Admissions

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of commonly asked questions by families throughout the admissions process at St. Andrew's. If you have a question that isn't answered below, click here to let us know.

General Questions

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  • How many students are in each division?

    For the 2023-2024 school year, our community is made up of 981 students, with 556 students in our Lower & Middle Schools and 425 students in our Upper School.

  • What is the classroom size and student teacher ratio?

    Our Kindergarten program has 50 to 54 students with 6 full-time teachers, a 9:1 student to teacher ratio.

    From 1st through 5th grades, the average classroom size is 16 to 18 students. 

    In Middle School & Upper School, the classroom size ranges from 12 to 18 students.

  • What are the school day hours for the 2023-2024 school year?  

    • Lower School:
      • Kindergarten: 8:05 am to 3:05 pm
      • 1st grade: 8:00 am to 3:20 pm
      • 2nd grade: 8:00 am to 3:25 pm
      • 3rd grade: 8:00 am to 3:30 pm
      • 4th grade: 8:00 am to 3:40 pm
      • 5th grade: 8:00am to 3:40 pm
    • Middle School (Grades 6-8): 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
    • Upper School (Grades 9-12): 9:00 am to 4:15 pm
      • Athletic practices are Monday - Friday and generally after school from 4:15 - 6:15 pm.
    For the Lower School, parents can drop off at 7:40 am. Please note that schedules may vary slightly from year to year.

  • Does St. Andrew’s provide lunch?

    Yes. At the Lower/Middle School, a morning snack and lunch are provided daily and included as part of the tuition. At the Upper School, breakfast and lunch are provided at no extra cost. 

  • Does St. Andrew’s provide after school care?

    Yes, St. Andrew’s offers Beyond The Classroom (BTC), a daily after school program for students from Kindergarten through 5th grade.  BTC is open daily from dismissal until 5:30pm. There are two options: daily supervised care (free play, snacks, library, games, arts & crafts, etc.) and enrichment classes like individual music lessons, Legos, tennis, and many more! Please visit the BTC page for details, pricing, and options.

  • Does St. Andrew’s provide bus transportation?

    St. Andrew’s offers a daily morning and afternoon shuttle bus for Upper School students. The bus departs at 8:00 am from 31st Street (Lower & Middle School campus) and arrives at Southwest Parkway (Upper School campus) around 8:30 am. There are two afternoon shuttles departing Southwest Parkway at 4:15 pm and 6:15 pm.  

  • Do St. Andrew’s students wear uniforms?

    No. St. Andrew’s encourages students to dress comfortably and appropriately for school.  Closed-toe shoes are required in the Lower School.

  • What foreign languages are offered and when?

    From Kindergarten through 5th grade, students study Spanish.  Beginning in 6th grade, we offer a language carousel, where all students have a chance to take classes in Spanish, Latin and Mandarin. They then choose one language on which to focus during Middle and Upper School.  

  • What percentages of your seniors go off to college?

    100% of our graduates are accepted to four-year universities. In the Upper School, we have a personalized program of one college counselor for every 9 students.  To learn more, visit our school profile. 

  • Do you have a pre-k program? 

    Our first year of entry is Kindergarten.  

  • What is your vaccination policy?

    St. Andrew's Episcopal School requires that all students from grade K through 12 are compliant with the Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements. All students must be up to date on vaccines and submit immunization records prior to the first day of school. Students requesting a medical exemption from the immunization requirements must annually submit a signed, dated letter from the student’s Texas-licensed, treating physician (M.D. or D.O.) specifically stating the basis for the exemption and that the required vaccines would be medically contraindicated or pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of the child or a member of the child’s household. Requests for medical exemptions will be considered and granted on a case-by-case basis. Students who have not received any vaccines will not be considered for medical exemption. The School does not accept exemptions for conscientious objections. If an outbreak or suspected outbreak of any vaccine preventable disease occurs in the state of Texas, any student who for whatever reason is not immunized may be excluded from school and all school-related activities.

  • What percentage of your population is racially diverse?

