EF Academy New York vs Kennedy International School - Lower School

	E EF Academy New York New York, United States	K Kennedy International School - Lower School New York, United States
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year $43,700 - 76,600	Fees / year $24,000 - 45,000
Age range	Age range 14 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 12 years
Type	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum American Curriculum, IB (DP), Advanced Placement (AP)	Curriculum American Curriculum, French Curriculum, Japanese Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 290	Pupils 201
Typical class size	Typical class size 15	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, French, Japanese
Opened	Opened —	Opened 1964
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Thornwood, Westchester County, New York, USA. The campus sits on 97 acres in a suburban setting, a short train ride from downtown Manhattan.	Location Two campuses in New York City. Lower School Campus is at 225 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017. Upper School Campus is at 815 Second Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10017. Phone: 212-681-1877 (Lower School) and 212-682-3967 (Upper School).
Stages	Stages High school. Students graduate with a U.S. high school diploma; the program also offers the full International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme or IB/AP courses.	Stages Lower School (elementary) and Upper School (secondary)
School type	School type Private boarding high school in New York. On-campus boarding is available; day students are also accepted.	School type International school offering bilingual French-English and bilingual Japanese-English programs
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 60+ nationalities represented.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support English as a New Language (ENL) and French as a Foreign Language (FLE) support
Country affiliation	Country affiliation International	Country affiliation France; accredited by the French Ministry of Education and part of the AEFE network
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure EF Academy New York operates a mixed day- and boarding-school model. Local students may enroll as day students or board five days a week with weekends at home.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details A weekend shuttle operates from campus to Pleasantville train station, from which trains go to Manhattan and other destinations.	Bus service details School Bus Service is being implemented with the NYC Department of Transportation for the 2025–2026 school year; Kindergarten through 6th grade students may qualify for free transportation; for interest, contact office@kennedyinternational.org
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & Enrollment fees - Application fee: USD 75. - Enrollment (one‑time) fee: USD 700. - Refundable security deposit: USD 1,000. Annual tuition and boarding — fees by student type - Full seven‑day boarding (annual): Tuition USD 47,200 + Boarding fee USD 29,400 = Total USD 76,600. - Five‑day (weekly) boarding (annual): USD 68,700. Student Life & Activities fee for weekly boarders: USD 3,900/year. - Day student (annual): USD 43,700. Student Life & Activities fee for day students: USD 3,500/year. Per‑term items and room upgrades - Annual charges are invoiced; room upgrade (single room or other upgrade) is charged in addition and is billed per term where applicable (example: single‑room upgrade listed as USD 2,000 per term in published fee inserts). - Examination and some optional items may be billed per term or locked after course add/drop deadlines; invoices will show exact per‑term installments. Mandatory Student Life & Activities fee and exam fees - Student Life & Activities (mandatory): amounts vary by student type (examples published: Full boarding USD 4,900/year; 5‑day boarding USD 3,900/year; Day students USD 3,500/year). - Exam fees (applied depending on course selection): IB Diploma fee (example published) USD 895; IB Certificates USD 495; Advanced Placement (AP) exams incur an additional fee. Exam fees depend on actual exams taken and are charged accordingly. What is included in tuition and boarding (cost items) - Included in tuition: academic support and tutoring, university advising, English language support, materials and books, school‑related apps/tech support, and specified domestic immersion trips. - Included in boarding: airport transfers at start of term, standard shared rooming, Welcome Days, weekend activities and transportation (entrance fees/tickets may not be included), laundry card, and meals (weekday meals and weekend brunch/dinner as applicable by boarding option). - Travel insurance: group travel/medical insurance coverage is included for non‑US/Canadian residents; US and Canadian residents are required to provide their own evidence of adequate insurance. Billing schedule and payment terms - Invoices are issued ahead of each academic year; the invoice sets the instalment amounts and deadlines. By paying the First Installment a place is secured and the family becomes responsible for the full cost of tuition subject to the school's