United Kingdom · Godalming, Surrey · Founded 1611
Charterhouse
Full co-education since 2023, a choice of IB and A-levels, and the Surrey hills within an hour of London.
The character
Charterhouse is a big, handsome, well-run school that has modernised without losing its identity: girls now join at 13, the sixth form offers the IB alongside A-levels and the arts and sport are strong. It is less intense than Winchester and less grand than Eton, which many families consider its chief attraction.
Good for
Families who want London proximity and country air, the IB, all-round children
Less suited to
Children who want a very small school
Getting in
Register by Year 6, pre-test and interview, entry at 13; the sixth form takes a sizeable entry at 16.
What it costs in total
At about £ 55,000 a year for boarding (£ 45,000 for day pupils), the 5 years from 13 to 18 add up to roughly €364,000 in today’s money including typical extras, before fee increases, tutoring and flights. The Education Cost Calculator adds inflation, extras and a second child.
Fees are rounded 2025/26 figures from the school’s own schedule and change every year. The school’s current fee sheet prevails. The picture is an impression of the setting, not a photograph of the campus.
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