Admissions

Thank you for your interest in The Covenant School. Our mission begins with partnering with parents - that’s you! As you begin the admissions process outlined below, we invite you to learn about The Covenant School and our unique educational model that gives parents more time with their kids.

Admissions Events

Our information meetings and open house events are scheduled in the late fall and winter of each academic year. Attendance at an Information Meeting is REQUIRED before your family may apply.

Use the buttons below on this page to view dates and RSVP to our Information Meetings and Open Houses. Information Meetings are typically held from 7:00p-8:30p. Open Houses are typically held from 10:00a-11:00a.

While children are welcome to attend, these events are designed primarily for parents. An RSVP is not required to attend an Information Meeting, however we’d love to know you’re planning to come. We prefer families attend an Information Meeting prior to attending an Open House.To keep the group size manageable during Open House, an RSVP is required below.

In an effort to maximize our limited time on campus and minimize classroom distractions, we do not offer individual tours. However we invite you to attend an open house scheduled during our admissions season which offer a brief look into the life of TCS. 

Before You Apply

  • Attend a required Information Meeting (see details above). Following the Information Meeting, you will receive an email with the link and password to apply.

  • Read the following required documents thoroughly:

  1. Mission, Values, Vision, and Statement of Faith

  2. What is Classical Education - Susan Wise Bauer

  3. An Intro to Classical Education - Christopher Perrin

  4. TCS Family Handbook

Apply

Prospective families will receive an email with the application link and password to apply after attending an Information Meeting. An application fee of $200 is required for each application submitted, which includes the cost of screening.


Important Notes:

  • August 1st is our cutoff date for each grade level. This means children must be at least 5 years of age by August 1 to apply for kindergarten. Children must be at least 6 years of age by August 1 to apply for 1st grade, etc.

  • We do accept applications for classes that are at capacity. In this situation the family will remain in the waiting pool and will be contacted should an opening occur.  Families in the waiting pool for one year will remain in the pool for the following year (in other words, families in the waiting pool do not need to reapply for the following year).

  • Given the unique nature of our model, we do not offer mid-year admissions to new families.

  • You will receive an email with the link and password to apply AFTER you have attended an Information Meeting.

Once your application has been received, it will be reviewed by our Admissions committee in a timely manner. We take a holistic approach to admissions considering many factors in an attempt to ensure a great fit for our school and each family. While we encourage you to apply in a timely manner, there are variables outside of the application date that may affect when your application is reviewed.

Please note: Applications for Kindergarten students begin processing in February after we have given priority to current family sibling applications.

Academic Screening and Assessment

At TCS we strive to make admissions decisions that put students in the best position to be successful. We do submit teacher recommendation forms for students who have been enrolled in preschool or who have attended another school prior to applying at TCS. We also have parents submit their child’s academic records from their current school (including report cards and standardized testing results). Furthermore, we utilize the Gesell Screening for all kindergarten and 1st-grade applicants as we have found this to be a wonderful tool for assisting with kindergarten/1st-grade readiness. Additional academic screening/assessment will be scheduled for all students applying to 2nd grade and above.

Learn more about the Gesell Screening here.

There is a $75 screening fee for all possible screenings/assessments that is included in your application fee.

Family Interview

If the committee agrees to proceed with the application, we will contact you to schedule a family interview. The student and BOTH parents are required to attend the interview. Younger siblings are welcome to attend, if needed.

Enrollment Process

After the academic screening and family interview, once a student is accepted to The Covenant School, our Continuous Enrollment Agreement (CEA) will be signed by both parents. The contract will remain in effect for each successive academic year until your student has graduated from The Covenant School, unless it is terminated by The Covenant School or the withdrawal procedure is completed before February 1, by the family as outlined in the CEA you will sign.

A non-refundable one-time enrollment fee of $250 is due with each signed Continuous Enrollment Agreement along with the tuition deposit. The tuition deposit amount due for each following academic year will be communicated to parents of enrolled students by the end of December, once it has been approved by the Board.

Required Parent Training

Attendance at our Parent Training is REQUIRED for the parent who will be serving as the child’s co-teacher. This training will be held at TCS in late August, usually a week before the first day of school (which generally starts on the Tuesday before Labor Day).

Tuition (2024-2025)

  • Grammar School (K-5th): $5,520 annually

  • Dialectic School (6th-8th): $6,990 annually

  • Rhetoric School (9th-12th): $7,150 annually

  • Please note that curriculum, field trips, and uniforms are not included in the tuition cost.

  • Tuition Discounts: The annual tuition is discounted by $100 for those who would like to pay lump sum in August. The discount is $25 per semester for those who would like to pay for each semester as a lump sum. At this time we are not able to offer any additional financial assistance.

  • Feel free to peruse the following link: NC Opportunity Scholarship

Additional Information

Non-Discriminatory Policy

The Covenant School shall operate entirely on a non-discriminatory basis with respect to race, color, national or ethnic origin.  The School shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and other school-administered programs.  

Academic Accommodations

The Covenant School recognizes that all children are created uniquely by God, and strives to provide an outstanding education for all of our students. Our desire is to partner with parents to provide strategies and accommodations to help students succeed to the best of our ability. While we are able to make certain accommodations, with our limited number of staff, we are not able to meet the needs of every student. We are happy to talk with individual families about each specific child's situation and discern if TCS would be the best learning environment for the student.

Immunization Requirements

All students entering, attending, and/or transferring to public, private, or parochial schools in North Carolina must provide current immunization records or submit the religious exemption form for the student’s school records.