Skip To Main Content

How to Apply

START HERE! 

NEW APPLICANTS

The first step is to submit an inquiry by clicking on New Applicants above. After completing the inquiry form, you’ll receive an email with instructions to set up an admissions portal account where you'll find information on the admissions process and submit your application. 

CURRENT APPLICANTS

Once your account is set up, access the admissions portal by clicking Current Applicants above. If you applied in a prior year, please submit an inquiry to begin a new application.
 

*Families with multiple applicants: Click the "Add Another Candidate" button on the inquiry form when prompted to add information for each child in your family who is applying. 

Thank you for your interest in Germantown Friends School!

We're here to help every step of the way. 

The main school entrance to Germantown Friends School.

GFS welcomes your admissions applications for grades Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten, grade 1, and grades 6-10. These are the grades where most new families join GFS. At this time in our admissions and enrollment season, we still predict that we will have some spaces available in each of these grades. 

Families with interest in grades 2-5, 10 and 11, should submit the inquiry materials noted in the Application Requirements section below, and we will be in touch with next steps. We do not enroll new students in grade 12. 

GFS awards more than $9.95 million dollars of need-based aid. Because at this time of the annual enrollment season all the aid for 2025-26 has been allocated, all new applications for financial aid will be placed on our financial aid waitlist.  

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

More details are available in your admissions portal.

We typically don’t accept applications for grade 12. Please call us to discuss further.

Application Initiation Items
✓ Demographic Information*
✓ Parent/Guardian Questionnaire*
✓ Applicant Interests (K-11)*
✓ Applicant Statement (6-11)*
✓ School History (for prior applicants)*

Please note: All Application Initiation items must be completed in order to schedule required appointments.

Required Appointments
✓ Virtual Parent/Guardian Interview (one per family)
✓ Virtual Applicant Interview (9-11)
✓ Applicant Visit (Preschool - 8)

Teacher Recommendation & Academic Items
✓ Primary Subject Teacher Recommendation (Preschool - 11)*
✓ Math Teacher Recommendation (6-11)*
✓ ISEE or SSAT Test Scores (6-11)*
✓ Graded Writing Sample (6-11)* 

Official Transcripts
✓ School Year 2024-25 (1-11)
✓ School Year 2023-24 (2-11)*
✓ School Year 2022-23 (6-11)*

Other Required Items
✓ Observation Video (Preschool & Pre-K)

*Required inquiry materials for families with interest in grades with limited capacity (Grades 2-5 & 11)

APPLICATION TIMELINE FOR 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR

We highly encourage families to complete all application requirements, including required appointments, by December 18 to receive an admissions decision as part of the first round decisions. After first round review, spaces and financial aid become more limited. Applications completed after December 18 will be reviewed on a rolling basis with decisions released weekly. 

Summer 2024
While the application process officially opens in August, you can begin over the summer and get a head start by submitting an inquiry. 

August 1, 2024 
Application process opens. All items in the Application Initiation section of the application checklist become available for submission. 

September 1, 2024
Required admissions appointments open. Families may start to schedule required admissions appointments via the portal.

October 1, 2024
Financial aid application opens. Financial aid application requirements can be found here. Please note: The financial aid application is submitted via FAST, and is separate from the admissions application.

December 18, 2024
Admissions & financial aid application deadline for January (first round) decision release. All required items, including required appointments, must be completed by December 18 to be eligible for January (first round) decision release.

January 27, 2025 
First round admissions and financial aid decisions released. Possible admissions outcomes are an accept, wait pool, or regret decision. 

February 1, 2025
Rolling application review begins. Review of applications completed after December 18 will resume in February and continue on a weekly, rolling basis.

February 21, 2025
Enrollment deadline for applicants admitted during first round review. Please note: For applicants accepted during the rolling cycle, the deadline to enroll is two weeks from the date of acceptance.

Spring 2025
Ongoing rolling review and decision release.

In keeping with the Quaker testimony of Equality and our school’s commitment to diversity, Germantown Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, political beliefs, or citizenship status in the administration of its educational policies, application for admissions or financial aid, or athletic and other school-administered programs.