Admissions

Your child’s bilingual education journey starts here!

Thank you for your interest in North Seattle French School – Ecole Bilingue de Seattle. A bilingual education is a wonderful opportunity to offer your child. On this page, you will find information on the admission process.

Application for the 2023-2024 school year

Step 1 – Schedule a tour or attend an open house

The best way to get to know us and learn about what bilingual education looks like is to connect with Aurélie, our admissions coordinator. Book your in-person or virtual tour today!

Step 2 – Submit an Application

Once you have visited, attended an open house, or chatted with our admissions coordinator, please submit an application online with the non-refundable $90 application fee per child. The application fee is payable via Stripe (link at the end of the application form) or check.

Step 3 – Family Visit & Student Assessment

The family visit can be virtual or in-person. When in-person, the future student gets a chance to spend time in the classroom while the parents/guardians meet with the admissions coordinator. Virtual family visit is an interview of about 40 min with the family. The goals are to make sure North Seattle French School is the right fit for your family and for your child, and to get to know you better.

Student assessment depends on grade and your personal situation. For students entering Kindergarten, please have your preschool’s teacher or director fill out a preschool evaluation form here.

Step 4 – Admissions Letters

Admissions letters for preschool and elementary will be emailed a few days after the family visit. A non-refundable deposit equal to 10% of annual tuition is due to secure enrollment. Check out about tuition and financial assistance.

We know you have questions. Contact us today: admissions@northseattlefrenchschool.com

Nondiscrimination Policy

It is the policy of North Seattle French School to admit students without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual preference, age, or disability.

Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Does my child need to know French to attend North Seattle French School?

For students entering preschool and kindergarten, NO French is required. Beginning in 1st grade, some command of French is necessary. Non-native speakers will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

How old does my child need to be to start school?

North Seattle French School follows the French system to determine grade level according to date of birth. To start school, students must reach the following age requirements by December 31 of the same year:

Preschool: 3 years old
Kindergarten: 5 years old
1st Grade: 6 years old
and so on for each subsequent grade.

For example, students who turn 5 in November may start kindergarten in September.

Please note: All children must be fully potty-trained prior to starting preschool.

Do you have a policy for siblings of current students?

Yes. Siblings of current students receive a 10% tuition discount and have admissions priority. Siblings are not automatically accepted; all applicants must complete the full admissions process.

When should my family start the admissions process?

It’s a good idea to start looking at schools in the fall for the following school year. Our priority application deadline is in March. To ensure your child has a spot for the upcoming school year, we highly recommend applying before the March deadline. We continue to accept applications on a rolling basis and we accept students mid-year.

What are the school hours?

Elementary school (K through 5th): 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

After-school programs: 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Preschool: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Cut Off Date for the 2023-2024 School Year

To start preschool in September 2023, students must turn 3 by December 31st, 2023 (born in 2020) and be fully potty trained.

To start kindergarten in September 2023, students must turn 5 by December 31st, 2023 (born in 2018).