As reported by Bloomberg’s Erin Hudson, the iconic British boarding school Harrow is opening a $75,000-a-year co-ed campus on Long Island this fall. Harrow International School New York will serve grades 6–12, offering both day and boarding options, and awarding the International Baccalaureate diploma. Students will wear British-inspired uniforms—with the school’s famous straw hats saved for special occasions.
Backed by India’s Amity Education Group, the school occupies a renovated 170-acre estate in Oakdale and aims to enroll 80 students in its first year. But launching late in the admissions cycle—and without authorization to enroll international students until winter 2026—presents challenges in an already saturated market.
I said:
“Plenty of international schools in New York City have opened and closed over the last 25 years. However, legacy counts, and established schools like Harrow are reassuring.”
Still, brand recognition may not be enough to compete with longtime local favorites.
I said:
“British posh isn’t necessarily a 21st-century New Yorker’s cup of tea. A lot of people are interested in established American brands—like Dalton, Trinity, Brearley, Collegiate—that they feel are fully part of the landscape they’re used to.”