This guide is for international families considering King’s-Edgehill School（国王艾吉尔中学）, an independent boarding school in Windsor, Nova Scotia, which describes itself as Canada’s first independent school, founded in 1788, and one of the country’s earliest International Baccalaureate (IB) schools. Everything below comes from the school’s official website — admissions, tuition, IB, English Language Learning, campus life and health services pages — and the official 2026-2027 Financial and General Information booklet (February 2026 update), as seen on 5 August 2026. The school’s own claims are used only to describe the school itself, not as rankings or comparisons.
King’s-Edgehill School at a glance
King’s-Edgehill Schooloccupies a 92-acre campus at 33 King’s-Edgehill Lane, Windsor, Nova Scotia, with 19 buildings, four playing fields, tennis courts, a double gymnasium, a swimming pool and a fitness centre; the website says the campus is about 45 minutes from Halifax and its international airport. The school describes an 8:1 student-teacher ratio with an average class size of 13, notes that over 50% of faculty and staff live on campus, and describes a student body of roughly 350 university-bound students from Nova Scotia, across Canada and around the world. It is accredited by the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS).
Two policies matter most for international families. First, the IB positioning: the school says it was among the first in Canada to offer the IB (the site cites both 1979 and 1980 as the starting point on different pages). Second, housing: the school does not offer homestay placements. Day-student status requires living locally with a legal parent, and both parent and student must hold Canadian citizenship — which in practice makes boarding the realistic option for international students.
Programs: Junior School, Senior School and the IB
King’s-Edgehill Schooldivides its curriculum into a Junior School for Grades 6-9 and a Senior School for Grades 10-12. The Junior School is built on four pillars — academics, athletics, fine arts and leadership — with small classes, a Grade 9 curriculum that includes the Duke of Edinburgh’s Young Canadian Challenge outdoor program, and after-school clubs ranging from photography and robotics to debating and an international language club. The Senior School offers honours courses by subject domain, described as “setting” rather than “streaming”: placement depends on performance and teacher recommendation, and students can move between levels without losing progress. The school advises students aiming at the IB to join honours groups in Grade 10 to maximise IB preparation time.
The IB has two entry modes: the full diploma program or individual certificates. The school notes that IB courses have expanded since 1981, that some past graduates used IB credits toward universities including the University of Strasbourg, Oxford and the University of Paris — its own examples — and that universities vary in how they recognise the diploma, some offering advanced standing (a second-year course) and others advanced credit; families should check the policy of each target university. Nova Scotia graduation requirements and university admission course requirements are available as downloads on the site.
English Language Learning for international students
King’s-Edgehill Schoolruns an English Language Learning (ELL) program for students whose first language is not English. Language development runs through the whole day: dedicated ELL and EAP (English for Academic Purposes) classes, academic subjects, co-curriculars and residential life, with students placed in classes matching their current level and moved into more demanding courses as their skills grow. The international students page adds that ELL faculty support TOEFL preparation. The school does not publish a single minimum IELTS or TOEFL score; placement is by assessment after arrival.
New international students can also join the ELL Summer Camp, which the international students page says begins in mid-August and runs until the start of the academic year, and the ELL page describes as two weeks — daily English classes plus cultural activities, day trips and sports, designed to build confidence before the school year begins. Applicants with any English background questions are encouraged to raise them with the school when applying.
Entry requirements and how to apply
Applications to King’s-Edgehill Schoolfor the 2026-27 school year are open, and the school reviews applications from Canadian and international boarding students on a rolling basis, recommending early application because space in certain grades and programs can fill quickly; no fixed application deadline is published. The process has three steps: submit the online application; have the confidential academic records form completed by the applicant’s current school (principal, head of guidance or teacher) and emailed directly to the admissions office with the academic reports; and contact the admissions department to arrange a campus tour, entrance test and interview. The site also notes that only a limited number of day-student spaces remain for 2025-26.
Financial aid is separate from admission: the FAQ states that admission decisions are based solely on merit without regard to financial need, that awards are reviewed annually against the family’s current financial situation, and that families reapply each year; the financial booklet notes renewal applications are due by April 1.
