Best Schools in Varanasi
Varanasi is famed for its spiritual aura and classical learning—and it’s also an education hub with schools that match national standards. Whether you’re local or relocating to the holy city, this guide brings together the 10 best schools in Varanasi, with affiliations, facilities, fee ranges, and admission info—everything in one place.
List of Top 10 Schools in Varanasi
- Sunbeam English School, Varanasi
- Central Hindu Boys School, Varanasi
- St. John’s School, Varanasi
- St. Joseph’s Convent School, Varanasi
- Kendriya Vidyalaya, BHU Varanasi
- Army Public School, Varanasi
- Rajghat Besant School, Varanasi
- International Hindu School, Varanasi
- Delhi Public School, Varanasi
- Sant Atulanand Residential Academy, Varanasi
List of Top 10 Best Schools in Varanasi
1. Sunbeam English School, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | CBSE |
| Establishment | 1972 |
| Type of School | Co-educational, Day-cum-Boarding |
| Location | 206 BHAGWANPUR LANKA UTTAR PRADESH, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
| Facilities |
|
| Grades Offered | Nursery to XII |
| Student Strength | ≈ 3,500 |
| Website | https://sunbeamschools.com/ |
| Telephone | ( +91 ) 9721452100 |
| bhagwanpur@sunbeamschools.com | |
| Admission Link | https://sunbeamschools.com/Admission/admission_assistance |
| Fee Structure | CBSE Board Fee Structure – Day School
|
Flagship Sunbeam campus blending CBSE academics with Olympiads, exchange programmes, robotics, western music and MUN.
2. Central Hindu Boys School, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education), Affiliation No. 2130037 |
| Establishment | 7th July 1898 |
| Type of School | Senior Secondary, Boys’ school (Day & Hostel), Independent, part of Banaras Hindu University |
| Location | Kamachha, Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh-221010 |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered |
|
| Student Strength | Class 9: 100 seats, Class 11: 38 seats (Maths, +50 external), 25 (Biology), 12 (Arts), 12 (Commerce) |
| Website | www.chbsbhu.in |
| Telephone | 05422450549, 05422450541 |
| info@chbsbhu.in, chbskbhu@gmail.com | |
| Admission Link | www.chbsbhu.in/Procedure.aspx |
| Fee Structure | Link |
Founded by Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya; rigorous academics at accessible fees on the BHU campus.
3. St. John’s School, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), ICSE/ISC, Affiliation Code: UP078 |
| Establishment | 1963 |
| Type of School | Senior Secondary, Co-educational, Day School, Minority Institution (Catholic Diocese of Varanasi) |
| Location | B.L.W. Campus, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Pin: 221004 |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Lower Kindergarten (LKG) to Class XII (ICSE for X; ISC for XII – Science/Commerce/Arts streams) |
| Student Strength | Over 4,700 students (approximate, as per 2018-19 data) |
| Website | www.stjohnsblw.com |
| Telephone | 2270668, 2270681, Mob: 8765917305 (Primary), 8765917306 (Senior) |
| principal@stjohnsblw.com | |
| Admission Link | www.stjohnsblw.com (Admissions info and form available here) |
| Fee Structure | Link |
Disciplined academics with value-based education and consistent 100% CBSE results.
4. St. Joseph’s Convent School, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), ICSE/ISC |
| Establishment | 1982 |
| Type of School | Senior Secondary, Co-Educational, Catholic Minority Institution, Day School |
| Location | Shivpur Road, Raj Rajeshwari Nagar, Shivpur, Varanasi – 221003, Uttar Pradesh |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Nursery to Class XII (ICSE for X & ISC for XII, Science/Commerce/Arts streams) |
| Student Strength | Approx. 375 (recent typical strength; individual average class size ~25) |
| Website | www.sjcsvns.org |
| Telephone |
|
| st_joseph_varanasi@yahoo.co.in | |
| Admission Link | https://www.sjcsvns.org/extra.php |
| Fee Structure | Not published on website; typically available at school office during admissions (ICSE/ISC fees, varies by grade) |
Strong teacher–student ratio, robust counselling, and excellent ICSE/ISC outcomes.
5. Kendriya Vidyalaya, BHU Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Affiliation No.: 2100031 |
| Establishment | 1965 |
| Type of School | Senior Secondary, Co-educational, Day School, Government (Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Ministry of Education) |
| Location | Kendriya Vidyalaya, BHU Campus, Near Post Office, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221005 |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Class I to XII (Science, Commerce, and Humanities at Senior Secondary level) |
| Student Strength | 1071 boys, 849 girls (as per latest public data) |
| Website | https://bhuvaranasi.kvs.ac.in |
| Telephone | 0542-2985804 (Office) |
| kvbhuvaranasi@gmail.com | |
| Admission Link | https://bhuvaranasi.kvs.ac.in/en/admission-guidelines/ |
| Fee Structure | Follows standard Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan fee structure. For 2025: Approx. ₹500-₹1500/month (grade/stream dependent); details on the website. |
Low fees, transfers-friendly admissions, and strong Olympiad/sports exposure.
