Parent guides
Choosing a school
Questions to Ask During a School Visit
A practical checklist of questions for open days and private visits to boarding schools, grouped by welfare, daily life, academics, fees and international arrangements.
Updated 17 October 2026
How to Choose a Boarding School
A practical way to narrow a long list of boarding schools: start with your child and your constraints, check regulation and inspection, then compare daily life rather than brochures.
Updated 17 October 2026
Comparing IB, A Levels and Other School Qualifications
A plain guide to the main secondary qualifications offered by boarding schools in different countries, who stands behind each, and why they should be described rather than ranked.
Updated 17 October 2026
Fees and funding
Boarding School Fees Explained
What boarding school fees usually include, which costs are billed separately, how VAT, deposits and billing terms can differ, and how to compare fee sheets fairly.
Updated 17 October 2026
Boarding School Scholarships and Financial Assistance
How scholarships, bursaries and need-based aid differ, how families typically apply, and what to ask schools about eligibility, deadlines and re-assessment.
Updated 17 October 2026
Admissions
Preparing for Boarding School Interviews
What a boarding school interview is usually for, how to prepare a child and parents calmly, and how interviews fit alongside offers, deposits and visa paperwork.
Updated 17 October 2026
Understanding Boarding School Entry Ages
How year groups, grades and entry points are named in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Switzerland, and why you should confirm a school's own minimum boarding age.
Updated 17 October 2026
Applying to Boarding School Abroad
A step-by-step overview of applying to an overseas boarding school: timing, documents, tests and interviews, and the visa and consent steps that follow an offer, with official sources to check.
Updated 17 October 2026
International families
Boarding School Options for International Students
An overview of how international students enrol at boarding schools in the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland, including published rules for minors, with links to the official pages.
Updated 17 October 2026
Understanding Guardianship Arrangements
What a school-appointed guardian, nominated guardian or custodian means for a boarder studying abroad, and what the UK, Canadian and New Zealand governments publish about it.
Updated 17 October 2026
Boarding life
Full Boarding vs Weekly Boarding
How full, weekly and flexible boarding differ in practice, what changes at weekends and for fees, and how to decide which pattern suits a child and a family.
Updated 17 October 2026
What Happens at Weekends and School Holidays
How boarding schools organise weekends, exeats and holidays, and which arrangements families should settle in advance, especially when parents live abroad.
Updated 17 October 2026