Phillips Exeter Academy

Welcome to Phillips Exeter Academy, co-founded by John and Elizabeth Phillips in 1781, who believed every student should have access to the very best education — one that embraces the ideals of both goodness and knowledge.

Now a coeducational residential school with more than 1,000 high school students from the U.S. and 33 foreign countries, Exeter has a centuries-old tradition of academic excellence and a commitment to empowering Exonians to find their place in the world.

We are a community that celebrates curiosity and cultivates potential. With a student-to-teacher ratio of 5:1, more than 450 courses in 18 subject areas, and the opportunity to study on five continents, Exeter provides unparalleled opportunities for discovery and exploration, of both self and subject matter.

Phillips Exeter Academy is located in Exeter, a southern New Hampshire town which retains its 18th-century New England charm. The in-town campus is divided by the three principal streets of the community, with Georgian-style classroom buildings placed prominently at the center. The surrounding dormitories are easily accessible from classrooms and other facilities, including an administrative building, post office, library, art gallery, music center, health center, bookstore, student center, theater, dining halls and athletic facilities.

Phillips Exeter Academy was founded in 1781 by Dr. John Phillips and his wife, Elizabeth, who resided in Exeter. A successful businessman, Phillips felt strongly about what we now call community service, having given much of his time to his church, the town, and to the province. First a teacher by trade, he firmly believed in educating “youth from every quarter.” He was Dartmouth College’s first major benefactor and provided financial support to his nephews’ founding of Phillips Andover, before establishing Phillips Exeter three years later.