How to Apply

You will begin the application process by completing the initial application form and creating an Applicant Portal account HERE.

• $100 for Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and 1^st Grade*
• $50 for Grades 2 through 12

*The Lower School Pre-K through 1st grade application fee of $100 includes the cost of in-house testing.

Upload a recent picture of your student in the parent portal.

The Parent/Guardian Questionnaire is an opportunity for you to tell us about your student. This helps us get to know your student, their needs, and your expectations.

The applicant questionnaire is required for students in grade 6 and above. It should be completed by the student in his or her own words.  This questionnaire helps us to know more about your child more as a student and a person.

In lieu of a questionnaire, lower school students are asked to upload a short video. Pre-K and K students are asked to share two videos, one about a favorite toy and one playing with someone - a sibling, a friend, a relative, a grandparent or a parent or guardian. Grades 1 through 5 are asked to share a favorite book.

Getting to know students is an integral part of the admission process. All children applying for Lower School are required to participate in a classroom visit. This visit provides the opportunity for students to make new friends, meet many faculty members, and participate fully in the Bolles experience.

For Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten applicants, two separate campus visits are scheduled for evaluation purposes. During the first visit, we assess each child's developmental readiness on an individual basis. The second visit involves a group classroom observation, where we evaluate the children's behavior, ability to follow directions, motor skills, and interaction with both adults and peers. Applicants to grades 1 through 5 participate in a single, full-day classroom visit.

The school visit is the final step in the application process for Lower School applicants.

A student shadow day is a great way for your child to experience what it is like to be a Bolles student.  Your child will be hosted by a current Bolles student and follow that student's schedule for the day. 

The interview helps us get to know your child and provides them an opportunity to tell us about themselves. They may dress casually and they do not need to prepare for the interview, which usually lasts about twenty minutes. Encourage them to relax and just be themself – that is who we want to get to know!

Interviews are required for students applying for Middle and Upper School. Lower School students participate in a classroom visit in lieu of an interview.

A completed Teacher Recommendation form is a required part of the Bolles admission process. Lower School applicants require one recommendation. Middle and Upper School applicants require two recommendations, one from a current English Teacher and one from a current Math Teacher.

Instructions to request the recommendation are included in your Applicant Portal.

Applicants to grade 2 and above are required to submit a character reference. You will be asked to provide the name and email of someone who will complete an online form that will be sent directly to Bolles. The item will be checked off on your Admission checklist once received by Bolles.

Applicants for Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1^st grade will complete testing as part of their campus visit.

Applicants for grades 2 through 11 are required to take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE).

Upper School applicants for grades 12 or Post Graduate year are required to provide scores from the SAT or ACT. 

ISEE Test Registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens on August 1, 2023. You can register at iseeonline.erblearn.org. Grades 2, 3 and 4 required an event code to register. These event codes are available to current applicants in the Parent Portal.

Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) scores may be accepted as a substitute for ISEE scores for Middle School and Upper School applicants.

Transcripts from your student’s previous two years of school are required. You will also be asked for your student's most recent grades.

You are able to request these be sent to Bolles through the Parent Portal or you may upload a copy yourself.

Upload a copy of the student's birth certificate.  If it is not in English, you will be asked to also provide a translation.

Visiting campus is the best way to get a feel for what it is like to be a part of life at Bolles. While a campus visit is optional, we encourage all families to attend an Explore Bolles! Open House or schedule a campus tour.

For international students, Interviews are conducted in person or through Zoom after the student’s application has been submitted.

International students will be required to upload a copy of their passport.

If English is not your student’s first language, an English Proficiency Test score from IELTS (IELTS English Language Test), TOEFL (The TOEFL ets.org) or Duolingo (Duolingo English Test) are required. Scores can be sent directly to The Bolles School or you can upload a copy through your Parent Portal.

Bolles will provide an I-20 form to new international students, once enrolled. To attend Bolles, all international students must obtain an F1 visa (Student Process Steps: How to Navigate the U.S. Immigration System | ICE).  The following documents must be on file at Bolles before an I-20 can be issued.

• Copy of Birth Certificate
• Copy of Passport
• Complete a Promise of Cash Support (provided by Bolles)
• Monthly financial statement showing periodic deposits, or a consistent balance, to support the student’s education at Bolles.

To ensure your student has access to the doctors and health services used by Bolles, families of international students are required to purchase the health insurance provided by Bolles.

To attend Bolles as a day student, one or both parents, an aunt, an uncle or grandparent must live in the Jacksonville area. If living with an aunt, uncle or grandparent, that family member must be a Court Appointed Guardian.  Students with immediate family members living outside of the Jacksonville area are required to attend Bolles as a boarding student.

International students are not permitted to live with a host family.

One semester- and one year-only applicants are considered for enrollment only when space is available.