United Kingdom · Rugby, Warwickshire · Founded 1567
Rugby School
The birthplace of rugby football, Thomas Arnold's reforms and a whole-person education that still sets the tone.
The character
Rugby is a serious, kind, co-educational boarding school with a strong sense of history and no pretension. The pitches are hallowed, the chapel is beautiful, the science and the drama are strong and the pupils are down to earth. Families who find Eton and Harrow too grand often choose Rugby.
Good for
Sporty children, co-education, families who want tradition without glamour
Less suited to
Children who want a city, families seeking the most academic school
Getting in
Register two years ahead, pre-test in Year 6 or Year 7, Common Entrance at 13; a well-established sixth-form entry.
What it costs in total
At about £ 55,000 a year for boarding (£ 34,000 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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