Admissions Process

The San Francisco School’s unique preschool program blends Montessori methods with more recently developed play-based approaches to early childhood education.

Each year, we admit 20 new students to the Preschool 3 classroom and 2–4 new students to Preschool 4. Students must be three years old by September 1st of the year they start in Preschool 3 and fully potty trained. Each preschool classroom includes a team of three full-time teachers plus specialists for Spanish, Music, and Health & Wellness.

1. Get to know The San Francisco School

   Create or log into your account with Ravenna, the online admissions platform used by many Bay Area independent schools. Search for The San Francisco School in the directory and click “Explore” to view and register for admissions events, including Information Sessions (mandatory to apply), Campus Tours, and Open Houses. These events take place from September through January for families interested in the following school year.

2. Submit Application

   Once you have attended an Information Session, you are welcome to submit an application online through Ravenna. You may start the forms and return to them at any time. Our admissions team will not be able to view them until you press “Submit.”. The Preschool application deadline for the 2026-27 school year is January 9, 2026. Please complete your application by this date for equal consideration. A $100 application fee is due with the application. We offer fee waiver codes upon request.

3. Submit Teacher Evaluation Form

   If your child is presently attending a school or daycare program, please ask a teacher to complete the evaluation form found in Ravenna by the application deadline of January 9, 2026. If they do not attend a program, you may skip this step.

4. Apply for Indexed Tuition (if applicable)

   SFS values diversity in all respects and is committed to the accessibility and affordability of a quality education. Currently, 29% of our families pay reduced tuition through the indexed tuition program. Indexed tuition applications are processed through Clarity and may take several weeks, so please complete the forms as early as possible. All necessary information is due by January 9, 2026. If your family qualifies, indexed tuition awards will be sent along with general admission decision letters.

5. Interviews & Assessments

   Based on the number of spots we predict will be available for the following school year, we will invite a small group of applicants and their families for a parent/guardian interview and student assessment. We will be in touch by early February to notify all applicants of the status of their application, including whether we will be able to move forward with an interview. In the meantime, please save the morning of February 1, 2026 for the Preschool Assessment.

6. Admission Decisions

   As we craft a new class, we intentionally look to balance age, gender, and socio-economic, racial, cultural, and family diversity. Preschool admission decisions will be posted electronically on Ravenna on March 10, 2026. We appreciate knowing your response as early as you are prepared to share it, and no later than 5:00 pm on March 16, 2026. A non-refundable, one-time enrollment fee is due at the time of acceptance.

   All applications remain active for two years. Therefore, if admission is not offered the first time around, you may reactivate your application the following year. Simply contact admissions@sfschool.org in the fall and update your existing application with any new information (i.e., a new teacher evaluation).

With small classes, an integrated curriculum, and a collaborative culture, student-centered teaching and social-emotional learning are hallmarks of the Lower School program at SFS (grades K–5).

While Preschool 3 is our primary entry point until 6th grade, we routinely admit 2–4 new students in Kindergarten and fill spots in other grades as space becomes available. Classes average 22–24 students throughout the Lower School years.

1. Get to know The San Francisco School

   Create or log into your account with Ravenna, the online admissions platform used by many Bay Area independent schools. Search for The San Francisco School in the directory and click “Explore” to view and register for admissions events, including Information Sessions (mandatory to apply), Campus Tours and Open Houses. These events take place from September through January for families interested in the following school year.

2. Submit Application

   Once you have attended an Information Session, you are welcome to submit an application online through Ravenna. You may start the forms and return to them at any time. Our admissions team will not be able to view them until you press “Submit”.

   Kindergarten – 5th grade applications for the 2026-27 school year are due January 23, 2026. Please complete your application by this date for equal consideration. A $100 application fee is due with the application. We offer fee waiver codes upon request.

3. Submit Teacher Evaluation Form

   If your child is presently attending a school or daycare program, please ask a teacher to complete the appropriate Kindergarten or Lower School evaluation form found in Ravenna by the application deadline of January 23, 2026.

4. Submit Transcript

   If your child is applying to 1st – 5th grades, please ask your school’s registrar to upload the last two years of your child’s school transcripts (report cards, assessments, etc.) through your Ravenna account. These documents, along with the teacher evaluation forms, must be received before the application deadline of January 23, 2026 in order for your child’s application to be considered complete.

5. Apply for Indexed Tuition (if applicable)

   SFS values diversity in all respects and is committed to the accessibility and affordability of a quality education. Currently, 28% of our families pay reduced tuition through the indexed tuition program. Indexed tuition applications are processed through Clarity and may take several weeks so please complete the forms as early as possible. All necessary information is due by January 9, 2026. If your family qualifies, indexed tuition awards will be sent along with general admission decision letters.

6. Interviews & Assessments

   Based on the number of spots we predict will be available for the following school year, we will invite a small group of applicants and their families for a parent/guardian interview and student assessment. Retaining the balance and integrity of class composition is very important to us. Much of how we decide which families to bring in is based on the current class composition.

   We will be in touch by mid-February to notify all applicants of the status of their application, including whether we will be able to move forward with an interview and assessment. In the meantime, please save the afternoon of March 4, 2026 for the Kindergarten Assessment. Other Lower School visits will be scheduled individually if there is space available.

7. Admission Decisions

   Lower School admission decisions will be posted electronically on Ravenna on March 19, 2026. We appreciate knowing your response as early as you are prepared to share it, and no later than 5:00 pm on March 25, 2026. A non-refundable, one-time enrollment fee is due at the time of acceptance.

   All applications remain active for two years. Therefore, if admission is not offered the first time around, you may reactivate your application the following year. Simply contact admissions@sfschool.org in the fall and update your existing application with any new information (i.e., a new teacher evaluation).