Admissions FAQs
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The admissions process at St. Michael’s consists of a number of steps, beginning with the completion of an inquiry form. Below, we have provided answers to a number of questions frequently asked during the process of applying.
When is the best time to tour our campus?
We schedule tours for prospective families on an individual basis. Please contact us at 520-722-8478 or schedule your tour online.
When is the deadline to apply for the 2025-26 academic year?
Applications for the 2025–26 school year open October 1, 2024.
The application deadline for first-round decisions is November 15, 2024 with assessments scheduled on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The application deadline for regular decisions is January 15, 2025 with assessments scheduled on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
After the regular round of admissions decisions, SMS transitions into a rolling admissions process for grade-levels in which space remains while establishing a waiting list for grades that have reached their enrollment capacity.
What are the application requirements?
The requirements vary based upon which grade you are applying for. Please visit the application process page for more information.
What are the age requirements for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten applications?
For Transitional Kindergarten, candidates must be four years old by September 1 of the year they will enter TK.
For Kindergarten, candidates must be at least five years old by September 1 of the year they will enter Kindergarten.
What are the natural entry points to the school? Can we apply for entry into any grade?
Our natural entry points are TK, kindergarten and sixth grade. Yes, we do accept applications for non-entry points. Space in these grades is based on current enrollment numbers and attrition.
When will families be notified of their child’s admission decision?
The notification date for early-round applicants is December 10, 2024. The notification date for regular decision is February 28, 2025.
Does St. Michael's offer tuition assistance?
Yes. St. Michael’s School does offer need-based tuition assistance to families who demonstrate a financial need. No merit-based aid is awarded. Tuition assistance applications are submitted online annually through the Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) application. Please note that all in-house tuition assistance awards are fully-funded through corporate tax-credit donations and cannot be combined with Empowerment Scholarship (ESA) funds. For the 2025-26 academic year, the deadline to apply for need-based tuition assistance is February 14, 2025.
Does St. Michael’s allow families to offset tuition through ESA funds or recommended funds through the AZ Tax-Credit program?
Yes. St. Michael’s School helps families of all income-levels to take advantage of both of these funding pathways to offset school tuition. If using the ESA program, families are not eligible to concurrently utilize the tax-credit program, and vice versa. These two programs, while similar in their objective to allow families greater options for school choice, are mutually exclusive of one another. Please visit the Tuition and Assistance page to register for an upcoming Affordability Workshop.
What are the school hours?
The school day begins at 8:00 AM. For the Lower School (TK-4), the day ends at 3:10 PM. For the Upper School (5 -8), the day ends at 3:20 PM. While we have an occasional half-day in the calendar, we do not have a weekly early-out day.
Does St. Michael’s offer aftercare programming?
SMS offers aftercare programming. We have a licensed After School Care Program for all students, TK-8. The After School Care Program begins at dismissal time and can extend the school day to as late as 5:30 PM, Monday – Friday, for parents in need of a later pick-up time. In the upper school, the afterschool program begins with a supervised Study Hall.