This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.
You have a couple of ways to apply to boarding school. Choose the method which is easiest for you.
Apply to the Individual Schools
You can always ask the schools to send you an applications package. Many schools have a 'request information' link on their websites. This will explain the applications procedure for that specific school. You will receive the application materials electronically in most cases, although some schools may provide paper materials upon request. Complete the required forms according to the school's instructions and submit the completed application to the school.
Most schools will also have online applications. Online application forms have the advantage of saving time for the school because the data gets loaded right into their admissions database. The procedure varies from school to school but basically will have some sort of secure log-in where you will find the instructions on how to apply. You complete some forms online. Others, like the teacher recommendation forms, may be submitted electronically through the application system.
For example, Phillips Exeter Academy provides its application requirements and instructions online, including information about recommendations, transcripts, testing, and other components of the admissions process.
Use a Common Application
The SSAT offers an online application service they call The Standard Application Online (SAO). Or use the Gateway To Prep Schools Application. This greatly simplifies the applications process for schools that use it. You only have to complete one application which is then transmitted to the schools which you specify.
Not every boarding school uses the same application system, so check each school's requirements. Boarding School Review's Boarding School Admissions Process Explained, 2025 Guide provides additional information about the application process.
Stay Organized
Stay organized by using an applications calendar. There are many deadlines. And they won't all be the same at different schools. Always submit your application as soon as you can, in any event no later than 2 or 3 weeks before the deadline.
Stay on top of the teacher recommendations and transcripts. Don't leave these until the last minute. Transcripts take time to prepare and certify. Teachers are busy people who will appreciate lots of advance time to draft a thoughtful recommendation for your child.
Boarding School Review's Admissions Checklist For Boarding School Applicants can help you keep track of the different parts of the admissions process.
Pay the application fees. Most schools will accept credit card payments online. Let the school know if you cannot afford the application fees.
This video explains how to use the Gateway To Prep Schools site.
What happens after you apply?
If you applied to a school with a January deadline, you will typically receive an admissions decision in March. In 2026, schools commonly communicate admissions decisions electronically through an applicant portal or email rather than relying on the traditional thick or thin envelope. If you are accepted, you will receive an acceptance letter together with forms that must be completed and returned together with a deposit in order to hold your place in the class. It is also possible that the school didn't accept you just yet, but instead put you on a waitlist. If that's the case, you may have to wait until sometime in April or later in the spring before hearing whether or not you have a place.
Families should always check the individual school's dates because application and decision schedules vary.
Followup
Remember that every application to private school goes through a thorough review process. The more competitive the school, the more exhaustive the review process becomes. So, the question we parents want to be answered is simply: how do we make sure our child's application gets to that final, all-important "Approved" stack of folders? Put another way, how do we ensure that our child's application has legs? (Having legs is an expression that speaks to the endurance of whatever is supposed to have legs.) With respect to admissions applications, the idea is to advance your child's application from one stage of the process to the next until finally, you achieve a positive outcome.
The interview can be another important part of this process. Boarding School Review's 5 Tips for a Successful Boarding School Admissions Interview offers additional guidance for applicants preparing for their interviews.
International Students
If you live overseas and are thinking about sending your child to a private school in the United States, pay attention to the following admissions tips for international students. I am assuming that you are not American citizens or green card holders and that English is not your first language. Many students from countries outside the United States want to attend American private schools. International students continue to make up an important part of the student population in American boarding schools, although the percentage varies considerably by school.
International applicants may also need to meet additional requirements involving English proficiency, school records, interviews, passports, and student visas. Families should check each school's current requirements carefully.
Once a student has been admitted to a U.S. school authorized to enroll international students, the visa process generally includes receiving the required Form I-20 and applying for the appropriate student visa. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Study in the States provides current information for international students studying in the United States.
Boarding School Review's International Student's Guide to Boarding Schools provides additional information for international families considering American boarding schools.
This video explains how to obtain a student visa so you can study in the U.S.
You have other options if your application is rejected. A private school does NOT have to accept your child. Private schools can be as picky as they want to be and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Unlike public schools, which generally serve students who reside in their districts, private schools select their students on the basis of certain standards and, most importantly, how the application will fit into the school community.
If your child is rejected, review the other schools on your list and determine whether any schools with later or rolling admissions deadlines may still be accepting applications. A rejection from one school does not mean that another boarding school will not be an excellent fit.
The application process has become increasingly digital, but the basic principles remain the same. Stay organized, follow each school's instructions carefully, submit the application as soon as you can, give teachers plenty of time to prepare recommendations, and make sure that all required materials arrive before the school's deadline.
