# List of the oldest schools in Sri Lanka

The following is a list of the oldest schools in Sri Lanka that are still functioning.
| Current name | Foundation name | Foundation date | Founders | Province | District | Education zone | Location | Current type | $^{Refs.}$ |
| Richmond College, Galle | The Galle High School | 25 July 1814 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Southern | Galle | Galle | Galle | National | |
| Methodist Central College | | 29 July 1814 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Eastern | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Provincial | |
| Newstead Girls College | Wesley Girl's High School | 31 July 1816 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Western | Gampaha | Negombo | Negombo | National | |
| Union College, Tellippalai | Common Free School | 9 December 1816 | American Ceylon Mission | Northern | Jaffna | Valikamam | Tellippalai | Provincial | |
| Weera Puran Appu Model School - Moratuwa | Wesleyan Missionary School - Idama, then Suduwella Methodist College | 10 June 1817 | Methodist Council of England | Western | Colombo | Piliyandala | Moratuwa | Model school | |
| Jaffna Central College | Jaffna Wesleyan English School | 1817 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission, North Ceylon | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | National | |
| Christ Church Boys' School | Baddegama Seminary | March 1819 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Southern | Galle | Baddegama | Baddegama | National | |
| Methodist Girls' College, Trincomalee | | 1819 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Eastern | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | Provincial | |
| Vincent Girls' High School | | 1820 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Eastern | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | National | |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Maha Vidyalaya | Cotta Institute | 1822 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Western | Colombo | Sri Jayawardenepura | Sri Jayawardenapura | | |
| St. John's College, Jaffna | Nallur English Seminary | March 1823 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | Private | |
| Methodist Girls' High School, Point Pedro | Wesleyan Mission Central School | 1823 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission, North Ceylon | Northern | Jaffna | Vadamarachchi | Point Pedro | Provincial | |
| Vigneshwara Maha Vidyalaya | | 1823 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Eastern | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | | |
| Uduvil Girls' College | Missionary Seminary and Female Central School | 1824 | American Ceylon Mission | Northern | Jaffna | Valikamam | Uduvil | Private | |
| Vembadi Girls' High School | | 1834 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission, North Ceylon | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | National | |
| Royal College, Colombo | Hill Street Academy | 1835 | | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | National | |
| Manipay Memorial English School | | 1836 | American Ceylon Mission | Northern | Jaffna | Valikamam | Manipay | Provincial | |
| Hartley College | Wesleyan Mission Central School | 1838 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission, North Ceylon | Northern | Jaffna | Vadamarachchi | Point Pedro | Provincial (APS) | |
| St. Thomas' College, Matara | | 10 March 1844 | Christian Missionary Society of England | Southern | Matara | Matara | Matara | National | |
| Holy Family Convent, Jaffna | | 1845 | | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | Provincial | |
| St. Matthew's College, Colombo | St. Matthews College, Colombo 09/ Christian College Dematagoda | 1847 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Provincial | |
| Kopay Christian College | | 1850 | | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Kopay | Provincial | |
| St. Patrick's College, Jaffna | Jaffna Catholic English School | 1850 | Roman Catholic Church | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | Private | |
| S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia | College of St. Thomas the Apostle | 3 February 1851 | Church of Ceylon | Western | Colombo | | Mount Lavinia | Private | |
