Once you submit the application, we set up a checklist for you in the application portal. You can check the status of your application and receipt of the recommendations, transcripts and supporting documents. Please allow the Admissions office time to process documents and for items to appear as completed on your checklist, particularly during our busy admissions season. Please do not worry if an item is not checked off on your checklist; if any materials are missing from your file, we will contact you.

Yes! Bishop’s seeks to attract talented students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Financial assistance is need-based, not based on a student’s academic, athletic or artistic ability. More information on the financial aid application and process can be found here.

Unfortunately, we have more qualified applicants than we have spaces for across all entry points. Some applicants may be offered a place on the waitlist when decisions are announced. It is important to return the response card sent by the Admissions Office indicating that the child wishes to remain on the waitlist. We do not have a ranked waitlist; should a space become available, the admissions committee will look to the waitlist to best fill that particular opening.

Yes, The Bishop's School enrolls students from all over the world. However, Bishop's does not have an English Language Learning (ELL) program. Thus, international applicants must meet the same admissions criteria listed on the admissions checklist page. We do not have boarding facilities nor do we offer homestay accommodations. It is the responsibility of the applicant family to provide proof of legal guardianship if the applicant resides with individuals other than their parents. Proof of health insurance is also required of international students. If an international student is accepted and enrolls at The Bishop's School, an I-20 will be issued. Please click here for more information.

Many families struggle with this decision if the child’s current school goes through sixth grade. Each child is different. While some children may be ready to transition to a new school in sixth  grade, others may benefit from completing the terminal grade at their current school. There is no difference in the admissions process when applying for sixth or seventh grade and both grade-level teams do a phenomenal job supporting new students in their transition to Bishop’s.

Financial aid is a financial award based on a methodology using a third party, Clarity. The Clarity Application takes into consideration a family’s assets and liabilities and several other important factors to calculate an appropriate level of need. It is not a loan and does not need to be repaid. One might think of the financial award as a decrease in tuition.

The deadline for completing the financial aid application, including relevant supplemental documents, is February 1, 2024 for new families and December 1, 2023 for returning families.

The Financial Aid Committee expects that all custodial and non-custodial parents be financially responsible for their child’s education. Therefore, all parents are required to complete the Clarity Application, though parents not in the same household will have their own confidential portal. 

If a parent has remarried, the assets of that parent will be considered along with those of the biological parents; individual circumstances are taken into consideration.

No. Financial aid is based entirely on demonstrated financial need.

Not necessarily. The collective need of accepted students whose families qualify for financial aid may exceed the School’s financial aid budget. While every effort is made to support families, Bishop’s may not be able to fully fund the need of all deserving students.

Yes. A student will receive some aid for the following expenses: books, uniforms and transportation. Students may apply for financial assistance for unique travel opportunities and co-curricular events. The covered expenses will be funded using specific allowances (uniforms and books) or reimbursements equal to the percentage granted for tuition (transportation).

The Financial Aid committee reviews all completed Clarity Applications and supplemental documents. The Committee also takes into account other mitigating factors such as local cost of living, unusual compulsory family expenses and unforeseen financial changes such as loss of a business or job. Thus, it is helpful to explain any extenuating circumstances regarding financial need in the space provided in the Clarity Application.

Yes, provided your financial situation does not change. However, financial aid is reviewed and awarded each year independently of the year prior. Families must re-apply for aid each year by submitting the Clarity Application and all corresponding documents to Bishop's by the deadline (December 1 for returning families). Often the demand for financial aid exceeds the financial aid budget. As such, the School may not be able to meet the needs of all new or currently enrolled families.

No! The Bishop’s community is made up of students and families representing a wide variety of religious beliefs. Rooted in the Episcopal tradition, Bishop’s is intentionally pluralistic; we honor and embrace diversity as it enriches the School community.

Yes. The School offers morning and afternoon bus/van transportation to students living throughout San Diego County.

The routes include:


• Carmel Mountain
• Carmel Valley
• Del Mar
• Eastlake
• Encinitas
• Flower Hill Mall
• Grantville
• Grossmont Center
• Lomas Santa Fe
• Mountain View
• Old Town
• Rancho Santa Fe
• Santa Luz
• Scripps Ranch
• Torrey Hills
• UCSD
• University City 

Designated stops on each route are based on demand and ridership. Some locations do not have service in the morning or at both times in the afternoon. Regular morning pick-up times are adjusted for late-start days. In the afternoon, there are two departure times offered for many routes — shortly after the end of the school day and a late departure for after school and athletic programs.

Prepaid voucher cards for occasional rides on a space available basis are offered for as many routes as possible.

Bishop's Food Services Department provides daily lunch and a morning snack. Our director of food services is a registered dietitian, and her talented staff focus on healthy, homemade food using fresh local ingredients.

Our mid-morning snack - known as "Milk Break" - is free for all students and features milk, fruit and cereal. 

Lunch includes a rotation of delicious meals, vegetarian dishes and accommodations for special diets.

Last year we received applications from 157 different schools. There is no preference given to students from certain schools. We consider how well students have maximized the educational opportunities offered them during their primary and/or middle school years.

No. Bishop’s students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. The common thread among Bishop’s students is their love of learning, kind and inclusive character, record of academic success, willingness to try new things and desire to be actively engaged in the School community and beyond.

The average class size ranges between 14 and 16 students. In upper level classes and electives, honors, or advanced honors classes, class sizes decrease slightly.

Our faculty are passionate educators. Many of our faculty coach sports teams or act as club/activity sponsors while remaining available to counsel students who come to them for help. In fact, 25 minutes of office hours are available after school each day for this purpose. Our faculty provide both youthful enthusiasm and veteran wisdom. Bishop’s faculty have been recruited from throughout the country and more than two-thirds hold advanced degrees.

The Bishop's School community is a partnership of school and family. Parent organizations include the Parents' Association, Performing Arts Circle, Knights Booster Group, Eye on Visual Arts and the Global Education Initiative. All five groups are active in sponsoring and hosting School events, offering parents a variety of opportunities for engagement. The strength of parent involvement and support is illustrated in the 97 percent annual giving rate of our parent community last year. Learn more about opportunities for family involvement here.

Yes. Students wear uniforms every day except for free dress days and during spirit week. Uniforms can be purchased at www.landsend.com. Click the School tab and search for our uniform items using "The Bishop’s School" or school number 900064130. The School’s Bookstore provides P.E. uniforms, sweaters, ties, sweatshirts and school logo items.

Each new student has a support system in place to ensure a smooth transition to Bishop's. Every new family is assigned a current Bishop’s family through the Parent Ambassador Program. Over the summer, ambassadors begin the transition process with an informal family gathering. All new students attend a new student orientation before school starts and our class retreat program allows new students to bond with their class.

Each student at Bishop's is assigned a faculty advisor with whom they will meet daily to support them in the social, emotional and academic transition phases. Faculty advisors work with approximately 10-12 students. Learn more about advisory here!

Bishop's College Counseling office supports students and families through the college search and application process. The four college counselors work with students as a class beginning in ninth grade. Individual student meetings with the students’ assigned college counselor begin in the spring of tenth grade. Detailed information about college counseling and college matriculation information can be found online.