United Kingdom · Harrow on the Hill, London · Founded 1572
Harrow School
Churchill, the straw hat, Harrow football and a full-boarding house system that generates famously loyal alumni.
The character
Harrow is Eton's smaller, warmer rival: full boarding for every boy, houses that feel like clubs, songs sung in the Speech Room and a location that makes London's theatres and museums a school outing. Academic standards have risen sharply and the school is now a serious contender for Oxbridge and the American Ivies.
Good for
Sociable boys, sport, families who want London within reach
Less suited to
Boys who dislike traditions, families who want a modern campus
Getting in
Register by Year 5, pre-test in Year 6, interview and reports, Common Entrance at 13. A small sixth-form entry.
What it costs in total
At about £ 62,000 a year for boarding, the 5 years from 13 to 18 add up to roughly €409,000 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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