Top California Boarding Schools

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Besant Hill School Photo - A spectacular view of the Topa Topa mountains from the common room in our Phoenix dorm. Students gather here for study sessions, snacks and social activities.
Ojai Valley School Photo - OVS students enjoy time hanging out with friends on the 195-acre high school campus, located in a stunning canyon overlooking the Ojai Valley. Throughout the year, student life is punctuated with fun events to balance the academic schedule. These include camping trips, prom and other socials, themed dress days, community service projects, and countless weekend excursions.
The Athenian School Photo - Athenian students
EF Academy Pasadena Photo - Our campus is located in the cozy Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena, California.
Stevenson School Photo - Outdoor Education: Afternoon surfing, day hikes, weekend camping trips, and an 11-day wilderness trek introduce students to the wilderness environment while emphasizing the development of a positive attitude toward challenging situations.
The Thacher School Photo - "Education is not merely the making of scholars. It is the making of men and women. It is the training of the younger generation in the art of living for their own greatest good and the greatest good of their fellow citizens." -Sherman Day Thacher
Midland School Photo - Midland's 10-acre certified organic garden. It currently provides 80% of the produce that our community consumes in the dining hall.
Santa Catalina School Photo - Volleyball in the Gym
Southwestern Academy Photo - A unique learning environment
Army and Navy Academy Photo
The Webb Schools Photo - Although community service hours are not required at Webb, many of our students voluntarily choose to participate in one or more of our numerous service activities. In the past few years, our students have traveled to Costa Rica, Thailand, Romania, Australia, Nepal, Fiji and three countries in Africa on service trips.
Villanova Preparatory School Photo - Founded in 1924, Villanova Prep is the only Catholic boarding school in the Augustinian tradition. In this supportive environment steeped in Catholic values, students are comfortable taking risks and learning more about themselves throughout their Villanova experience.
Amerigo San Francisco Saint Patrick-Saint Vincent Catholic High School Photo
St. Catherine's Academy Photo - St. Catherine's recognizes the important role that athletics plays in the development of a well-rounded young man. Our physical education program and championship athletic teams seek to develop skills and capabilities that reach far beyond the athletic field.
Excelsior School Photo
Dunn School Photo - The STEM quad at Dunn, housing the math classrooms, tinker space, makers lab and more.
Amerigo Napa Valley Justin-Siena High School Photo - Amerigo Napa Valley partners with Justin-Siena High School to provide boarding students with a premier university-preparatory education.
Amerigo San Diego Mater Dei Catholic High School Photo
Amerigo Los Angeles, Bishop Montgomery High School Photo - Students at Bishop Montgomery High School have access to an array of advanced-level courses, extracurriculars and athletics - all located just one mile away from the Pacific Ocean.
Idyllwild Arts Academy Photo - Idyllwild Arts Academy is home to 310 students from 35 countries and 26 US states, all devoted to intensive study of the arts. Located 2 hours from Los Angeles, 2 hours from San Diego, and 1 hour from Palm Springs, the Academy is an artistic crossroads for Southern California.

Top California Boarding Schools (2020)

  • School Location Grades Students
  • Amerigo Los Angeles, Bishop Montgomery High School
    Amerigo Los Angeles, Bishop Montgomery High School Photo - Students at Bishop Montgomery High School have access to an array of advanced-level courses, extracurriculars and athletics - all located just one mile away from the Pacific Ocean.
    (Catholic)
    5430 Torrance Blvd
    Torrance, CA 90503

    Grades: 9-12 | n/a students
  • Amerigo Napa Valley Justin-Siena High School
    Amerigo Napa Valley Justin-Siena High School Photo - Amerigo Napa Valley partners with Justin-Siena High School to provide boarding students with a premier university-preparatory education.
    (Catholic)
    4026 Maher St.
    Napa, CA 94558
    (312)416-1955
    Grades: 9-12 | 580 students
  • Amerigo San Diego Mater Dei Catholic High School
    Amerigo San Diego Mater Dei Catholic High School Photo
    (Catholic)
    (1)
    1615 Mater Dei Drive
    Chula Vista, CA 91913
    (312)416-1955
    Grades: 9-12 | 869 students
  • Amerigo San Francisco Saint Patrick-Saint Vincent Catholic High School
    Amerigo San Francisco Saint Patrick-Saint Vincent Catholic High School Photo
    (Catholic)
    1500 Benicia Road
    Vallejo, CA 94591

