science labs, 100 classrooms, a library, a football field, a basketball court, tennis courts, a dance room, an archery range, and a swimming pool. There is also a 5000 square meter Olympus gymnasium. The Leman School has attracted the children of notable personalities in the past, including Paul Biya Jr., the son of the sit-tight president of Cameroon, Paul Biya.

4. St George’s International School Montreux

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $108,646
  • Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
St George’s International School Montreux
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St. George’s started out as a school for girls in 1927. By 1993, boys were allowed to enrol as both boarding and day students, and that coeducational system subsists to date. The school has a challenging academic curriculum that sees pupils tutored in both French and English. They, therefore, grow up to be bilingual even as they work towards their International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD), International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), or high school diploma.

St George’s attracts students from about 40 nationalities, and growing up in such a multicultural environment helps the kids to grow tolerant of different beliefs and religions. To further keep them grounded, the children are also tasked with collaborating with NGOs in order for them to develop a social conscience. For downtime, students get access to a range of sporting facilities. They also get balanced and nutritional three-course meals each day featuring a starter, main course, and dessert. The kitchen also caters to vegetarian and special dietary requirements.

3. College Alpin International Beau Soleil

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $111,103
  • Student-teacher ratio: 4:1
College Alpin International Beau Soleil
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This is one of the oldest private boarding schools in Switzerland. It is also one of the most expensive, but you can be assured that your child will get your money’s worth in terms of the quality of education on offer. Beau Soleil provides two academic programs, namely a French language section and an international section offered in English. At the end of their studies, students can study for IGSCE, international baccalaureate, or the French baccalaureate.

Beyond academics, Beau Soleil students indulge in activities such as yoga, cooking, and bird watching. To further promote their holistic development, the school takes them on exciting adventures and expeditions periodically. Students of Beau Soleil have embarked on a 12-day cruise on the Mediterranean. They have visited countries such as Ghana, Cambodia, Uruguay, Morocco, and Tanzania (where they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro).

2. Aiglon College Switzerland

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $112,894
  • Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
Aiglon College Switzerland
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From just six students at its establishment in 1949, Aiglon now boasts of 370 students who hail from diverse backgrounds, cultures, languages, and religious beliefs. These students are given the opportunity to adequately prepare themselves for the future through challenging GCSE, IGSCE, and IB programs. Those who wish to prepare for SAT and IELST are also provided with the support and the courses needed to help them excel.

Apart from academics, Algion also provides its student body with opportunities in sport, drama, art, music, and community service. Students also get to embark on adventurous activities such as hiking, camping, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, and ski mountaineering. Notable alumni of the institution include the former CFO of google – Pietro Dova, Princess Tatiana of Greece, actor – Michel Gill, and Canadian MP – David Anderson.

1. La Rosey

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Fees: $130,000
  • Student-teacher ratio: 5:1
La Rosey
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It doesn’t come any more posh or exclusive than La Rosey. This Swiss institution is one of the oldest boarding schools in the country as well as the most expensive school in the entire world. Founded as an only boy’s school in 1880, La Rosey has since switched to co-educational and has a student body that surpasses 400. The school is built on a vision of encouraging multiculturality and multi-plurality.

To this end, they have a 10% quota for each nationality in order to ensure that the entire globe is represented on its campus. Teaching is done in two languages of French and English, and students are also encouraged to learn their mother tongue, all in a bid to ensure that multi-plurality. La Rosey is possibly the only school in the world that has seasonal campuses. The winter campus is located in the ski resort of Gstaad and is used by students during the winter months.

For the remainder of the year, they relocate to the main campus, which is sited near Rolle. This main campus features exquisite facilities including 179 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, eight science laboratories, two gymnasiums, 10 clay tennis courts, a theatre, an outdoor and indoor pool (both measuring 25cm), a wellness centre, and a computer-regulated greenhouse. The school also has an impressive open space library, with thousands of books on offer. It is features like this that have made Forbes hail it as a haven of luxury and glamour.

Recap of the 20 Most Expensive Schools in The World and How Much They Cost

1. La Rosey – $130,000
2. Aiglon College Switzerland – $112,894
3. College Alpin International Beau Soleil – $111,103
4. St George’s International School Montreux – $108,646
5. College du Leman International School – $96,339
6. Leysin American School – $93,182
7. Institut auf dem Rosenberg – $92,427
8. Think Global School – $89,382
9. The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) – $88,796
10. Shortridge Academy New Hampshire – $85,000
11. Brillantmont International School – $83,375
12. Forman School Connecticut – $78,600
13. Brehm Prep School Illinois – $77,500
14. The Quad Prep School New York – $74,850
15. The Woodhall School Connecticut – $74,500
16. The Oxford Academy Connecticut – $67,000
17. Mary McDowell Friends School New York – $66,010
18. The Lang School New York – $65,000
19. Berkshire School Massachusetts – $64,200
20. IMG Academy Florida – $63,000

Ngozika Agu
Ngozika Agu
Ngozika can turn any personal finance or entertainment information into an exciting, delightful and compelling article that informs and educates, she can quickly turn random letters into epic stories that not only entertain but also inspires or motivates

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