cancellation/refund provisions. - Methods of payment: payments can be made via the school's payment partner (Flywire) or by bank transfer; bank charges for sending/receiving banks are payable by the sender and may be applied to the student's account. - Payment timing for new students: an initial deposit/first instalment is payable immediately upon admission; each student receives an individual payment schedule with the initial invoice, and final balances are required by the deadline on the invoice (continuing‑student guidance shows 50% of program fee due as part of securing a place and final balances due by June 30 in the calendar year of course start in published agreement examples). Late fees and additional charges apply where invoices are not paid by their due dates. Refunds, cancellations and withdrawals - Cancellation and refund rules are applied according to the school's published cancellation schedule and the date the written cancellation notice is received. The school's standard terms state that: cancellations made well before the start of the course may receive full or partial refunds (subject to specified non‑refundable fees); cancellations closer to arrival will incur larger retention amounts; withdrawals after the course start are generally charged the full annual tuition and mandatory fees; expulsion results in no refund. The school's enrollment agreement defines the exact timelines, monetary amounts, and forfeiture rules. Other costs and typical extras - Refundable security deposit (USD 1,000) to cover potential damage. - Optional/occasional extras that may be charged separately: entrance fees or tickets for certain weekend activities, some off‑campus trips, certain elective program supplements, AP exam fees when applicable, and room upgrades. - Uniform: there is no formal uniform requirement for students; therefore no standard uniform fee is charged. Important notes about payments and penalties - Application and enrollment fees are one‑time fees and are non‑refundable. - If fees become overdue the school may suspend or cancel enrollment and apply late fees; outstanding financial obligations can affect a student's ability to remain on campus. Summary of the most common numeric items (USD) - Tuition (example full boarding split): Tuition USD 47,200; Boarding fee USD 29,400; Total USD 76,600. - Weekly boarding: USD 68,700; Day student tuition: USD 43,700. - Mandatory Student Life & Activities fee: USD 3,500–4,900 depending on student type. - Application fee USD 75; Enrollment fee USD 700; Refundable security deposit USD 1,000. If you need a precise instalment amount or an exact invoice schedule for a specific enrolment date or student type, that instalment information is provided on the individual invoice and in the school's enrollment agreement and payment schedule documents.	Fee details Application fees - There is no application fee for Kennedy International School (NO APPLICATION FEE). One-time enrollment / new-student fees - Pre-K 3 & Pre-K: One-time new student fee USD 1,000. - Kindergarten through Grade 8: One-time new student fee USD 3,000. - High School (Grades 9–12): One-time new student fee USD 3,000. Annual tuition by year group (2026–2027 academic year: September 2026 through June 2027) - Pre-K 3 & Pre-K (Full‑time, full day 8:00am–3:30pm): USD 40,000 per year. Includes extended aftercare between 3:15pm and 6:00pm for the full‑time Pre‑K option. - Pre-K 3 (Part‑time options): USD 24,000 per year (available as 5 mornings or 3 full days for Pre‑K 3 only). - Kindergarten through Grade 8 (K–8): USD 42,500 per year. - High School (Grades 9–12): USD 45,000 per year. Overnight trip and exam/registration fees - Overnight school trips (charged as 60% of total trip cost, school lists estimated contributions): - 4th & 5th grade contribution listed as USD 350 (60% of total trip cost). - 8th grade contribution listed as USD 700 (60% of total trip cost). - 9th & 10th grade contribution listed as USD 700 (60% of total trip cost). - International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma registration fee for Grade 12: USD 900. Downpayment and installment (service) fees — billing structure and common payment plans - Non‑refundable downpayment required for all tuition plans: USD 4,000. - Installment plan service fees (applied when choosing those plans; do not apply to governmental organizations): - 2‑installment plan service fee: USD 400. - 5‑installment plan service fee: USD 700. - Example payment-flow calculation (numbers shown are arithmetic examples using the published tuition, the published non‑refundable downpayment, and the published service fees): - Example for K–8 (tuition USD 42,500): - Pay non‑refundable downpayment USD 4,000 at enrollment; remaining tuition balance USD 38,500. - If choosing the 2‑installment plan: two equal installments of USD 19,250 each; add the USD 400 2‑installment service fee as charged by the school. - If choosing the 5‑installment plan: five equal installments of USD 7,700 each; add the USD 700 5‑installment service fee as charged by the school. - These example calculations assume the USD 4,000 downpayment is applied toward the annual tuition balance; the school's enrollment/contract documents