Admissions

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition

Annual Tuition for the 2025-2026 School Year: $31,642 (Lower School), $36,383 (Upper School)

Tuition includes all classroom materials and books. There will be an additional fee for field trips, which are an important part of our curriculum. For K-5th the fee will be $300 and for 6th-8th $600. These fees will enable the school to provide commercial transportation when the numbers and distances involved justify the expense. Additionally, the school purchases all school supplies and materials for each student and charges a $200 fee annually.

Tuition is paid through Blackbaud Tuition Management (Formerly Smart Tuition)

Scholarships & Financial Aid

The Academy offers need-based financial aid. Our admissions office does not take need into account when deciding whether to admit a student.

Financial Aid Applications

The Academy School uses SSS (School & Student Services by Blackbaud) to process financial aid applications.
To apply for financial aid, families should begin directly through the

SSS Family Portal:
👉 Apply for Financial Aid through SSS
https://sssandtadsfa.my.site.com/familyportal
Once in the portal:
  • Create an SSS account or log in to an existing one
  • Select The Academy School when prompted
  • Complete the Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) for the current application year
  • Upload any required supporting documents
Families do not need a special school code to begin. If applying to multiple schools, one SSS application may be sent to more than one institution.

If you experience technical difficulties or have questions about the application process, please contact SSS Family Support directly or reach out to our admissions office for guidance.

Current families should submit their applications by mid-January. Prospective families should submit their request before the application deadline, January 23rd. 

  • Alumna

    The Academy Gives Each Student Personal Attention and a Sense of Confidence

    "I graduated from 8th grade at the Academy in 2010, and my 4 years at the school shaped me in more ways than I could express. The academics especially really gave me a base of knowledge and confidence that gave me a huge leg up both in high school, at College Prep, and College, at UCSB. The way The Academy gives each student personal attention and a sense of confidence sticks with me today as it showed me the importance of education."

  • Current Parent

    Rigorous Academics in a Supportive Environment

    "For what you were looking for – rigorous academics in a supportive environment I would look no further than the Academy. This is a small school in Elmwood which teaches children from kindergarten math, reading,  science, social studies,  French, music, art, and of course PE. The emphasis is on a growth mindset and the joy of learning. The school encourages creative and independent thinking. It is a diverse environment with financial aid possible. It has a wonderful after school teacher who the kids call ‘mama' who keeps the kids busy and happy while staying disciplined. They have summer camps. Our daughter is challenged at the right level and she loves going to school. In fact when we toured my husband and I wished we could go to school there too. And you know what, because of the sense of community within the school and because it’s small we kind of do!"

  • Current Parent

    We Could Not Be Happier

    "After looking at all the pros and cons of the various schools, we chose to send our son to the Academy and could not be happier. One major advantage of the Academy is the small class sizes, with 12 kids per class in elementary school and 15 in middle school. We are very impressed with what our son has learned during his first year in Kindergarten."

  • Current Parent

    Here It Is Like a Big Family

    "The Academy values academics and deep learning, which seems pretty rare these days. My children are growing intellectually by leaps and bounds and are eagerly learning about the world around them. The teachers respect the students and strive to get them to be thinkers, not parrots. Children get to participate in lots of discussions. One of the things that struck me the most is the positive social environment. Here it is like a big family, even between the parents and staff members. Everyone is warm and welcoming, and children of different ages are encouraged to intermingle and even learn from each other. Bullying of any kind is strictly not tolerated and kids can feel safe and healthy in this learning environment. Everyone is very kind to each other."

  • Current Parent

    Education Is Revered and There Is a Culture of Respect

    "For us the Academy was it! The school embodies the values we hold dear – encouraging curiosity encouraging hard work and grit, that learning is fun and independent thinking is a life skill, as is finding solutions through creative and iterative problem-solving. The school community believes that children are capable of a lot and that being challenged appropriately is the way to grow and therefore the way to go. Teaching tends to be Socratic- Kids are taught to wonder, question, experiment and figure things out all the while building on the knowledge they have. Education is revered and there is a culture of respect."
1/5

The Academy

2722 Benvenue Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
Phone: 510.549.0605
admissions@theacademyschool.org
Uncommon Excellence of Thought and Character in a Vibrant School Environment
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