ADMISSIONS / How To Apply
Our admissions team is dedicated to partnering with every family throughout the process, and we approach this work with the utmost care. We look forward to meeting you.
Our early childhood program is designed for children who turn the following ages by September 1 of the year they enter:
We work closely with families to determine the most appropriate placement for each child.
1. Apply
Submit your application through Finalsite, where you will also find all supplementary forms and appointment scheduling. When possible, we recommend scheduling your appointments in this order:
2. Interviews and Tours
Once your application is submitted, you may schedule your tour and interviews through Finalsite.
Junior kindergarten and kindergarten applicants: Parent/guardian interviews take place via Zoom. Child interviews are conducted in small groups on-site, most Mondays through Thursdays, 10:40–11:30 a.m. Parents are not required to attend child interviews.
First grade applicants: Parent/guardian interviews take place via Zoom. Child interviews are conducted in person with other applicants one afternoon in the fall; the available time will appear in your Finalsite portal. Parents are not required to attend child interviews.
3. Recommendations
Through Finalsite, submit a request to your child’s current teacher to complete an ISAAGNY recommendation form. Schools are asked to send recommendations later in the fall, allowing faculty time to get to know your child.
4. Transcripts
For first grade applicants only, submit a transcript request to your child’s current school. Forms are available on Finalsite.
5. Standardized Testing
Grace does not require standardized testing for Early Childhood applicants.
Families applying at the junior kindergarten level whose child has a sibling currently or previously enrolled at Grace, a parent or guardian who attended Grace, or a parent or guardian who is a current faculty or staff member are offered early notification.
For questions at any point in the process, please contact Kate Patton.
1. Apply
Submit your application through Finalsite, where you will also find all supplementary forms and appointment scheduling. When possible, we recommend scheduling your appointments in this order:
2. Interviews and Tours
Once your application is submitted, you may schedule your tour and interviews through Finalsite.
Parent/guardian interviews take place via Zoom. Child interviews are conducted in person with other applicants one afternoon in the fall; the available time will appear in your Finalsite portal. Parents are not required to attend child interviews.
3. Recommendations
Through Finalsite, submit a request to your child’s current teacher to complete an ISAAGNY recommendation form. Schools are asked to send recommendations later in the fall, allowing faculty time to get to know your child.
4. Transcripts
Submit a transcript request to your child’s current school. Forms are available on Finalsite.
5. Standardized Testing
Grace does not require standardized testing for Lower School applicants.
For questions at any point in the process, please contact Kate Patton.
1. Apply
Submit your application through Finalsite, where you will also find all supplementary forms and appointment scheduling. Tours are offered once per month from October through January. We recommend scheduling your interviews as soon as possible, even if they occur before you have the opportunity to attend a tour.
2. Interviews and Tours
Once your application is submitted, you may schedule your tour and interviews through Finalsite.
We encourage middle school applicants to attend the tour; student ambassadors will offer a peer’s perspective on life at Grace.
Schedule both your parent/guardian interview and your child’s interview through Finalsite. Both meetings take place via Zoom.
3. Recommendations
Submit two ISAAGNY teacher recommendations—from your child’s current math and English teachers—through Finalsite. Schools are asked to send recommendations no earlier than November, allowing faculty time to get to know your child.
4. Transcripts
Submit a transcript request to your child’s current school. Forms are available on Finalsite.
5. Standardized Testing
Grace requires standardized testing for the 2027–28 admissions cycle. We accept ISEE and SSAT score reports sent directly from the ISEE website or SSAT website. When registering, please list Grace as a “sending school.”
6. Essay
All applicants must complete three essay prompts, available on Finalsite.
For questions at any point in the process, please contact Simon Thomas-Train.
1. APPLY
Submit your application through Finalsite, where you will also find all supplementary forms and appointment scheduling. Please note that your application will be processed within 48 hours of submission, after which supplementary forms will become available.
2. INTERVIEWS AND TOURS
Once your application is submitted, you may schedule your interview and tour through Finalsite. Families may interview in person or via Zoom. In-person interview spots are limited and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis; a student-led tour of the high school campus will follow on the same day. Families who interview via Zoom may sign up for a tour later in the admissions cycle. Your choice of interview format has no bearing on the admissions decision.
We also offer a series of Open Houses where families can meet administrators, faculty, and students and learn more about the program. RSVPs open in September.
3. TRANSCRIPTS
Submit a transcript request to the applicant’s current school. Forms are available on Finalsite.
4. RECOMMENDATIONS
Submit two ISAAGNY teacher recommendations—from the applicant’s current math and English teachers—through Finalsite. Schools are asked to send recommendations no earlier than November, allowing faculty time to get to know the applicant.
5. STANDARDIZED TESTING
Grace requires standardized testing. We accept ISEE and SSAT score reports sent directly from the ISEE website or SSAT website. When registering, please list Grace as a “sending school.”
6. ESSAY
Applicants must submit a 500–750 word essay from a choice of prompts available on Finalsite. Grace participates in the ISAAGNY common essay to streamline the application process.
For questions at any point in the process, please contact Georgia Warner-Haakmat.
“We really appreciate how you and the entire admissions team facilitated such an organized and efficient process. Additionally, we valued the many opportunities that we were afforded throughout in which to get to know your school and its community better.”
GRACE PARENT
“Grace has such a welcoming environment. We wanted a school where our child would feel safe while still getting a robust education.”
–GRACE EARLY CHILDHOOD PARENT
Grace’s primary entry points are junior kindergarten, kindergarten, fifth, and ninth grade, and we accept applications for every grade level through eleventh grade, space permitting. We encourage families to reach out to the Admissions Office to inquire about availability at specific grade levels.
The preliminary admissions application and financial aid application are due on December 1. All supplementary materials are due on January 8. Spring admissions events are posted after February 1.
Admissions decisions are communicated from February to early March, according to the dates specified by the Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY).
Grace is an independent school with an Episcopal identity, and we welcome families of all faiths and none. Chapel and a JK–12 curriculum in religion and ethics are part of school life, but students are not asked to adopt any particular religious beliefs. Grace’s Episcopal identity is expressed primarily through our commitment to honoring the dignity of every individual and creating a community of broad welcome and deep belonging.
Grace has two campuses in downtown Manhattan. The Lower School is located at 86 Fourth Avenue, near Union Square and served by the 4, 5, 6, L, N, and R trains, PATH, and many bus routes. The High School is located at 46 Cooper Square, near Astor Place, and is served by the 6 and N and R trains and several buses.
Grace does not require standardized testing for Early Childhood or Lower School applicants. Standardized testing is required for Middle School (grades 5–8) and High School (grades 9–11) applicants; Grace accepts ISEE and SSAT score reports.
Yes. More than 20% of Grace students receive financial aid, and the average grant exceeds $54,000. Applications are submitted through the Clarity platform and reviewed individually by the Financial Aid Committee. The $100 application fee is waived for families applying for financial aid.
Tuition for the 2026–27 school year is $71,570. For information about financial aid, please visit our Financial Aid page.
Grace is built on the belief that intellectual excellence and ethical virtue depend upon each other to find their fullest expression, and both are pursued with vigor. Through a pedagogy of joy, our teachers ground their approaches in evidence-based practices and a curriculum that is both rigorous and humane—ensuring every student feels both challenged and supported throughout their educational journey.
