This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
The staff wrote this article on Boarding Schools in the USA.
Arts programs are an especially appealing aspect of selecting a U.S. boarding school. You may be narrowing your search to U.S. programs because contemporary and traditional art forms flourish in this country, and many of our boarding schools excel in arts instruction and practice.
To be sure, arts programs vary widely. Some programs specialize in visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, and computer graphics), theatre (acting and theatre design), dance (ballet, jazz, or modern), creative writing, music (vocal or instrumental), or filmmaking. Other schools offer relatively little instruction in the arts and specialize more in outdoor activities, military training, etc.
In 2026, these choices include both traditional boarding schools with strong arts offerings and specialized pre-professional schools. Boarding School Review lists four U.S. pre-professional arts boarding schools for the 2026-27 school year.
When choosing a boarding school in the U.S.A., it is important to match your interests and goals, which may change over time, with the school's strengths.
Research each school's offerings to see if the arts are part of your interests and passions. Spend time reading the school's literature and visiting its website. Be sure to look for the qualifications of the teachers, who may themselves be artists, and the range and level of available courses. Examine the facilities available, the theater, studios, and practice rooms. If possible, visit the school yourself. Families can also compare boarding schools offering visual arts.
A wide variety of arts programs
You should evaluate whether the arts are your priority. Arts courses may be just a part of the well-rounded education that you wish to enjoy. If you want to concentrate on your interests and develop your unique talents, a school with an excellent arts program will provide time for class/studio instruction and practice or creative periods. Ask the Admissions Office or your future teachers how much time is available each day for you to pursue your field, and find out how well the school does each year, placing its graduates in universities and institutes with further opportunities in the arts.
Finally, the school's location may be necessary. Does the school have access to performers, filmmakers, and teachers who could help you grow? This could be especially important if you need to study privately with a local performer, for example, or join classes at the city’s academy.
If you are dedicated to a career in the arts, you might consider a boarding school specializing in developing your talent. Boarding School Review's Choosing the Right Performing Arts Boarding School provides additional guidance for families comparing specialized programs.
The Idyllwild Arts Academy in California asks prospective students to audition or submit appropriate artistic materials for admission into its arts programs. In 2026, the school offers eight arts majors: Dance, Fashion Design, Film & Digital Media, InterArts, Music, Dramatic Arts, Visual Arts, and Creative Writing.
Idyllwild students spend a significant portion of each day in pre-professional training in the arts alongside university preparatory academics, including English Language Learner support.
Near Los Angeles and Hollywood, the campus has specialized facilities supporting its arts programs. Additionally, the campus has normal classrooms, science labs, and a library.
Each year, graduates from Idyllwild are accepted to music conservatories, art schools, film schools, theatre programs, dance companies, academic colleges, and universities in the U.S.A.
The Miller School of Albemarle in Virginia provides a woodshop where woodworking students, both in groups and individually, can build kayaks, blanket chests, and other items. Students start in the drafting section of the course by learning to draw the blanket chest. Next, they learn to use stationary power tools. After mastering the machine skills needed, they start working on the chest's components until they are completed. They also acquire the skills of hardware installation and applying finish to the completed chest.
In 2026, Miller School continues this tradition through its Design/Build courses, in which students learn to use tools, think about structures, and complete both traditional woodworking and practical building projects.
Arts are an integral part of education at Purnell School. Each girl enrolls in at least three performing and three studio art courses during her four years at the New Jersey school. Students in higher grades choose “elective” classes such as jazz dance, dance improvisation, the creative process in movement, acting, clowning, innovative theater, classical voice training, music theory, instrumental music, and modern and world dance history. Each year, Purnell students produce a full-length musical show in two and a half weeks during “Project Exploration.” They build sets, run lights and sound, design costumes, and act.
Beyond traditional drawing, collage, pastels, ceramics, photography, oil painting, charcoals, and fashion design, Purnell girls also work on projects such as art portfolios and furniture installation. Students also take art history classes, including trips to museums in nearby New York City.
Summer Study
You may begin your U.S. studies with a summer program for high school (secondary) students. Boarding School Review lists summer programs offered by boarding schools, giving students a wide range of academic and enrichment options.
New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts offers university-level summer programs in New York. In 2026, its Summer High School Residential Program includes tracks in areas such as animation, dance, drama, production and design, dramatic writing, filmmaking, game design, photography and imaging, and recorded music.
Future filmmakers can choose from filmmaking and animation programs, which offer hands-on training in aspects of video production and creative development. Students make their films using contemporary production techniques and technologies.
Young writers develop scripts in the Dramatic Writing program. They learn to write for both stage and screen and develop and critique their work. Students with a musical interest can pursue contemporary music through Tisch's current summer offerings.
For families interested in trying a residential experience before committing to a full academic year, Boarding School Review's Summer Boarding School Programs: 2026 Guide explains how these short-term programs work.
Each program is unique.
Each boarding and summer school in the U.S.A. has its resources, culture, and instructors. Finding a program that matches your interests and abilities will require sensitive self-evaluation and thoughtful research. Consequently, you may soon attend one of the world's finest schools.
