What is the Difference between Private Schools and Independent Schools?

Private and independent schools closely resemble each other in terms of structure, but there are small distinctions that set them apart from each other. To avoid confusion, let us define both, pinpointing the unique aspects of their structures.

Best Boarding School
3 min readMay 29, 2014

Private schools, mainly rely on tuition payments as well as on funds coming from nonpublic sources like endowments, religious organizations, and charitable donations. These institutions select their students from a pool of applicants who appeal and request for admission. These schools may either be single sex or co-educational. Like independent or non state schools, they are not administered by state, local, or national governments, thus, retaining their right to select their own students.

Independent schools, on the other hand, are private, non-profit schools that are governed by organized boards of trustees. These schools draw their funds the same way as private schools—through tuition payments, endowments, and charitable contributions—but not from church funds or taxes. They may be affiliated with religious institutions, but they cannot receive governance or funds from them. Administration of independent schools is often based on election and a system of government that maintains independent operation. While independent schools may receive funds from the government, the administration must always be independent.

Both of these definitions apply to institutions offering primary, secondary, and tertiary level of education. When selecting the most suitable school for your child, it is important to weigh specific qualities of each candidate institution you have in mind. Online resources are available to make the job much easier for parents and students who want to find the best fit.

Other types of institutions you may consider include parochial or church-affiliated schools, which are mostly owned and operated by Catholic dioceses and parishes as well as Protestant and other denominations. In the US, a majority of the private schools is also parochial schools, where the academic curriculum is supplemented by religious instruction. Proprietary schools, on the other hand, are private schools that operate for profit. This is a relatively new brand of educational institution that does not answer to any elected officials or board of trustees, giving them the ability to respond to market demands quickly. Most proprietary schools in the US belong to an organization known as the National Independent Private Schools Association, and tuition is comparable to nonprofit and private schools. Browse the net to find more details on private boarding schools and independent schools.

About the author:

This article is written by Margaret Kos, CEO of Best Boarding Schools Worldwide. Best Boarding Schools is a full-service educational service provider. They are guiding students and their families as they seek educational consulting advice to search for best international boarding schools. They contact the families with guardians all over the world. They also offer finding the right tutoring services during the private boarding school placement and college admissions process.

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