ACS Cobham exudes the spirit of a true American high school, impressing with its expansive, modern facilities and a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere. Add to that excellent IB results and a wealth of creative opportunities.
Nestled in the lush countryside of Surrey in southern England, ACS International School Cobham sits on a 52-hectare campus, boasting outstanding sports facilities, including an Olympic-standard athletics track and even a 6-hole golf course. More than 70 nationalities enrich the lively boarding community.
Boarders enjoy accommodation equipped with dedicated study areas, cinema rooms, and green outdoor spaces designed to make them feel at home. Bowling trips, pizza nights, theatre productions, the ukulele club, and activities such as softball or the swimming academy ensure a varied and engaging life beyond the classroom. And the heart of London is just a 30-minute train ride away.
Akademis makes history – A Triple Award-Winning Consultancy (2023, 2024 & 2025) 🏆
Akademis has been recognised three years in a row by StudyTravel for excellence in the education sector:
2025 & 2024: Winners of the StudyTravel Secondary School Award (Best Western European Agency)
2023: Winner of the StudyTravel Star Award
(Best Western European Agency)
The StudyTravel Awards are among the most prestigious honours in international education, recognising outstanding quality, client focus and trusted partnerships. Being the first consultancy ever to win for three consecutive years is something we are deeply proud of. For us, these awards highlight our commitment to offering the very best guidance, personal service and long-term support for families embarking on this exciting journey.
Quick Overview
Number of students: 1.300
International students: 140
Average class size: 14
Students in Sixth Form: 315
Boarding fees per term: £ 21,500
The most important sports on offer besides the traditional team sports: swimming, athletics, football, volleyball, golf, dancing, basketball, tennis, rugby
Nearest airports: Gatwick Airport and London Heathrow are only about 30 minutes away by car
Key strengths at a glance
first-class sports facilities and over 80 sports teams
award-winning catering department
plenty of space for creativity in the EJ Poularas Performing Arts Centre
very well-equipped boarding houses
ACS International School Cobham – Photo Highlights
ACS International School Cobham in detail
Sport
The sports facilities at ACS Cobham are among the best of any international school in Europe. The purpose-built competitive sports centre includes a 25-metre pool, arenas for basketball and volleyball, a dance studio, and a fitness suite. ACS Cobham has served as an accredited training venue for the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Led by a team of over 70 expert coaches, students can train at all levels, ensuring both recreational and elite athletes receive excellent support. The varsity teams regularly achieve podium finishes at prestigious competitions, and many graduates go on to earn coveted sports scholarships at US colleges.
Academics
From Lower School to Upper School, ACS Cobham offers dedicated areas for each age group, complete with classrooms, science labs, libraries, IT centres, as well as art and music studios. In this interactive 21st-century learning environment, students earn the qualifications they need to apply to universities in the UK, the US, and around the world. The school offers three academic pathways: the respected IB Diploma, the American High School Diploma, and US College Advanced Placement courses. In 2022, the average IB score was an impressive 36 points — four points above the global average.
Music & Theatre
The performing arts have a special home at ACS Cobham: the EJ Poularas Performing Arts Centre. This purpose-built venue, opened in 2014, houses theatre and music rooms, a music technology suite, practice rooms, two drama studios, performance spaces, and an auditorium seating over 500. Musicians can join numerous ensembles, including the rock band, while those interested in working behind the scenes can join the Technical Theatre Club, which offers access to a full sound and mixing desk. Many students go on to prestigious institutions such as Juilliard and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Boarding
A dedicated team of houseparents with more than 20 years of experience provides careful support to the boarding community. Students benefit from a warm and diverse atmosphere, with each assigned a personal advisor they can turn to at any time. The Independent School Inspectorate rates the boarding provision as excellent. The boarding houses — Woodlands House and Fields House — are located at the heart of campus, offering bright, stylish rooms and inviting communal areas. Boarders can enjoy BBQ areas, cinema rooms, and balconies, as well as study and common spaces with plenty of room to learn, socialise, play billiards or table football, and more.
Photos from our visit
Our Visit
During our visit to ACS International School Cobham, we felt momentarily transported to an American high school — yet this is an American-style school set amidst the beautiful landscape of southern England. On the expansive, modern campus, we discovered the impressive 25-metre swimming pool and vast playing fields, which are sure to delight any young athlete. We can recommend this school with confidence.
ACS International School Cobham
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Conclusion ACS International School Cobham
With the feel of an American high school, ACS International School Cobham offers an impressively modern campus, strong IB results, welcoming boarding accommodation, and outstanding sports and extracurricular opportunities.
That said, ACS Cobham is by no means the only boarding school in the UK to offer excellent sporting, creative, and academic options. We strongly recommend that you seek personalised advice to ensure the right fit for your child’s unique needs and aspirations. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch — with our years of experience and close connections to these schools, we can offer authentic, nuanced guidance.
We are confident that, together, we will find the perfect school for your child.
You’ll find an overview on our Boarding Schools in England page.
Take advantage of:
- our personal impressions from our on-site visit
- our expertise in American academic programmes
- exclusive photos from our tour of the school
- our support throughout the admissions process
What Makes Akademis Stand Out?
- We remain your trusted contact throughout your child’s stay, well beyond the placement process.
- We provide support with guardianship, visa applications and recognition of qualifications within the German school system.
- We offer fully tailored advice. Our school recommendations are unique to each child and can run to 40 pages in length.
- Families receive our 30+ page boarding school guide, packed with practical tips and insights.
- We prepare your child thoroughly for entrance exams and interviews to maximise their chances of success.
- We arrange school visits, ensuring you have the opportunity to experience each school first-hand.
Every boarding school has its own character and ethos. Having personally visited more than 100 schools, we understand these nuances. We also work with schools that do not pay commission, ensuring that our advice remains independent and always in the best interest of your child.
Our roots lie in the UK. For years, we have placed 200–300 families annually into British boarding schools. While our portfolio now includes schools beyond Britain, the UK remains at the heart of what we do.
Our tailored approach results in exceptional acceptance rates. For example, in 2022/23, all seven students we placed at the highly selective Malvern College received offers – a 100% success rate.
We arrange for prospective families to speak with our current students to hear first-hand accounts of life at a UK boarding school.
