ADMISSIONS

What is involved in the admissions process at The York School? When is the deadline, and what are the requirements? How does it compare to other schools? How should you factor these into your decision?

Page Contents

Facts and analysis
Qualitative insights

Facts and analysis

VISITING THE SCHOOL

Upcoming open houses will be announced here.

An open house includes a campus tour and meetings with teachers, staff, and students. Hosting open houses is a typical practice among schools.

Why it matters

A school visit offers a firsthand look at the environment, culture, and daily life of the school. It provides an opportunity to ask questions, observe interactions, and verify your expectations directly. It's a vital part of an informed choice.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

The final deadline is December 1, 2025 for Day entry at The York School.

Entry is typically for the beginning of the next school year in September.

Application deadline by enrollment type(s)

Month	The York School	Other schools
Month	Fixed deadline	Fixed deadline	Rolling admissions
September		0%	88% of all other schools have rolling admissions
October		Less than 1%
November		2%
December	Day deadline: December 1, 2025	7%
January		1%
February		2%
March		2%
April		1%
May		1%
June		Less than 1%
July		0%
August		1%

Why it matters

The admissions timeline helps you plan and prepare for key milestones, including school visits, application submission, and acceptance notifications.

ENTRY GRADES

The highest number of new enrollment openings include Grade(s) JK, 7 and 9.

The highest number of openings across all other schools we cover include Grade(s) JK, 7 and 9 (for the same grades offered at The York School).

Breakdown by grade

Entry grade	Number of openings available: Day
Entry grade	The York School	Average of all other schools
JK	28 - 32	16
SK	2 - 4	10
Gr. 1	8 - 10	10
Gr. 2	2 - 4	8
Gr. 3	2 - 4	8
Gr. 4	2 - 4	9
Gr. 5	2 - 4	9
Gr. 6	8 - 12	9
Gr. 7	14 - 16	16
Gr. 8	2 - 4	10
Gr. 9	24 - 32	23
Gr. 10	2 - 4	13
Gr. 11	2 - 4	13
Gr. 12	-	13

Why it matters

Popular entry grades may offer more opportunities for peer integration and more extensive orientation programs at the school. Applying to these grades may increase the chances of admission and support a smoother social and academic transition for the student.

ACCEPTANCE RATE

20% of all applications are accepted.

Admissions at The York School is more competitive than the majority of the schools we cover.

What The York School says it looks for in students

- Demonstrated ability to thrive in an academically rich and challenging environment.
- Evidence that the applicant will add value to The York School community and their aspirations and expectations align with The York School’s mission.
-Open minded and curious; enjoys trying new things; recognizes that failing is often part of learning and growth.
Why it matters

A school's acceptance rate gives you an indication of how competitive the admissions process is. Understanding this can help you set expectations and make strategic decisions about where to apply. Please note that the acceptance rates provided here are approximate.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The admissions process may require an interview and an entrance exam.

See grade-by-grade admissions requirements at The York School and how they compare with other schools.

Breakdown by grade

Grade	Required by The York School					% of schools requiring
Grade	Interview	SSAT	SSAT (out of province)	Entrance exam	Entrance essay	% of schools requiring
JK	-	-	-	-	-	Interview: 35%, Exam: 4%
SK	-	-	-	-	-	Interview: 35%, Exam: 5%
Gr. 1	-	-	-	-	-	Interview: 51%, Exam: 16%, Essay: 2%
Gr. 2	-	-	-		-	Interview: 52%, Exam: 19%, Essay: 2%
Gr. 3	-	-	-		-	Interview: 53%, SSAT: 1%, Exam: 21%, Essay: 2%
Gr. 4	-	-	-		-	Interview: 55%, SSAT: 1%, Exam: 23%, Essay: 3%
Gr. 5	-	-	-		-	Interview: 57%, SSAT: 1%, Exam: 25%, Essay: 5%
Gr. 6		-	-		-	Interview: 60%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 26%, Essay: 7%
Gr. 7		-	-		-	Interview: 63%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 28%, Essay: 10%
Gr. 8		-	-		-	Interview: 64%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 28%, Essay: 10%
Gr. 9		-	-		-	Interview: 52%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 25%, Essay: 10%
Gr. 10		-	-		-	Interview: 50%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 22%, Essay: 11%
Gr. 11		-	-		-	Interview: 50%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 22%, Essay: 11%
Gr. 12	-	-	-	-	-	Interview: 44%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 17%, Essay: 10%

What The York School says about the application process

Application fee: $250

Registration fee: $10,000

Deposit: $15,000

Description:
Prospective families are encouraged to visit The York School's website to view the complete list of application requirements. Applications are started online by clicking "Apply Now" on the website.
Why it matters

Understanding admission requirements is crucial as you assess your fit with a school and the likelihood of acceptance. These requirements often reflect the school's educational priorities.

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

One of the things I really loved about the York School was that they really had an amazing onboarding procedure to welcome new families and new kids. My kids started when they were in Grades 5 and 7, when they didn't know anybody in their grade. They were very nervous. And as parents, we were very nervous for them, as well. But the school was so welcoming. We were paired up with an existing family that we could liaise with over the summer, so that when September started, I felt comfortable and my kids felt comfortable, because they already had a friend, somebody who could show them the ropes. And I think that was a huge part of making us feel comfortable when we first started.

—Sonia Thomas, parent (see full interview)

I would recommend visiting the school website, connecting with a current family, and visiting the school if you have the opportunity. Sometimes you don't know until you walk into the school, and you look around, and you go, ‘Wow, this is where I can see my child being.’ And for the child's face to light up and go, ‘This is awesome! And this is where I want to be.’ And you can feel the energy when you walk into the school. If you don't have that, because it's not always available, I would recommend connecting with one of the parents at the school.

—Sonia Thomas, parent (see full interview)

I had an older brother already in attendance. My Mom set up the interview and I recall meeting with Mrs. Andrews, on her couch, talking about life, school, family, goals, sports and much more. There would be a formal entrance test that would follow, some weeks later, but I walked out confidently after being told that I was a great young man, with a bright future and was just the sort of student they were looking for (at twelve years old - gr7 entry year). I literally phoned my Mom to tell her how excited I was and to cancel my interview with UCC, as I had already made my decision.

—Lani Stern, alum (see full review)

The York School was our first choice based on the IB academics, the faculty, smaller school size, convenient location and coeducational, international student body. Our dealings with the Head of Admissions – who was wonderfully patient with our questions – were professional, informative, honest and enlightening. We found the Kira Talent portion of the application to be quite fair and an interesting way to get to know students. The entire Admissions team is helpful, kind and does a great job of easing the transition to The York School community and ensuring our entire family was very well supported.

—Heather Faralla, parent (beginning 2018) (see full review)

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