The Athenian School Boarding community, dorms, residential life Top-tier private school located in Danville, CA.

Admission Office

Athenian welcomes late applications for positions in our waiting pool. Fall 2020 enrollment is currently full, except for a very small number of openings in our boarding program. Contact Admission for more information.

Athenian's admission process is designed to give us the opportunity to learn about you while you discover Athenian. We look beyond the typical qualifications. Strong academic performance is important, and we seek students who fit well with Athenian's philosophy and approach to education. Athenian's Admission Committees look for students who will add to the mix of experiences, talents, backgrounds, and perspectives that form the Athenian community.

We invite you to explore our website to learn about our Middle School and Upper School programs. Discover Athenian's approach to serious academics through some of our unique programs, including Middle School Focus Days, class trips, international exchange, and the Athenian Wilderness Experience.

To register for events, receive information about The Athenian School, or begin an online application, click on Apply and complete the student profile. If you have an existing Ravenna account, log in to ravenna-hub.com, click Apply, and select The Athenian School from the School Directory.

The Admission Office is here to help you in the application process. Contact us at any time!

Reference Downloads

Apply Online

Upper School: Grades 9-12

List of 3 items.

Application Steps
Applicants who have not attended school in the U.S. for at least the past three years, regardless of citizenship or visa status, should complete the International Application. Please contact the Admission Office with questions regarding status as a domestic or international applicant.
1. Start your application by using "Apply" link or clicking here. Complete the Application Information Form and submit the $100 application fee along with a photograph of yourself. To apply from an existing Ravenna account, log into ravenna-hub.com and choose The Athenian School from the School Directory.
2. Use the link provided in the Student Campus Visit step to schedule a required student campus visit and interview.
3. Complete the Student Statement, Student Supplement, and Parent Questionnaire.
4. Submit the Transcript Request Form to your current school.
5. Submit two Teacher Recommendation Forms to current Math and English teachers. For example, students applying to grade 9 should submit recommendations from grade 8 teachers.
6. Complete the ISEE or SSAT.
7. Complete Financial Aid Process if you want to be considered for Financial Aid.
Campus Visit and Interview
We invite students to visit our campus and experience Athenian's classes and campus for yourself. Campus visits are required for those who live within a reasonable travel distance, and begin in October each year. Campus visit registration will begin on September 1st.
To schedule a visit, use the Apply button to create an account in Ravenna, complete a student profile, select The Athenian School from the school directory, and click Apply. If you have an existing Ravenna account, log in to ravenna-hub.com, select The Athenian School from the School Directory, and click Apply. Use the Register for an event link in the Student Campus Visit Step to select a visit date and submit a preliminary visit registration.
Reply to the confirmation email with the requested information required to complete and confirm the scheduling of your visit.
After receiving your response, an Admission Team member will contact you to review your scheduled visit.
Your visit may include attending one or two classes, lunch, and a brief interview with a member of the Admission Committee. We recommend that you ask your student host about their experience at Athenian, be open and friendly with the Admission Officer, and try to learn about what makes Athenian different. Your parents are invited to speak with a member of the Admission team as well as a pair of Upper School Ambassadors to learn more about Athenian from a students' perspective.
Admission Testing

Most applicants complete the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). Testing dates and locations are available at a number of East Bay schools. To be included in the first round of admission decisions, please complete admission testing no later than February 15, 2020. For Upper School students, we also accept the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).

Athenian School Code for ISEE: 050724
Athenian School Code for SSAT: 1414

Middle School: Grades 6-8

List of 3 items.

Application Steps
1. Start your application by using "Apply" link or clicking here. Complete the Application Information Form and submit the $100 application fee along with a photograph of yourself. To apply from an existing Ravenna account, log into ravenna-hub.com and choose The Athenian School from the School Directory.
2. Use the link provided in the Student Visit step to schedule a required student campus visit.
3. Complete the Student Statement and Parent Questionnaire.
4. Submit the two Teacher Recommendation Forms. At least one recommendation must be from a current teacher. (We ask that students applying for grade 6 get recommendations from grade 5 teachers.) The second recommendation could be from the prior year teacher (a fourth-grade teacher for those applying to grade 6.)
5. Submit the Transcript Request Form to your current school.
6. Take the ISEE.
7. Complete the Financial Aid Process if you want to be considered for Financial Aid.
Campus Visit and Interview
We invite students to visit our campus and experience Athenian's classes and campus for yourself. Campus visits are required for those who live within a reasonable travel distance, and begin in October each year. Campus visit registration will begin on September 1st. Please contact us if you are unable to visit the campus.
1. To schedule a visit, use the Apply button to create an account in Ravenna, complete a student profile, select The Athenian School from the school directory, and click Apply. If you have an existing Ravenna account, log in to ravenna-hub.com, select The Athenian School from the School Directory, and click Apply. Use the Register for an event link in the Student Campus Visit Step to select a visit date and submit a preliminary visit registration.
2. Reply to the confirmation email with the requested information required to complete and confirm the scheduling of your visit.
3. After receiving your response, an Admission Team member will contact you to review your scheduled visit.
Visits are scheduled Monday through Thursday. They begin at 8:10 AM and end after lunch at 12:00 PM. During your visit, you will sit in on a few classes with a student host. You will take a math assessment and complete a creative writing exercise, and have lunch with student hosts. Many students are nervous before visiting a new school, but we hope you will find our Middle School community welcoming and eager to meet you.
Admission Testing

