While the Harry Potter books and movies are mostly set at Hogwarts in Great Britain, it isn’t the only Wizarding School. For instance, the first mention of other Wizarding Schools came with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where Harry finds himself participating in the Triwizard Tournament alongside representatives from France’s Beauxbatons Academy and Eastern Europe’s Durmstrang Institute.
Then in the Fantastic Beasts films, America was revealed to have its own Wizarding School called Ilvermorny. Additionally, J. K. Rowling announced that there are 11 Wizarding Schools in the entire world. Of course, not all of them are the best.
Best - Mahoutokoro School of Magic
Despite having the “Smallest student body of the eleven great wizarding schools” in the Harry Potter world as Pottermore states, Japan’s Mahoutokoro School does make up for it by having some really amazing features that are up there with the best. For instance, students get to fly on the backs of giant birds (specifically Storm Petrels) to the school itself which resides on a volcanic island as well as receive enchanted robes that change size and color overtime.
Additionally, the school’s Quidditch players are said to be incredibly good which carries over into the national team known as the Toyohashi Tengu. The main reason for this is the intense training that involves flying over stormy seas.
Worst - Bothwell School of Witchcraft
Though this school is technically not part of the Harry Potter world, it does bear mentioning among the worst due to how much it derives from Harry Potter. Located at the real-life Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England, Bothwell is an annual live-action roleplaying experience where one can go to a fictional magic school as a student and attend magic-related classes while solving mysteries on the side.
Sound familiar? While it’s not officially related to Harry Potter nor uses actual names and lore from the franchise, the similarities pile on as one not only receives a letter once accepted by the school but also students get sorted into one of four Houses represented by different colors and animals. Students even receive robes and neckties with the latter relating to the colors of their designated House.
Best - Uagadou School of Magic
Pronounced ‘Wag-a-doo,’ this Wizarding School located in Uganda within the African continent is considered to be “The largest of all wizarding schools” in the Harry Potter world according to Pottermore making it arguably one of the best. Instead of getting a letter via owl, future Uagadou students receive inscribed stones from Dream Messengers (though what they look like is unknown) sent by the Headmaster/Headmistress which sounds incredibly convenient.
Then while Uagadou students do use wands, Pottermore claims most spells are cast using hand gestures or finger pointing which makes getting out of an International Statute of Secrecy violation easier (which is the law that keeps the presence of the Wizarding World hidden from Muggles). Among the subjects that are specialized in Uagadou include useful ones like Self-Transfiguration Alchemy and Astronomy.
Worst - Castelobruxo
Now this Wizarding School in the Harry Potter world isn’t bad for the things it offers, including exchange programs for European students as well as specialization in subjects like Magizoology and Herbology, but it’s arguably among the worst in terms of its environment. Appearing as an ancient ruin to Muggles, Castelobruxo (which is pronounced as ‘Cass - tell - o - broo - shoo’) resides within a Brazilian rainforest and is protected by mischievous creatures called Caipora that are said to resemble small dark-skinned humans with red hair though their description varies mythology-wise.
Aside from the recent fire that’s been affecting Brazil’s rainforests as of late, which would certainly pose an environmental hazard if this school existed to this day, rainforests are generally humid hot and full of poisonous creatures that are even parasitic in some cases. Now Pottermore says the students at Castelobruxo wear “Bright green robes” that wouldn’t feel great in contrast to the heat and humidity, plus one wouldn’t be able to go anywhere outside of the school without considering the natural dangers of the rainforest both big and small.
Best - Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Much like Hogwarts, Ilvermorny is known for being more democratic than most Wizarding Schools within the Harry Potter world in terms of admitting students of Muggle-Born and Pure-Blooded heritage. Though the school’s early history was plagued with tragedy, it grew in popularity during the early Twentieth Century particularly in the 1920s when the first Fantastic Beasts movie takes place making it one of the best.
While new students are sorted into different Houses, they are also given their first wands at the school as well. The reason for this is that until 1965 “No child was allowed a wand until they arrived at Ilvermorny” as stated by Pottermore. The school even teaches unique subjects, including Xylomancy (a type of Divination that uses twigs).
Worst - Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts
Given the wide variety of topics and career options that are present in most Wizarding Schools in the Harry Potter world, who would go to one that offers a singular topic and career path? Well, apparently some as there is a Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts available in Great Britain.
As the name implies, it’s a school where wizards and witches can study theatre or performance arts in general for a career in it. While magic and theatrics certainly can go in hand, given the history of stage magicians and illusionists, it seems like a limitation of one’s magical abilities. For this reason, it is arguably one of the worst schools to go to for general education.
Best - Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
Compared to the other Wizarding Schools discussed so far, this one gets top marks for being one of the prettiest schools in the Harry Potter world. Situated in the Pyrenees Mountains along the border between France and Spain, Beauxbatons (pronounced ‘Bo - batton’) is described by Pottermore as being “A chateau surrounded by formal gardens and lawns created out of the mountainous landscape by magic”.
It is even said to have a beautiful fountain with water that has magical properties in healing and beauty, named after the famous alchemist Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle. With famous alumni like that, it’s certainly one of the best Wizarding Schools there is.
Worst - Koldovstoretz
Though not much is known about this school situated somewhere in Russia, Koldovstoretz does offer a more extreme version of Quidditch where the participants “Fly on entire, uprooted trees instead of broomsticks” according to Harry Potter Wiki. Despite sounding more cool, it doesn’t seem very comfortable from a practical perspective.
Another factor to consider is the environment, which would be far from pleasant given how cold it typically gets in Russia. So it doesn’t sound like an interesting school to go to, unless one enjoys living in extreme environments and being tough for the sake of it, which would put Koldovstoretz as one of the worst schools to attend in the Harry Potter world.
Best - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Despite all the times this school has been proven to be unsafe for kids, from having trapdoors guarded by three-headed dogs to chambers with giant snakes in them, it is the most widely recognized school in the Harry Potter world and therefore the best. Located in Scotland, the environment is lush and green while being consistently cold though not uncomfortably so.
Plus, it’s got a rich history with so many parts that are unexplored. Then there are the ghosts, whose presence certainly makes things more interesting on a daily basis, and the most likable teachers that are present at Hogwarts where there’s always something exciting to witness.
Worst - Durmstrang Institute
In spite of being one of the three largest schools on the European continent, with Hogwarts and Beauxbatons being the other two as claimed by Harry Potter Wiki, Durmstrang has a dark legacy that arguably makes it the worst in the Harry Potter world. Pronounced as ‘Doorm - strang’ despite what the spelling implies, this Eastern European school is so secretive that no one actually knows where it is.
This is largely due to the fact that those who visit Durmstrang “Must comply with memory charms to erase their knowledge of how they got there” Pottermore says. Durmstrang is also known for not admitting Muggle-Borns and having Dark Arts taught as a subject-matter, which ties into its history of being run by notorious wizards including a former Death Eater and having former students like Gellert Grindelwald.