    Grades: 9-12 | 479 students
  • Army and Navy Academy
    Army and Navy Academy Photo
    All-boys 
    (4)
    2605 Carlsbad Blvd.
    Carlsbad, CA 92008
    (888)762-2338
    Grades: 7-12 | 320 students
  • The Athenian School
    The Athenian School Photo - Athenian students
    (1)
    2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd.
    Danville, CA 94506
    (925)362-7223
    Grades: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 517 students
  • Besant Hill School
    Besant Hill School Photo - Besant Hill School is located in the Ojai Valley, on 500 acres of private land with beautiful vistas in every direction. Facilities include four dormitories, outdoor sports facilities including a new aquatic center, indoor theater, atelier, and classrooms nestled along winding paths and oak trees. We also have an eight acre organic farm.
    (1)
    8585 Ojai Santa Paula Road
    Ojai, CA 93023
    (805)646-4343
    Grades: 9-12, PG | 100 students
  • Cate School
    (17)
    1960 Cate Mesa Road, P.O. Box 5005
    Carpinteria, CA 93013
    (805)684-4127
    Grades: 9-12 | 297 students
  • Dunn School
    Dunn School Photo - The STEM quad at Dunn, housing the math classrooms, tinker space, makers lab and more.
    P.O. Box 98, 2555 W. Highway 154
    Los Olivos, CA 93441
    (800)287-9197
    Grades: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 249 students
  • EF Academy Pasadena
    EF Academy Pasadena Photo - Our campus is located in the cozy Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena, California.
    1539 E Howard St.
    Pasadena, CA 91104
    (914)495-6069
    Grades: 8-12 | 250 students
  • Excelsior School
    Excelsior School Photo
    41 W Santa Clara St.
    Arcadia, CA 91007
    (626)623-6339
    Grades: 9-12 | 110 students
  • Idyllwild Arts Academy
    Idyllwild Arts Academy Photo - InterArts and Fashion Design offers students the chance to explore and combined multiple art forms or to focus in Fashion Design. Students present their work in two fully choreographed Fashion Shows each year.
    (17)
    52500 Temecula Road
    Idyllwild, CA 92549
    (951)468-7223
    Grades: 9-12, PG | 320 students
  • Midland School
    Midland School Photo - Marine Biology class exploring tide pools on the Gaviota coast.
    (4)
    PO Box 8
    Los Olivos, CA 93441
    (805)688-5114
    Grades: 9-12 | 89 students
  • Ojai Valley School
    Ojai Valley School Photo - The fine & performing arts curriculum at OVS includes drawing, advanced studio arts, music theory & composition, voice, ceramics, photography, graphic design, music history, film, and 3 AP art courses. Students have the opportunity to explore costume and set design. They can also participate in electives such as dance and chorus. OVS produces several productions each year.
    (2)
    723 El Paseo Road
    Ojai, CA 93023
    (805)646-1423
    Grades: 3-12 | Pre-K-12 (day) | 275 students
  • St. Andrew's Academy
    St. Andrew's Academy Photo
    (Anglican)
    (1)
    PO Box 3050, 198 Main St.
    Chester/Lake Almanor, CA 96020
    (530)596-3343
    Grades: 6-12 | Pre-K-12 (day) | 16 students
  • St. Catherine's Academy
    St. Catherine's Academy Photo - Our outstanding music department provides classroom instruction in music theory, music history, and musical experiences. Students are also welcome to play in the marching band and take private piano or guitar lessons.
    All-boys  (Catholic)
    215 N. Harbor Blvd.
    Anaheim, CA 92805
    (714)772-1363
    Grades: 4-8 | K-8 (day) | 150 students
  • San Domenico School
    San Domenico School Photo - Our small classes often resemble a college seminar: students and teacher grappling with ideas, sparking new insights, caught up in the give and take of reasoned arguments.
    1500 Butterfield Road
    San Anselmo, CA 94960
    (415)258-1905
    Grades: 9-12 | K-12 (day) | 680 students
  • Santa Catalina School
    Santa Catalina School Photo - Come visit our beautiful campus in Monterey, California! Call the admission office at 831.655.9356 or email admission@santacatalina.org to schedule your visit.
    All-girls  (Catholic)
    (1)
    1500 Mark Thomas Drive
    Monterey, CA 93940
    (831)655-9356
    Grades: 9-12 | 244 students
  • Southwestern Academy
    Southwestern Academy Photo - A unique learning environment
    (1)
    2800 Monterey Road
    San Marino, CA 91108

    Grades: 6-12, PG | 144 students
  • Squaw Valley Academy
    Squaw Valley Academy Photo - Students reside in one of three dormitories on campus. The new dormitory uses south-facing solar panels to take full advantage of the average 300 days of sunshine to reduce our environmental footprint.
    235 Squaw Valley Road | P.O. Box 2667
    Olympic Valley, CA 96146
    (530)583-9393
    Grades: 9-12, PG | 80 students
  • Stevenson School
    Stevenson School Photo - Outdoor Education: Afternoon surfing, day hikes, weekend camping trips, and an 11-day wilderness trek introduce students to the wilderness environment while emphasizing the development of a positive attitude toward challenging situations.
    (11)
    3152 Forest Lake Road
    Pebble Beach, CA 93953
    (831)625-8309
    Grades: 9-12 | Pre-K-12 (day) | 750 students
  • The Thacher School
    The Thacher School Photo - In courses designed for intellectual and creative expansion, students and teachers meet in seminar circles, studios, and laboratories to create a learning environment that is vigorous and supportive, galvanizing and nurturing.
    (25)
    5025 Thacher Road
    Ojai, CA 93023
    (805)640-3210
    Grades: 9-12 | 254 students
  • Villanova Preparatory School
    Villanova Preparatory School Photo - Founded in 1924, Villanova Prep is the only Catholic boarding school in the Augustinian tradition. In this supportive environment steeped in Catholic values, students are comfortable taking risks and learning more about themselves throughout their Villanova experience.
    (Catholic)
    (1)
    12096 N. Ventura Ave
    Ojai, CA 93023
    (805)646-1464
    Grades: 9-12 | 220 students
  • The Webb Schools
    The Webb Schools Photo - Webb enjoys a 100% admit rate to selective 4-year colleges and universities.
    (29)
    1175 West Baseline Road
    Claremont, CA 91711
    (909)482-5214
    Grades: 9-12 | 410 students
  • Woodside Priory School (Priory)
    Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo - The Priory is a Benedictine Catholic, independent college preparatory school. Founded by Hungarian monks in the 1950's, Priory has been an international school from its very beginning.
    (Catholic)
    (2)
    302 Portola Road
    Portola Valley, CA 94028
    (650)851-8223
    Grades: 9-12 | 6-12 (day) | 375 students
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