Private School Admission Frequently Asked Questions

You may apply to our Episcopal school online from September - January through Finalsite, our online admission portal. 

Families should apply in the fall/winter prior to the year they would like their child to attend St. Patrick’s. The application deadline is January 9, 2026. Supporting materials (Transcripts and Teacher Recommendations) are due January 16, 2026.

For PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten, St. Patrick’s adheres to the following birthday cut-off dates: 

• PK3: Age 3 by September 1
• PK4: Age 4 by September 1
• Kindergarten: Age 5 by September 1

In Grades 1-8, St. Patrick’s follows the same policy but considers requests for exceptions on a case-by-case basis. 

All students are expected and required to be potty-trained when they enter school in September.

• PK3: 10-20
• PK4: 10-16
• Kindergarten: 12-18
• Grades 1-3: based on availability
• Grade 4: 4-6
• Grade 5: based on availability
• Grade 6: 4-6
• Grade 7: based on availability

You may sign up for Parent Tours, Open Houses, and Virtual Coffee and Conversations by visiting our admissions events page.

You are welcome to be a part of a Parent Tour or to attend an Open House prior to applying to St. Patrick’s. Please sign up for one or both of these events by visiting our admissions events page.

The parent interview is an opportunity for prospective parents to meet with a member of the St. Patrick's Enrollment Management team to learn more about our school and share information about their child(ren) and family once an application has been submitted.  

Once you have completed your application, please sign up for an interview by accessing your child's applicant checklist in Finalsite, our online admission system. 

Yes, parent interviews are a required part of the admission process for those applying to PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten. Parent interviews are NOT required for Grades 1 and above, however, we would love to get to know you better and welcome parents to sign up to spend more time with the Enrollment Management team. Once you have completed your application, please sign up for an interview or a One-on-One Q & A by accessing Finalsite, our online admission system. 

• Children applying to PK3 participate in 30-minute, small group playvisits in January and early February with a parent or caregiver.
• Children applying to PK4 participate in 45-minute, small group playvisits in January or early February.
• Children applying to Kindergarten participate in 45-minute, small-group playvisits in January and early February. 
• Applicants to Grades 1-3 participate in half-day visits in a classroom at their current grade level. A snack will be provided. Please notify us if there are any allergies. 
• Applicants to Grades 4-8 participate in full-day visits in a classroom at their current grade level. Snack and lunch will be provided. Please notify us if there are any allergies. 

 Parents may register for a visit after submitting the application through Finalsite, our online admission system. 

This issue is handled on an individual basis. At times, a child may be enrolled in a class (art, dance, soccer) or may attend a church or synagogue where an adult is able to provide the necessary information.

Not as such. We receive applications from children who attend more than 50 schools in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, as well as from schools around the country and world.

You may follow the status of your child's application online in your Finalsite account. Statuses are updated as items are completed or documents are received. You will receive periodic reminders to notify you of missing documents as deadlines approach. If you believe that an item was submitted, but your Finalsite account does not reflect the submission, feel free to contact the Office of Enrollment Management by email (admission@stpatsdc.org) or contact Finalsite directly. Please allow 48 hours for documents to be processed. 

The Admission Committee (comprised of admission officers, teachers, and division heads) reviews all aspects of a student's file (school transcript, teacher recommendation(s), parent interview notes, child visit, and any other supplemental materials). Admission decisions balance the Admission Committee's assessment of a child's preparation and its goal of a well-balanced class.

We understand that applying from out of the area may be challenging. Please submit your application as soon as possible so that we can be of greatest help to your family throughout the admission process. St. Patrick’s does not offer a program in English as a Second Language (ESOL). Therefore, all students entering Grades 2-8 must be fluent in English reading, speaking, and composition. 

As part of our mission to create a socioeconomically diverse learning community, St. Patrick's is committed to providing the opportunity for students from various economic circumstances to attend the Day School, offering a wide range of grants each year to families. The Day School assists families with moderate to significant need. The Board of Trustees designates funds for the Financial Aid Program each year. In 2025-2026, the school is providing approximately $2.9 million in grants to one out of four St. Patrick's students. Please visit Affording St. Patrick’s for additional information.

The Admission Committee is unaware of who has applied for financial aid, and admission decisions are made independent of financial aid decisions. However, financial aid requests must be made by the January 16, 2026 deadline in order for an award to be considered.

Founded as a church school, St. Patrick’s retains an extraordinary commitment to families within our parish and school community. That commitment finds expression in our strong endorsement of special consideration for qualified applicants to PK3 and PK4 who are children of active members of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, children and siblings of St. Patrick’s alumni, children of St. Patrick’s faculty and staff, and siblings of students currently enrolled at St. Patrick’s. We ask that special consideration candidates submit applications by November 7, 2025. 

• PK3 & PK4: 8:30 am - 2:50 pm
• Kindergarten-Grade 3: 8:15 am - 2:50 pm
• Grades 4-5: 8:05 am - 2:50 pm
• Grades 6-8: 8:00 am - 3:15 pm

Students in PK3 & PK4 may arrive as early as 8:05 am. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 may arrive as early at 7:30 am. 

Extended Day offerings continue until 6:00 pm every afternoon for an additional fee.

In PK3 & PK4, children bring their lunch from home. Beginning in Kindergarten and continuing through Grade 8, lunch is included in the program.

Students in Grade 5 and 6 may elect to participate in interscholastic sports after school. Students in Grades 7 and 8 must participate in interscholastic sports after school. We offer soccer, cross country, basketball, lacrosse, baseball, and track. Developmental athletics are available beginning in Grade 4 in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse.

PK3-Grade 5 students are expected to dress in neat, comfortable clothing suitable for an active program. Students in Grades 6-8 adhere to a dress code. More specific information about the dress code is found in the handbook.

St. Patrick’s is determined to prepare our students to be successful, academically and personally, here in the present and well into the future. As part of that process, we provide a significant level of support for students and families as they consider secondary school options. St. Patrick's graduates become sought-after candidates at Washington-area day schools and boarding schools elsewhere. The Head of School and the Secondary School Placement Team use their insight into and respect for each student to find the best fit for the next step in that student’s educational journey. Detailed information about next school placement is located in After St. Patrick’s.