    For the 2023-2024 school year, 29% of our families and 25% of our faculty self-identify as racially diverse. 

Admissions Process

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  • What is the general admissions process? 

    We encourage prospective families to begin the admissions process the fall prior to an applicant’s entry year.  Beginning in mid-September, we offer a variety of information sessions, tours, and events to help parents learn more about our school community.  Please note that admissions requirements vary by grade level and for specific steps, please refer to our Application Checklists.  For first round consideration, all steps must be completed by January 25, 2024.


  • In what grades do you admit students?

    We admit students to all grades; however, our major entry years are Kindergarten (50 to 54 openings), 6th (20 to 25 openings) and 9th grade (40 to 50 openings). In all other grades, space for new students is based on attrition only and generally limited to 1 to 4 openings.

  • How do you handle out of town applications?

    Given the number of families relocating to Austin, we have a lot of experience working with out-of-town families. Families relocating to Austin are given an opportunity to speak directly with a member of the admissions team to discuss their personal circumstances.  If travel to Austin is not possible, we provide virtual options for parents and student interviews.  We encourage families to contact a member of the admissions team for additional information and next steps.

  • When should we start the application process for Kindergarten? 

    Applications should be submitted the fall before your child enters kindergarten. Please note that to be eligible for our kindergarten, children must turn 5 by September 1 of their starting year. If you have a special circumstance or a child whose birthday falls close to the September 1 deadline, please contact the Admissions Office. Please note that we encourage children who turn 5 in the summer before starting kindergarten to contact us directly for guidance.  


  • Do you offer mid-year admissions? 

    Generally speaking, we do not offer mid-year admissions due to a lack of openings and because we have found it is a difficult transition for both the new student and for our community. If you have a special circumstance, please contact a member of the admissions office to discuss.  

  • When are your application deadlines? 

    For first round consideration for entry to the 2024-2025 school year, completed applications, including all interviews and documents, are due on or before January 25, 2024.  We announce admissions (and financial aid) decisions on Friday, March 1. Please note that spaces are generally limited for late applicants and we highly encourage parents to apply by January 25. Please contact the admissions office to discuss submitting a late application. 

  • Will my child need to take any kind of testing? Why?  

    Applicants to the Lower School, grades K to 5, visit and participate in a series of activities that help us determine a child’s fit and placement in our community. Applicants to the Middle and Upper School (grades 6 to 12) are required to take the ISEE or the SSAT. Families are responsible for registering for this test. Additional information can be found on our website or through the online checklist.

  • How can I prepare my child for the class assessment, class visit or shadow visit?

    No preparation is necessary. The Admissions team will provide you with some general guidelines and suggestions prior to your child’s visit.

  • Does St. Andrew’s have a wait pool/waitlist?

    Yes. Every year, we have applicants we believe would be a fit for our community, but unfortunately, we have limited openings. If your child is placed in the waitpool, please indicate your interest in staying active and the admissions office will contact families should a space become available.

  • Do you rank wait pool/wait list applicants?

    No, applicants are offered admission based on the composition of a class at the time a space opens up.

  • What is the probability for wait pool/wait list applicants to be invited for admission?

    There are a variety of factors that may impact whether we consider students in the waitpool, and unfortunately, the factors vary from year to year and are impossible to predict.

  • How soon will we learn if there is any movement regarding our wait pool/waitlist decision?

    In general, openings may occur in March, April or May that allow us to consider students in the waitpool. Since June 1 is the contract binding deadline (i.e. families are responsible for the full year tuition) there is generally very little movement over the summer. We keep the wait pool active until the first day of school so a spot can be offered to an applicant up until August.

  • How can my child increase their chances of being selected from the wait pool/waitlist?

    All candidates in the wait pool are qualified to attend St. Andrew’s, so there is nothing additional you need to do. We welcome new information including final transcripts, progress reports, and/or testing.

Financial Aid/Tuition Assistance

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We’re so glad for your interest in our school and look forward to introducing you to our wonderful community!

Lower & Middle School

Upper School