Alabama’s 67 county school boards and 60 municipal boards of education are responsible for local oversight of the state’s public, private, and boarding schools. In total, 1,541 public and boarding schools in Alabama educate 743,364 elementary and secondary pupils.
In comparison to other states, Alabama has fewer boarding schools. Both parents and students in Alabama have positive opinions of boarding schools. Here, students get the best education while taking advantage of deep-South warmth.
This article is a great resource for learning more about Best Boarding Schools in Alabama. Information on their tuition costs, academic standings, and admittance rates are included.
Let’s begin.
Are There Boarding Schools in Alabama?
Alabama does not have as many residential schools as other states. Both parents and students in boarding schools in Alabama have favourable opinions of them. Students can benefit from the deep-South warmth while receiving a top-notch education here.
Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), include Christian boarding schools in Alabama (AL), Junior boarding schools in Alabama (AL), Therapeutic Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), Co-ed Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), All Girls Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), All Boys Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), Military Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), Private Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), Day Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), Weekly Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL), and International Boarding Schools in Alabama (AL).
These residential schools are:
- St. Bernard Preparatory School
- Indian Springs School
- Southern Preparatory Academy
- Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School (OLV)
- Springwood International School
- Capitol School
- Columbus Girls Academy (CGA)
- Alabama School of Math & Science
- Alabama School of Fine Arts
- Lyman Ward Military Academy, Alabama
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How Much Do Boarding Schools in Alabama Cost?
Alabama private school tuition is $7,530 on average per year (2022-23).
The average annual tuition for private elementary schools is $7,492 and for private high schools, it is $7,966.
For international boarding students in grades 8 through 12, the cost is $54,000; for all other boarders, it is $42,500. (Grades 8–12 boarding school in Alabama).
However, each boarding school has a different tuition rate.
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Are There Affordable Boarding Schools in Alabama?
Due to the additional costs for things like housing, food, and other necessities, boarding schools can be pricey.
However, Alabama boarding schools that include these necessary costs in their tuition can be thought of as being more cost-effective than others.
- Alabama School of Math And Science with no tuition
- Lyman Ward Military Academy, Alabama, with a yearly tuition of $20,895
- Springwood School, with a yearly tuition of $28,258.
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What are the Best Boarding Schools in Alabama 2024?
Depending on your ward’s need, you may find one or two of our list of best boarding schools in Alabama great. Each school has a unique approach to education that makes them exceptional.
Aside from education and academics, students also learn lifelong skills that could help them in college. Read through our selection of the best boarding schools in Alabam and choose the best spot for your kid.
#1. St. Bernard Preparatory School
St. Bernard Preparatory School works to provide a culture where students can develop their self-control, respect for others, and ability to interact in mature social situations.
The mission of St. Bernard Preparatory School is reflected in the school’s motto, Corpus, Mens, Spiritus (Body, Mind, Spirit): “St. Bernard Preparatory School is committed to thoroughly engaging students in learning for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.
St. Bernard works to fulfil its goal through the pursuit of goodness and truth in the classroom, participation in religious, social, and athletic events, and involvement in mentorship and volunteer work.
The school was established and is run by the Benedictine Monks of St. Bernard Abbey, who have a 1,500-year tradition of monastic life and a passion for education.
#2. Indian Springs School
A co-educational day and boarding school for grades 8 through 12, Indian Springs School is located on a stunning 350-acre campus fifteen miles south of Birmingham, Alabama.
Indian Springs School promotes a love of study and creativity, a feeling of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship with respect for uniqueness and independent thought, according to its slogan, Learning through Living.
The school’s distinguished teachers provide a cutting-edge curriculum in a setting that best satisfies its students’ requirements and comfort, whether in-person, online or through a hybrid learning model.
At Indian Springs, every student has access to flexible and personalized learning opportunities.
#3. Southern Preparatory Academy
The framework your son needs is provided through Southern Prep.
At Southern Prep, every aspect of cadet life is intended to support great academic accomplishment and personal development. New students are admitted year-round under open enrollment.
The main distinction between our classes and those offered by other public or private schools is that we have smaller class sizes (8-12 boys per class)—excellence for 125 Years.
The reputation of Southern Prep is built on its outstanding academics, honourable military traditions, competitive sports, and creative unique activities. All-boys school, boarding school, private school, college prep school, and military high school combined. Since 1898.
Southern Prep gives its students the structure and rules necessary for concentration, independence, and achievement.
#4. Springwood International School
Springwood International provides excellent academics, a safe environment for students to reside in, and a wealth of activities. It accepts students from all over the world and has enrolled pupils in the past from 18 different nations. The School allows parents to send their children to a loving and challenging environment.
There are 250 pupils in PK–12, with an 8–1 student-teacher ratio. The cost of tuition for the top grade is $40,000. Eighty per cent of graduates from this institution enrol in a four-year university.
Students who board at “Springwood International” have the chance to form enduring friendships.
The personnel of the “Springwood International House” will serve as the student’s “American mom and dad.” Students who live on campus at Springwood School benefit from a variety of social opportunities and the convenience of a lovely, secure setting.
#5. Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School (OLV)
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School (OLV) has been educating Catholic students since 1984, encouraging them to respond to God’s blessings through academic success and the formation of strong moral character. The US Dept. of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award, one of the highest education distinctions in the country, recognizes the school’s excellence.
OLV welcomes students and families of all religious backgrounds who are looking for a top-notch education that will enable them to become well-rounded, intelligent adults who live out the gospel ideals of Jesus Christ and are people of faith, honesty, and responsibility.
OLV alumni are well-prepared for high school because they have learned to value their education both as a gift and as a responsibility to use it to improve the environment in which they live.