define exact due dates and how payments are posted. The published figures above (tuition, downpayment, and service fees) are the basis for these examples. Billing schedule and payment terms (what is published) - The school states tuition covers the full academic year (September 2026 through June 2027). A non‑refundable downpayment of USD 4,000 is required for all tuition plans. The school publishes service fees for 2‑installment and 5‑installment options, indicating those installment options are available. Exact invoice dates, installment due dates, and the full enrollment contract terms are processed through the admissions/enrollment portal and enrollment contract documents. Boarding - Boarding is not offered; Kennedy International School operates as a day school with Lower and Upper School campus addresses in New York City (day‑school locations listed for Lower School and Upper School). Boarding fees are not applicable. Other costs and typical additional fees - Uniforms: A uniform policy is in place and required items are purchased through the school's designated uniform supplier (Untold Horizons). Families should expect a separate cost to purchase required uniform items; the school provides division‑specific uniform guides and an online uniform ordering site. Specific uniform pricing is handled by the supplier's ordering portal. - Overnight trip contributions (listed above) are additional when trips occur; those contributions are published as the family portion (60% examples). - IB registration fee for Grade 12: USD 900 (listed above). - Financial aid processing fee for the aid application (Clarity platform): USD 65 submission fee for families applying for financial assistance. Refund information (what is published / how refund details are handled) - The school's publicly posted pages list tuition, the non‑refundable downpayment amount, and installment service fees, but do not publish a general, detailed tuition refund schedule or full withdrawal/refund policy on the publicly viewable pages. Refund specifics and any pro‑rata or withdrawal refund calculations are handled through the school's enrollment contract and admissions/enrollment portal documentation. Parents should expect the USD 4,000 downpayment to be non‑refundable as published. Fee payment options (what is published) - The school publishes available installment options (2‑installment and 5‑installment plans) and associated service fees; the publicly visible pages do not list an explicit set of accepted payment methods (for example, credit card, ACH/wire transfer, check). Enrollment and billing arrangements (including accepted payment methods and any online payment portal details) are managed through the admissions/enrollment portal and the family's enrollment contract. Discounts and special cases - United Nations staff discount: a 30% tuition discount is published for United Nations staff enrolling children in Pre‑K 3 and Pre‑K. - French Government financial aid (bourses scolaires) may be available to eligible French citizens enrolled in Pre‑K 3 through Grade 9; that program is administered separately by the French Consulate/AEFE. Concise note about publicly unavailable details - The school's public pages provide annual tuition amounts, the required non‑refundable downpayment, one‑time new student fees, published trip contributions, IB registration fee, installment service fees, and the absence of an application fee. The public pages do not publish a complete line‑by‑line, per‑term invoice schedule with exact due dates, a full tuition refund timetable, or a published list of accepted payment methods; those operational details are contained in the school's enrollment/contract documents and the admissions/enrollment portal.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details EF Academy New York awards a U.S. high school diploma, with the option to pursue the full International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme or select individual IB or Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Learners tailor their schedules with IB and/or AP courses aligned to their goals and strengths. Advisors help each student design a personalized pathway to graduation, supported by daily mentorship and a 24/7 care team. Classes emphasize immersive, student-centered learning with hands-on projects and field studies in smaller groups. The campus welcomes a global community of 60+ nationalities on a 97-acre setting near New York City, and offers opportunities such as the Nobel Prize Museum partnership to broaden experiences.	Curriculum details The curriculum integrates the French Ministry of Education guidelines, the Japanese Ministry of Education guidelines, and New York State Next Generation Learning Standards. It offers a balanced bilingual program for students from preschool through 12th grade. The program is registered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the Upper School, a Pre-IB Track for 9th–10th grade prepares students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) for 11th–12th grade. The IB Diploma Programme comprises six subject groups and DP core including Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS), and the Extended Essay (EE).
