It was founded by Paul-Émile Carnal in the 18thcentury. It is one of the oldest boarding schools in Switzerland. Le Rosey is the world's most expensive boarding school. Yearly fees range from a minimum of 12.5 million to Sh 15 million depending on the class.
To sustain an international atmosphere at Le Rosey, there exists a quota where no more than 10% of the students may come from a single country. The student body, ages 7 through 18, is composed of pupils from approximately 58 different countries, with 60% of the students being European.