| Udupiddy American Mission College | | 4 January 1852 | American Ceylon Mission | Northern | Jaffna | Vadamarachchi | Udupiddy | Provincial | |
| St. Anthony's College, Kandy | | 1854 | Roman Catholic Church | Central | Kandy | Kandy | Kandy | Private | |
| St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa | | 1854 | Roman Catholic Church | Western | Colombo | | Moratuwa | Private | |
| St. Xavier's College, Nuwara Eliya | | 1859 | Roman Catholic Church | Central | Nuwara Eliya | | | | |
| St. Mary's College, Trincomalee | | 1864 | | Eastern | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | National | |
| St. Benedict's College, Colombo | | 1865 | Benedictine monks | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| Methodist College, Colombo | Kollupitiya Girls' English School | 7 November 1866 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| St. Mary's College, Kegalle | | 1 March 1867 | Rev. Fr. Domenico Pingulani | Sabaragamuwa | Kegalle | Kegalle | Kegalle | National | |
| Uva College, Badulla | | 1867 | Diocesan mission of Ceylon | Uva | Badulla | Badulla | Badulla | National | |
| St. Joseph's College, Trincomalee | | 27 July 1867 | Oblates of Mary Immaculate | Eastern | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | National | |
| All Saints College, Galle | | 1867 | Anglicans | Southern | Galle | | Galle | | |
| Jaffna College | | 1871 | American Ceylon Mission | Northern | Jaffna | Valikamam | Vaddukoddai | Private | |
| St. Anne's College, Kurunegala | | 1867 | Roman Catholic church | North Western | Kurunegala | Kurunegala | Kurunegala | | |
| Good Shepherd Convent, Colombo | | 1 May 1869 | Good Shepherd Order | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| Sri Dhammasara Piyaratana Maha Vidyalaya,Dodanduwa | Jinalabdhi Vishodaka | 1869 | Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero | Southern | Galle | Ambalangoda | Dodanduwa | Provincial | |
| Rippon College | Whitfield Road Girls' School | 1871 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Southern | Galle | Galle | Galle | National | |
| St. Mary's College, Negombo | | 1871 | Roman Catholic Church | Western | Gampaha | Negombo | Negombo | | |
| Trinity College, Kandy | Kandy Collegiate School | 17 January 1872 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Central | Kandy | Kandy | Kandy | Private | |
| St. Anthony's College, Kayts | | 1872 | | Northern | Jaffna | Islands | Kayts | Provincial | |
| St. Michael's College National School | St. Mary's English School | 1873 | Roman Catholic Church | Eastern | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | National | |
| St. Thomas' College, Matale | | 1873 | | Central | Matale | Matale | Matale | National | |
| Wesley College, Colombo | | 2 March 1874 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| Bishop's College, Colombo | | February 1875 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| Drieberg College | Drieberg English School | 1875 | American Ceylon Mission | Northern | Jaffna | Thenmarachchi | Chavakachcheri | Provincial | |
| Methodist Central College, Hakmana | | 1875 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Southern | Matara | Mulatiyana | Hakmana | Provincial | |
| Prince of Wales' College, Moratuwa | | 14 September 1876 | | Western | Colombo | Piliyandala | Moratuwa | National | |
| St. John's College, Panadura | | 1876 | | Western | Kalutara | | Panadura | | |
| Victoria College, Chulipuram | Chulipuram Hindu English School | 1876 | | Northern | Jaffna | Valikamam | Chulipuram | Provincial | |
| Don Pedrick Maha Vidyalaya, Horana | Horana Maha Vidyalaya | 1878 | | Western | Kalutara | Horana | Horana | | |
| Girls' High School, Kandy | | May 1879 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Central | Kandy | Kandy | Kandy | National | |
| Hameed Al Husseinie College | First Muslim Boys' School in Sri Lanka | 15 November 1884 | Sri Lanka Muslim Society | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | National | |
| Kiriella Central College | | 1885 | | Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | Ratnapura | Kiriella | National | |
| Southlands College, Galle | Girls' High School | 1885 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Southern | Galle | Galle | Galle | National | |
| St. Andrew's National College | | 1885 | | North Western | Puttalam | Puttalam | Puttalam | National | |