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression One-to-one university counseling helps students gain admission to universities, and customized counseling supports the admissions process as students prepare their applications. Daily mentorship and university counselors guide students through planning for higher education.	Higher education progression The IB Diploma Programme is widely recognized by more than 2,000 universities in 100+ countries worldwide; many universities offer advanced placement, scholarships or other incentives for IB students.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Advisors tailor a personalized academic plan for each student based on talents and strengths, helping set growth goals and select courses and co-curricular activities.	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions EF Academy New York uses English in all programs. English level should be appropriate for the student's grade and program; fluency is not required, but English proficiency is demonstrated. For international applicants, English listening, reading, writing, and speaking are tested and a personal interview is conducted to place students on the right track. If English support is needed, the EF Academy Preparation Program is available for students entering 9th or 10th grade to accelerate language development. How to apply provides the steps to apply to EF Academy New York. There are three enrollment options: full boarding, weekly boarding, or day student. Tuition, fees, and scholarships are described under Tuition, Fees, & Scholarships. There are upcoming deadlines: November 14: Early admissions applications due; November 21: All early admissions recommendations and transcripts due; November 26: Recommendations and transcripts, including progress reports; December 5: Early admissions decisions announced; December 12: Early admissions deadline to enroll with early enrollment discount of $1,000; January 8: Application deadline for regular decision admissions and EF Academy Community Scholarships; January 17: Recommendations and transcripts including semester 1 reports; February 20: Regular admissions decisions announced; March 12: Parent reply and enrollment deadline for Fall 2026. A visa can be arranged with assistance if needed; take a virtual tour or visit the campus.	Admissions Application (Rolling Admissions): Submit online application via the admissions portal. After submission, complete the checklist of supporting documents needed to move forward in the admissions process. Rolling admissions allow applications at any time. The admissions team will review the submission and guide you to the next step. Interview: After the application and supporting documents have been uploaded and completed, the admissions office will connect with you to schedule an interview and any further assessments needed. The interview assesses readiness and fit with the bilingual program and may include language assessments. Additional information or materials may be requested. Enrollment: After the interview and assessments take place, the admissions office will contact you with a final decision via email. If admitted, you will receive instructions to enroll and any remaining forms or deposits. You may contact the admissions office with questions as needed.
Scholarships	Scholarships Merit-based scholarships range from $1,500 to $15,000, subject to availability. EF Academy offers merit scholarships and need-based financial aid to help make an EF Academy education possible. All merit scholarship and financial aid applications must be submitted with the completed application for admission. Terms and conditions apply.	Scholarships United Nations Preschool Grant: This grant offers a 30% reduction in tuition costs for United Nations staff members enrolling their child in Pre-K 3 or Pre-K programs (ages 2–4). Eligibility is confirmed upon verification of United Nations staff status at the time of inquiry. French Government Financial Aid (Bourses scolaires): If your child is a French citizen and is registered with the Consulate General of France in New York, your family may be eligible for financial aid from the French Government. Applications and award decisions are handled exclusively by the Consulate General of France. Students enrolled in Pre-K 3 through 9th grade may be eligible for financial aid. Students enrolled in 10th through 12th grade are not eligible. Apply for Financial Assistance: A Clarity Application is used to assess each family's financial profile, taking into account assets, income, expenses, and debts. New families must complete the enrollment process prior to the evaluation of their financial aid application. Current families who have not previously applied for financial aid are not eligible unless a significant change in financial circumstances can be demonstrated. Families currently receiving financial aid are required to reapply each year. A $65 submission fee applies. Assistance is available directly within the Clarity application.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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