Admissions

I wanted my daughters to go to SFS for middle school because it reflects the world I want them to help create when they are adults.”
— SFS parent

The San Francisco School Middle School program consists of grades 6 through 8. Each year, 12-14 new 6th Graders are invited to join our existing 5th Grade class. There is an average of 36 students per grade resulting in 18 students per classroom cohort.

The Middle School program (grades 6-8) — with its caring network of adults who understand the particular needs of adolescents — is specifically designed to nurture and guide students on their journey to becoming responsible, thoughtful, and actively engaged adults.

The San Francisco School Application Process Guide

• Step 1: Get to know The San Francisco School
• Step 2: Apply for admission
• Steps 3 & 4: Submit a teacher evaluation form & records release form
• Step 5: Schedule Student Shadow & Parent/Guardian conversation   
• Step 6: Apply for indexed tuition (if applicable)
• Step 7: Interviews & assessments
• Step 8: Admissions decisions

Getting Started

The first step is to create an account with Ravenna, a web-based application system used by many Bay Area Independent Schools. 

Once you have created the account, you will be able to schedule a Campus Visit, register for an Open House, access the required forms for the application process and see all of your application forms that have been submitted. If you already have an account with Ravenna, please use the same login information. There is no need to create another account.

**If you have limited web access or would prefer not to create an account on Ravenna.com, please contact the Admissions Office at 415.239.5065 or admissions@sfschool.org and we will do our best to accommodate your family.

Step 1: Get to know The San Francisco School

Come get to know us better! The best way to start your process is by attending a virtual information session. Information sessions for Middle School applicants take place on select weekdays from September through January. 

We know that seeing our unique campus will be an important piece to the decision-making process for many families and we are happy to offer optional campus tours to small groups of prospective families so they can see our beautiful outdoor spaces and some of our large communal spaces. Please check Ravenna for more information about these visits.

We also offer a Middle School Curriculum Open House in January as a complement to our daytime school tours. Both parents/guardians and middle school applicants are invited to participate. **To sign up for Curriculum Open Houses, please click the “Explore” button at the top of the school hub page.

Click here to access Ravenna and sign up for tours and Open Houses.

Step 2: Apply for Admission

The deadline for August 2025 admission is February 1, 2025. Please complete your application by this date for equal consideration. Parents/guardians must attend a tour before applying.

All applications, including form submissions, may be completed online using Ravenna - you may start the form and return to it at any time.  Your application will not be received by our admission team until you press the “Submit” button.

If you do not have reliable access to the Internet, please call the school to request a paper application.

A $100 application fee is due with the application. We offer fee waiver codes upon request.

Click here to access Ravenna and sign up for tours and Open Houses.

Step 3: Submit a teacher evaluation form

1st-8th Grade Teacher Evaluation Form (pdf)
Submit this form to your child’s current teacher. This form should be completed and mailed, emailed, or faxed by the teacher directly to The San Francisco School before the application deadline.

Step 4: Submit Transcript

Request for Educational Records (pdf)

Please sign and submit this form to your child’s current school registrar. Your child’s current school will be responsible for mailing all transcripts, teacher reports, and any standardized test results from the past two years of schooling directly to The San Francisco School.

These documents along with the teacher evaluation form must be received before the application deadline in order for your child’s application to be considered complete.

Step 5: Schedule Student Shadow & Parent/Guardian Conversation

The community is a critical component of the SFS experience and a child’s education. We welcome middle school applicants to spend time at SFS so we can get to know one another better. Student visits and parent conversations begin in early November. Please call or e-mail the Admissions Office (admissions@sfschool.org ) to schedule a date for a morning visit with one of our current SFS students.

Step 6: Apply for Indexed Tuition (if applicable)

The San Francisco School values diversity in all respects and is committed to the accessibility and affordability of a quality education. We strive for an economically diverse student body and offer indexed tuition to families who may need support while attending SFS. Currently, 28% of our families take part in the indexed tuition program.

Indexed tuition applications are available in early October and may be requested during a school tour or on our website. Since the indexed tuition process may take several weeks, please complete these forms as early as possible. All necessary information is due by February 1, 2025.

Indexed tuition awards will be sent electronically with general admission decisions on March 20, 2025, for K-8th Grade. Please visit the indexed tuition  area of our website for more detailed information about the indexed tuition program, process, and policies.

Step 7: Middle School Assessment Day

A critical step in the Application process involves The School assessing a student’s learning to ensure that a student will be able to thrive in our program. Academic assessments are combined with other data points from an applicant’s file, interviews and more to help assure that any students joining our school will be set up for success.

All middle school applicants are required to attend Middle School Assessment Day in February. During this morning, students will take part in interactive activities to help our teachers better get to know the children applying and to give the children a chance to experience our academic and socio-emotional program.

We will not require the ISEE test or any other standardized test results this year.

Step 8: Admissions Decisions

Decision notifications will be posted electronically on Ravenna to families on March 20, 2025 and we ask that parents/guardians enroll their children by 10:00 a.m. on March 27, 2025.

All applications remain active for two years. Therefore, if admission is not offered the first time around, you may reactivate your application the following year. Simply contact the admissions office in the Fall and update your existing application with any new information that will be helpful to the process (i.e., a new teacher evaluation, if applicable).


The San Francisco School values the richness of its diversity and actively seeks students from racially, socio-economically, and culturally diverse families, including lesbian, gay, and transgender families, single-parent/guardian families, adoptive and foster families.