#6. Capitol School
The Capitol School, a Multiple Intelligence School established in 1993, aims to cultivate obedient global citizens.
The school’s faculties create learning opportunities for its students that emphasize the various forms of intelligence: verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, naturalist, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. This is done with consideration for medical research concerning the capacity of the brain and how the mind is organized, as well as the research of Harvard psychologist, Dr. Howard Gardner.
The Capitol School is completely approved by AdvancED and offers programs for kids as young as two months old all the way up to high school graduation with an Advanced Academic Diploma. The Capitol School provides its kids with the best educational procedures, according to a study from this agency.
#7. Columbus Girls Academy (CGA)
Teenage girls who struggle with addictions or life-controlling concerns and exhibit poor judgment in their decisions, grades, and behaviour are admitted to Columbus Girls Academy, a residential institution. The Columbus Girls Academy (CGA) provides a structured, disciplined atmosphere that promotes character formation, spiritual development, and personal accountability. The nonprofit girls’ program aims to foster growth in the four key areas of spiritual, social, academic, and physical well-being.
Counselling is a part of the therapeutic program and boarding school, both one-on-one and in group sessions. As they engage with faculty members, counsellors, and other students, boarding school students face challenges every day in their interpersonal skills and respect for others. It is a setting that strikes a balance between personal accountability and discipline in order to foster a supportive peer culture.
#8. Alabama School of Math & Science
Students can study advanced math and science subjects in high school at the Alabama School of Math & Science, establishing the groundwork for potential success in STEM fields.
Students can choose to stay on or off campus at this hotel in Mobile, Alabama’s historic area.
Dormitories for boys and girls are located in separate residential buildings.
Along with participating in varsity athletics, students can join a variety of groups. Additionally, there are theatres and an art gallery on campus, and students can eat in the cafeteria or coffee shop.
With a strong foundation in a demanding math and science curriculum and a focus on responsible leadership, ASMS will help exceptional students from all over Alabama reach their full potential while meeting the needs of those who lack local access to demanding educational opportunities and meeting the needs of the economically disadvantaged.
#9. Alabama School of Fine Arts
A co-educational public school serving grades 7 through 12 is the Alabama School of Fine Arts which is situated in Birmingham, Alabama. Based on an applicant’s application, exam results, auditions, and interviews, students are admitted.
There are many applicants and only 35% gain admission.
Residents of Alabama are not required to pay tuition at the 1968-founded Alabama School of Fine Arts. For students who live too far away to commute each day, the school maintains a dorm in the heart of Birmingham’s arts district. Six degrees are available at the institution, including creative writing, dance, visual arts, theatre, music, and math and science.
The school has limited extracurricular activities, no sports teams, and a prolonged academic day with intensive classes. 94% of graduating seniors enrolled in four-year colleges during the most recent three years of data.
#10. Lyman Ward Military Academy, Alabama
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Alabama Independent School Association both accredit Lyman Ward Army Academy (LWMA), a boys’ college-preparatory school (AISA).
However, it provides small classes with a traditional teaching approach for kids in grades 6 through 12. The typical class size of 10 cadets fosters a very high level of contact between professors and students.
More specifically, by serving as mentors and counsellors to cadets, teachers and staff strive to bring out the best in each person. In order to prepare the cadets for college and adult life, they are dedicated to assisting the cadets in developing their knowledge, abilities, and talents.
Additionally, this university accepts annual tuition of $20,895.
What Are The Military Boarding Schools in Alabama?
The majority of students in Alabama’s military boarding schools are in grades 9 through 12, or between the ages of 15 and 17.
Additionally, younger children may be admitted to some military schools if they meet certain requirements for age and grade level, but they are not compelled to attend boarding school because they are still too young and need their parents’ care.
As a result, they would have to spend the day at a military school. They consist of:
- Marion Military Institute
- Lyman Ward Military Academy
What Are The Christian Boarding Schools in Alabama?
Are you looking for a Christian boarding school in Alabama? Is your child picking up too much speed?
The Christain boarding schools below could give your children the best education possible while also helping them with their schoolwork.
- Southern Preparatory Academy
- Southern Christian Preparatory Academy
- Columbus Girls Academy
Read Also: 15 Best Boarding Schools in Oregon | Cost
What Are The Therapeutic Boarding Schools in Alabama for Troubled Youths?
Teens’ problematic behaviour might involve a number of issues. Disobedience, poor academic performance or truancy, depression, alcohol or drug misuse, and even engaging in unlawful activities are typical symptoms of a disturbed youngster.
Some kids require a higher level of professional counselling than what is available nearby.
As a result, such a teen can gain from attending an Alabama boarding school for disturbed youth in numerous ways. They include:
- Columbus Girls Academy (CGA)
- Our Lady of the Valley Catholic School (OLV)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there are boarding schools in Alabama. Alabama is home to a number of residential schools that offer top-notch education.
8-13 years is the best age to go to boarding schools.
Military schools in Alabama cost as much as $6,000 for Alabama residents and $12,000 for non-residents.
Conclusion
Regardless of the fact that Alabama only has a small number of boarding schools, those that are there are of the best quality and are competitive with any other boarding school in other states.
Finally, this list of boarding schools in Alabama can assist you in selecting the best boarding school for your child if you reside in Alabama or are considering sending your child to the State for education.
References
- Boardingschools.us – Best boarding schools in Alabama
- Niche.com – Best boarding schools in Alabama
- Militaryacademics.org– Best military boarding schools in Alabama
- Therapeuticboardingschools.org – Best therapeutic boarding schools in Alabama