Costs: 2026-27 tuition, deposits and payment options
The 2026-27 tuition schedule at King’s-Edgehill Schoollists three rates: $26,700 for day students, $55,100 for Canadian boarding students and $79,950 for international boarding students. Day fees include the academic program, school network access, textbooks, recreational facilities, daily lunch and day-to-day health care; boarding fees additionally cover laundry and all on-campus meals.
Fixed charges on top of tuition: an application fee of $100 (Canadian applicants) or $200 (international applicants), non-refundable; and a one-time Legacy Fee — $2,500 for day and Canadian boarding students, $3,000 for international boarding students — which is non-refundable, does not count toward tuition and secures a place for newly accepted students. Three payment options are published. Option 1 (early payment) reduces tuition by $400 (day), $800 (Canadian boarding) or $1,200 (international boarding), with a deposit of $2,000, $4,000 or $10,000 and the balance due April 1. Option 2 (two installments) uses the same deposits, with half the tuition due July 1 and half due December 1 — for international boarding, $34,975 per installment. Option 3 (eight installments) adds an administration charge of 4% per annum ($3,195 for international boarding), with the deposit plus eight payments from July 1 to February 1 of $9,143 per month for international boarding. Deposits and the Legacy Fee are non-refundable and due with the return of the contract. A sibling discount reduces fees by 10% for a second and any additional child attending in the same year, and the mandatory Tuition Reimbursement Insurance Plan (TRIP) applies to new students and to anyone using the two-payment or eight-payment plans.
Campus life, health care and support
Life at King’s-Edgehill Schoolrevolves around the same four pillars as the classroom: the school lists nearly 40 daily sports and wellness options, dedicated studios for music, visual art, drama and dance, the 254 Cadet Corps and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program, plus a chapel, dining hall, school shop and shuttle service covering the Valley area, Chester and the Halifax region. Health care is structured: three registered nurses are on duty Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm with 24-hour call, the infirmary in Richardson Hall has two four-bed wards, the school physician holds a clinic three to four times a week, and Hants Community Hospital is less than five minutes away for emergencies. On university outcomes, the school claims guaranteed acceptance agreements with all 10 Nova Scotia universities, that 100% of its graduates are accepted to university, and that graduating classes have earned more than $1 million in university scholarships for 15 consecutive years; these are the school’s own statements.
Application support and frequently asked questions
The practical rhythm for international families at King’s-Edgehill School: apply early on the rolling cycle, contact the admissions team to arrange the tour, test and interview, and — once accepted — pay the deposit and Legacy Fee with the returned contract to secure the place, then choose a payment option for the tuition. Families can also explore financial aid, which the school says exceeds $2 million per year and reaches about one in three students.
Q: What kind of school is King’s-Edgehill School? A: The school describes itself as Canada’s first independent school, founded in 1788, a CAIS-accredited boarding school offering the IB program.
Q: What English score do international students need? A: The school publishes no single minimum IELTS or TOEFL score; English support is arranged through the ELL program, with placement by assessment, and an ELL Summer Camp runs from mid-August.
Q: How much does a year cost? A: For 2026-27, international boarding tuition is $79,950, plus the $200 application fee, a one-time $3,000 Legacy Fee and a $10,000 deposit, with two-installment or eight-installment payment plans available.
Q: Can international students be day students? A: Day status requires living with a legal parent, with both parent and student holding Canadian citizenship; the school does not offer homestays, so international students typically board.
Q: When should we apply? A: Applications for 2026-27 are open and boarding admissions are rolling; no fixed deadline is published, and the school recommends applying early as grade and program spaces can fill.
All facts in this guide come from the official website of King’s-Edgehill Schooland its 2026-2027 Financial and General Information booklet, accessed 5 August 2026; programs, fees and requirements change with each school year, so the official site is the reference for current information. Every student’s grade, English level and family situation are different, and costs and timing are best worked out case by case — our advisers can help you map your own situation.