A magical school is an institution dedicated to educating young witches and wizards in the use of magic. Due to the International Statute of Secrecy, these schools are typically hidden in remote locations and are protected by numerous charms and enchantments, such as Muggle-Repelling Charms, to keep them concealed from non-magical people. The most famous example of inter-school cooperation is the Triwizard Tournament, a friendly competition between the three largest and most prestigious schools in Europe: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and the Durmstrang Institute. This tournament was revived during the 1994-1995 school year, providing the most detailed look at schools beyond Hogwarts in the original series. While each school teaches a core curriculum of magic, they often have different specialities and philosophies; for instance, Durmstrang was notorious for openly teaching the Dark Arts, a subject forbidden at Hogwarts.
Magical schools, particularly Hogwarts, serve as the primary setting and a central pillar of the wizarding world in the *Harry Potter* series. Hogwarts is not just a place of learning for Harry Potter and his friends; it is their home, a sanctuary, and a crucial battleground in the fight against Lord Voldemort. The story's timeline is structured around the school year, with each book chronicling one year of Harry's education. The introduction of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire significantly expanded the reader's understanding of the international wizarding world, showing that the magical community extended far beyond Great Britain. These institutions highlight cultural differences in magical education and demonstrate the global nature of the wizarding society.
According to J.K. Rowling, there are eleven long-established and prestigious wizarding schools registered with the International Confederation of Wizards worldwide, including the seven listed above. She has stated that there are also smaller, less-regulated magical educational institutions in various countries. (Pottermore) In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the students of Beauxbatons are depicted as being exclusively female, and Durmstrang students as exclusively male. This is a cinematic invention; in the book, both schools are co-educational. For example, the Parvati and Patil twins are asked to the Yule Ball by boys from Beauxbatons. (film)