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Admissions

Families interested in admission to CDS are encouraged to fill out the tour request form below to schedule a tour. We ask that parents submit an application online so we can get to know your child and family before the tour.

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boy and girl reading

Admissions Process at CDS

SCHEDULE A TOUR: October through Spring
During the tour, parents have the opportunity to see CDS in action and meet with a CDS teacher about the school’s philosophy of education, the child applying for admission, and any questions parents may have. Following the parent visit, the application process continues as follows.

Notification of Enrollment: First enrollment decisions are made in January
Admissions decisions for new families are made in mid-January after current families have gone through the priority re-enrollment process. After January, any remaining openings will be filled on a rolling basis. Once a placement becomes available and an applicant has been accepted, parents will be notified and sent an Enrollment Contract confirming acceptance. Enrollment is finalized once the Enrollment Contract is returned to CDS by the specified date, along with a tuition deposit.

To complete Elementary and Middle School Applications: Admissions Visits
Students applying for kindergarten can spend a half-day or full-day in the class of their current grade. Students applying for first through eighth grades will visit for a whole day in the class of their current grade.

Teacher Recommendation Forms
Please give your child’s current teacher and/or administrator the recommendation forms with a stamped envelope addressed to Charlottesville Day School, 320 10th Street NE, Charlottesville, VA 22902. These forms are confidential and should be forwarded directly to CDS from the teacher or administrator, prior to the Admissions Visit.

School Records
Please complete the Transcript Release Form and give it to the administrative office at your child’s current school, enabling them to forward your child’s records to Charlottesville Day School. This is required to complete all first though eighth grade applications.

Financial Assistance
Please indicate on the application form if you would like to receive information about our financial assistance. Financial aid is based upon need. In January, families who made the indication on their application, will be sent an email with the link to the online financial aid application. The application is due on January 15. The applications are processed through FACTS. A summary report is sent to CDS and is used in aid decisions made in February.

Admissions

Forms should be filled out and submitted to the Admissions Department at Charlottesville Day School.

Charlottesville Day School admits students of any race, color, national origin, or ethnic origin to all the privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, scholarship programs, or other school-administered programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

I submitted an application for a previous school year, but my child did not receive a spot. Do I need to submit a new application?
CDS does not roll applications from one year to the next. If your child is not currently enrolled in CDS, we ask that you resubmit an application for the next school year.

Does CDS give preference to applications submitted early?
CDS does not enroll on a first in, first served basis. The Admissions Committee reviews all applications as a pool, giving preference to siblings of current students.

Will my application be considered after the first round of enrollment decisions have been made in January?
CDS reviews applications on a rolling basis after January. Enrollment decisions are based on placement availability. In late spring, tours end and applications will no longer be accepted for classes that are full for the following school year.

How does the CDS wait list work?
CDS does not keep a ranked list of those on the wait list, but instead will fill the space in a manner that maintains balance in the classroom.