6. Army Public School, Varanasi Cantt
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Affiliation No.: 2180031 |
| Establishment | 2001 |
| Type of School | Senior Secondary, Co-educational, English Medium, Day School, Private (Managed by Army Welfare Education Society – AWES) |
| Location | 39 Gorkha Training Centre, Varanasi Cantt, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221002 |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Classes I to XII (Streams: Science, Commerce, Humanities at Sr. Secondary) |
| Student Strength | 2400+ students |
| Website | https://www.apsvaranasi.org/ |
| Telephone | +91-542-2502514, 2502521, 2509996 |
| apsvaranasi@gmail.com | |
| Admission Link | https://www.apsvaranasi.org/admission.php (or via school office/website) |
| Fee Structure | Fee varies by grade (approx. ₹24,000–₹38,000/year for 2024-2025; check at the school office or website for detailed breakup) |
AWES-administered; emphasises discipline, leadership and STEM projects.
7. Rajghat Besant School, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Affiliation No: 2130016 |
| Establishment | 1934 (founded by Jiddu Krishnamurti under Krishnamurti Foundation India) |
| Type of School | Co-educational, Residential and Day School, Independent, English Medium |
| Location | Rajghat Fort, Near Malviya Bridge, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221001 |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Classes 3 to 12, with streams in Science (PCM, PCB), Commerce, and Arts |
| Student Strength | Approximately 250 students, with class size under 25 and student-teacher ratio of about 1:5 |
| Website | www.rajghatbesantschool.org |
| Telephone | +91 63889 04410 (available during working hours), Landline general: 0542-2440336 |
| office@rajghatbesantschool.org | |
| Admission Link | www.rajghatbesantschool.org/school/admissions (Admission involves written tests and interviews typically held in November) |
| Fee Structure | CBSE Board Fee Structure – Day School
|
8. International Hindu School, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Affiliation No: 2130474 |
| Establishment | 1996 (Founded by Dr. Suman Kumar Mishr) |
| Type of School | Co-educational, Day School, English Medium, Senior Secondary, Independent |
| Location | Shivpuri Colony Road Nagwa Chungi Lanka, Nagwa, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Nursery to Class XII (Science, Commerce, Arts, Agriculture streams at Senior Secondary) |
| Student Strength | 383 students total (Class I-V: 89, VI-VIII: 96, IX-X: 75, XI-XII: 123) |
| Website | www.ihsvaranasi.com, www.ihsvaranasi.in |
| Telephone | 0542-2366743, Mobile: 8756655982 |
| internationalhinduschool@rediffmail.com, principal.ihsvaranasi@rediffmail.com | |
| Admission Link | www.ihsvaranasi.com/admission-procedure/ |
| Fee Structure | Link |
Smaller ratios than the Lahartara flagship; ideal for personal attention with Sunbeam pedagogy.
9. Delhi Public School (DPS) Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Affiliation No: 2130637 |
| Establishment | 2003 (First academic session commenced on April 7, 2003) |
| Type of School | Private, Co-educational, Day School, English Medium, Senior Secondary |
| Location | Village Vishokhar, Near Amra Chauraha, Mohansarai Bypass Road, NH-2, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221011 |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Nursery to Class XII (Science, Commerce, Arts streams at Senior Secondary level) |
| Student Strength | Class X: 303 students (2024-25), Class XII: 252 students (2024-25), Total staff: 109 teachers |
| Website | www.dpsvaranasi.com |
| Telephone | 7311180095, 7703000070/71, City Phone: 7311180095 |
| info@dpsvaranasi.com, dpsvns@gmail.com | |
| Admission Link | https://www.dpsvaranasi.com/admissions/overview |
| Fee Structure | CBSE Board Fee Structure
|
Global partnerships, language immersion trips, and strong CBSE sports nationals record.
10. Sant Atulanand Residential Academy, Varanasi
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Affiliation No: 2130841 |
| Establishment | 2001 (Founded by Dr. Raj Singh) |
| Type of School | Co-educational, Day cum Residential School, Private, English Medium |
| Location | VILL HOLAPUR PERMANANDPUR PARGANA , Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh |
| Facilities |
|
| Grade Offered | Classes I to XII (Science, Commerce, Arts streams at Senior Secondary) |
| Student Strength | Student-teacher ratio 30:1 |
| Website | www.saravns.ac.in |
| Telephone | 7521826111, 7497901616 |
| atulanandacademy@gmail.com, principal@saravns.ac.in, viceprincipal@saravns.ac.in, hr@saravns.ac.in | |
| Admission Link | https://saravns.ac.in/contact-us.php (Admissions start in December, entrance test required) |
| Fee Structure | CBSE Board Fee Structure – Day School
|
FAQs – Best Schools in Varanasi
Q1. Which board is better in Varanasi – CBSE or ICSE/ISC?
Both have excellent options. CBSE (Sunbeam, DPS, KV, APS) is popular for national entrance prep; ICSE/ISC (St. Joseph’s, Rajghat Besant) focuses on depth in languages and sciences.
Q2. What is the average annual fee for good schools in Varanasi?
Day schools: ₹35,000 – ₹90,000. Residential schools (Rajghat Besant, SARA): ₹1.5 – ₹3 lakh including boarding & lodging.
Q3. When do admissions open?
Most CBSE/ICSE schools open forms October–January for the session beginning April. Kendriya Vidyalayas follow the KVS calendar (Feb–Mar).
Q4. Do Varanasi schools offer transport from nearby towns?
Yes—Sunbeam, DPS, St. John’s and SARA operate GPS-enabled buses covering suburbs like Mughalsarai, Babatpur, Chunar (typically within 35–40 km).
Last Updated on September 30, 2025