All applicants must complete the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). Testing dates and locations are available at a number of East Bay schools. To be included in the first round of admission decisions, please complete admission testing no later than February 15, 2020. We will also accept the SSAT if the ISEE is not available.

Athenian School Code for ISEE: 050724

International Applicants

List of 4 items.

Application Steps
1. Start your application by using "Apply" link or clicking here. Complete the Application Information Form and submit the $150 application fee along with a photograph of yourself. To apply from an existing Ravenna account, log into ravenna-hub.com and choose The Athenian School from the School Directory.
2. Complete the Student Statement, Student Supplement, Parent Questionnaire, and Academic History.
3. Submit the Transcript Request Form to your current school. Transcripts must be officially translated into English of all school work.
4. Submit two Teacher Recommendation Forms to your current teachers. For example, students applying to grade 9 should submit recommendations from grade 8 teachers.
5. Submit one Secondary School Report to your current school Administrator.
6. Submit results of test of English. See "Admission Testing Information" below for details.
7. Complete the Financial Aid Process if you want to be considered for Financial Aid.
8. Campus visits and interviews are not required but are encouraged. See Optional Visit & Interview below for details.
SAO Application
The Athenian School encourages international students to use our online application. However, we will accept the SAO application. Please note if using the SAO application, Athenian requires the supplemental forms included in the SAO application and the requirements to complete the application remain the same as those listed above. Please contact the Admission Office to schedule a campus visit or interview.
Optional Campus Visit and Interview

We invite you to visit our campus and experience Athenian's classes and campus for yourself, however, campus visits and interviews are not required for international students. Due to extremely high demand for visits from international applicants, appointment times are limited and we are not able to interview all students. We will contact you if it is possible for us to interview you remotely. If you are able to come to campus, visits begin in late October each year. To schedule a visit, call 925-362-7223 or email admission@athenian.org.

Applicants from China: Due to the high volume of applicants from China, Athenian is not able to interview applicants from China, regardless of citizenship or current country of residence. Applicants living in China and are applying to grades 9, 10, or 11are strongly encouraged to contact Vericant to complete a preliminary interview in China. After reviewing completed applications, Athenian will contact a small group of select candidates for a formal interview. Please complete Vericant interviews between August and January. Before contacting Vericant, please start an application by clicking Apply above and completing the student profile.
Admission Testing

Download the international language testing requirements.

All international students must submit a test which demonstrates their English language ability. Athenian encourages students to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL Junior or IELTS are also acceptable. A strong score on the verbal portion of the SSAT is also acceptable. The SSAT or ISEE are not required for international students.

Register early for these tests. To be included in the first round of admission decisions, please complete admission testing no later than February 15, 2020. Contact the Athenian Admission Office for more information at admission@athenian.org.

Athenian School Codes
TOEFL: 9155
ISEE: 050724
SSAT: 1414
Important Information

Applicants who have not attended school in the U.S. for at least the past three years, regardless of citizenship or visa status, should complete the International Application. Please contact the Admission Office with questions regarding status as a domestic or international applicant.

Athenian's international program prepares students from around the world to succeed in college and in life. International students achieve fluency in English, gain a strong academic background and develop an understanding of American culture. Students who need English support in grades 9 or 10 benefit from Athenian's rigorous ESL curriculum, among the oldest programs of its kind in California.

International students are welcome to apply in grade 9, 10, or 11, where our boarding program, staff, and curriculum support them. The Middle School (grades 6-8) is designed for local students only. International students applying to the Middle School should have attended school in the U.S. for at least 3 years, speak and write English fluently, and live with an appropriate family member near Athenian.

Learn about Athenian's boarding program.

Applicants from China: Please see Optional Visit & Interview information below.