| Our Lady of Victories Convent Moratuwa | Our Lady of Victories Convent Moratuwa | 9 March 1886 | Roman Catholic Church | Western | Colombo | | Moratuwa | Private |
| Ananda College | English Buddhist School | 1 November 1886 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | National | |
| Dharmaraja College | Kandy Buddhist High School | 30 June 1887 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | Central | Kandy | Kandy | Kandy | National | |
| St. Paul’s Girls School, Milagiriya | Parish School attached to the St. Paul’s Church of Milagiriya | 14 January 1887 | Anglican Church of Ceylon | Central | Colombo | Colombo | Milagiriya | National |
| Jaffna Hindu College | The Native Town High School | 1887 | | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | National | |
| Piliyandala Central College | Mampe Piyarathanasara Buddhist Mix School | 1887 | Rev. Mampe Saranapala Thero | Western | Colombo | Piliyandala | Piliyandala | National | |
| Karandana Sri Jinarathana National College | Karandana Boys School | 1888 | | Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | Eheliyagoda | Karandana | National | |
| Christ Church Girls' College | The Girls' Boarding School | 1 June 1888 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Southern | Galle | Baddegama | Baddegama | National | |
| Maliyadeva College | Kurunegala Buddhist Institution | 30 September 1888 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | North Western | Kurunegala | Kurunegala | Kurunegala | National | |
| Nelukkulam Kalaimagal Maha Vidyalayam | | 1888 | | Northern | Vavuniya | Vavuniya South | Nelukkulam | Provincial | |
| Walasmulla National School | | 1889 | | Southern Province | Hambanthota | walasmulla | walasmulla | national | |
| Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte | Kotte Bauddha (Buddhist) Mixed School | 1 January 1890 | | Western | Colombo | Sri Jayawardenapura | Kotte | National | |
| Aluthgama Maha Vidyalaya | Aluthgama Boys English School | 1890 | Nathaniel Henry Lorenzo Brohier | Western | Kalutara | Kalutara | Aluthgama | National | |
| Holy Cross College, Kalutara | | 1890 | | Western | Kalutara | Kalutara South | Kalutara | Private | |
| Rambaikulam Girls' Maha Vidyalayam | | 1890 | | Northern | Vavuniya | Vavuniya South | Vavuniya | National | |
| Hillwood College, Kandy | | 1890 | | Central | Kandy | Kandy Central | Kandy | Private | |
| Sri Rahula College, Kandy | Kandy High School | 1890 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | Central | Kandy | Kandy | Katugastota | National | |
| Kingswood College, Kandy | The Boys' High School | 4 May 1891 | Wesleyan Methodist Mission | Central | Kandy | Kandy | Kandy | National | |
| Musaeus College | Musaeus Buddhist Girls' School | 1891 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| Dharmadutha College | | 21 August 1891 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | Uva | Badulla | Badulla | Badulla | National | https://dharmaduthacollege.lk/history |
| Mahinda College | | 1 March 1892 | Buddhist Theosophical Society | Southern | Galle | Galle | Galle | National | |
| Zahira College, Colombo | Al-Madrasathul Zahira | 22 August 1892 | Colombo Muslim Educational Society | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| St. Aloysius' College, Galle | | 1895 | Jesuits | Southern | Galle | Galle | Galle | National | |
| K/L Al-Hambra Maha Vidyalaya, Dharga Town | | 1896 | | Western | Kalutara | Kalutara | Dharga Town | Provincial | |
| Chundikuli Girls' College | | 14 January 1896 | Church Mission Society of the Anglican Church | Northern | Jaffna | Jaffna | Jaffna | Private | |
| St. Joseph's College, Colombo | | 2 March 1896 | French Roman Catholic missionaries | Western | Colombo | Colombo | Colombo | Private | |
| Sacred Heart Convent, Galle | | 30 November 1896 | Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary | Southern | Galle | Galle | Galle | | |
| St. Servatius' College | St. Servatius' School | 2 November 1897 | Roman Catholic Belgian Jesuit | Southern | Matara | Matara | Kotuwegoda | National | |
| R. K. M. Sri Koneswara Hindu College | | 1897 | | Eastern | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | Trincomalee | National | |
| St. Aloysius College, Ratnapura | Peter & Paul's Mixed School | 1898 | Jesuits | Sabaragamuwa | Ratnapura | Ratnapura | Ratnapura | National | |