International Students

American boarding schools have been popular with families from countries outside the United States for many years. The International Education Specialists website lays out five reasons why this is so. Why Study In The USA? 5 Reasons and Benefits Make USA The Best discusses international students in American universities. But the same reasons apply to residential high schools here in the United States.

Canada, the United Kingdom, and several European countries also have residential high schools. They certainly offer families options. So, why then are American boarding schools so popular?

Learning the English Language

There's nothing like a language immersion program to develop a young person's fluency in English. And that's precisely what boarding schools in the United States offer. All classes except foreign language classes such as Spanish and French are taught in English. In addition, English is the language used in most extracurricular activities and sports programs that schools offer. As a result, students for whom English is their second language must speak, read, and understand English, both oral and written, during classes, on stage, and the playing field.

Being immersed in an American boarding school's academic and community life also means that students quickly learn how to speak and think in conversational English. In their daily routines, they pick up the common, everyday casual expressions that you and I take for granted. However, they also learn to switch to more formal phrases when the occasion warrants it.

With all this in mind, let's

The boarding school choices available to international students are as immense as they are exciting. Boarding school fairs, like Linden’s Summer & Boarding School Expositions, are the most comprehensive way to start you on your path to studying at one of these prestigious institutions. This video illustrates what we can do.

Throughout the year, we host events in all corners of the world to meet families, agents, and consultants and introduce them to our network of Premier Boarding Schools from the United States, Switzerland, Canada, United Kingdom, and other countries. The fairs are free and organized months in advance to ensure you receive the most complete information.

When you come to an event, a team greets you and your family and guides you through the process of gathering information and meeting school representatives with programs suited to your goals and interests. Whether you're looking for a brief summer program, an intensive two-month summer course, a full academic year, or a Post-Graduate year, you have many options. Most schools have boarding programs for students ages 14-18. Some schools offer boarding for children as young as eight, and others often have Post-Graduate programs for students as old as 20.

The fairs are held in central hotel exhibition halls typically in the afternoon to early evening. Families are welcomed in and asked if they are looking for a particular program, for example, summer programs featuring ESL in the United States. Using our expertise, we direct families to the schools with relevant

Recruitment fairs are events held in locations all over the world that are meant to help boarding schools with their recruitment of international students. For example, Linden Educational Services has long worked with international schools and students, and education fair providers continue to hold recruitment events in major regions around the world in 2026.

Aimed at parents and students who live in locations all around the world, these recruitment fairs put admissions staff from dozens of boarding schools on location in various international cities. You can meet school representatives and ask all the questions you have about American, Canadian, UK, and Swiss boarding schools.

Families can also use organizations such as The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) to learn more about boarding school options, admissions, and school life before or after attending a fair.

Why would students from overseas consider attending boarding school in the States?

There are many reasons. As a rule, the main one is that parents want their children to have a world-class education. An international boarding school education will strengthen your child's language skills. Not just English, though it is pretty much the lingua franca in the business and professional world today; Your child will also be able to learn a host of other languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese, to name a few.

International boarding schools generally offer a rich array of courses in many subjects. As you meet with school representatives, have a list of questions

Use this guide for international students to cover all the topics pertaining to deciding which school to attend, how to apply, and much more.

Broadly defined, an international student is somebody who comes from a foreign country, that is, not the United States of America, whose first language is generally not English.

Why would families send their children far away from home to study at a boarding school in the United States? Because of American boarding schools' reputation for a high standard of academic work and for the network of friends and acquaintances that their graduates can build. And also for the solid preparation for university-level work that American boarding schools provide.

American boarding schools have long been proactive in seeking out international students. In 2026, individual schools, educational organizations, and groups of boarding schools continue to visit Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East to recruit applicants. Many schools also host virtual information sessions, online interviews, and webinars, making it easier than ever for families to learn about boarding school opportunities before traveling.

Families beginning their search may also find Why Boarding School? helpful for understanding the academic, residential, and personal benefits of a boarding school education.

The following sections will help you explore boarding schools and explain the admissions process. Contact the school that interests you for detailed answers to your specific questions.

Boarding School Admissions: A-Z

The boarding school admissions process can seem overwhelming at first, particularly for families applying from overseas.

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

With over 250 schools in the United States, American boarding schools appeal to international families for a variety of reasons. According to The Association Of Boarding Schools (TABS), international students make up an important part of the population of their member schools. In 2025, the latest national average reported by Boarding School Review was 26.6% international students. We look at some of the reasons why an American boarding school is a popular option with international students around the world.

A world-class education

Almost all American boarding schools offer rigorous academics combined with compulsory athletics and a wide variety of extracurricular activities. Even more important to a parent who will probably remain at home while her child goes off to school in the United States is that boarding schools take the safety and well-being of your child very seriously. While your child is at school, 24/7 supervision is what you can expect to find at a boarding school in the United States. During vacations, the school will help you find a host for your child instead of flying him back home if that is not possible.

The academic programs at boarding schools exceed any federal, state, and local requirements. College preparatory schools usually offer Advanced Placement courses or the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Standards are high. The other advantage of an American boarding school is the small class size.