Lycée Français de New York vs United Nations International School

	L Lycée Français de New York New York, United States	U United Nations International School New York, United States
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year $51,505 - 51,925	Fees / year $48,456 - 53,767
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 4 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, French Curriculum	Curriculum IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils 1,450
Typical class size	Typical class size 18	Typical class size 19
Instruction language	Instruction language French, English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1935	Opened 1947
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location 505 East 75th Street, New York, NY 10021. The York Wing extension opened in 2015 to expand facilities.	Location New York, United States. Campus: 24-50 FDR Drive, New York, NY 10010-4046.
Stages	Stages Preschool through High School (Nursery-3 through Grade 12).	Stages Pre-K through 12th grade (PreK-12).
School type	School type Private bilingual day school.	School type Day school.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 60 nationalities represented.	Pupil nationality mix 97 countries are represented by UNIS students.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Support is available for learners new to the French or English languages; College Counseling and Secondary advisory are provided, along with primary-level ateliers to support interpersonal development.	Additional learning support The UNIS Student Support Team provides assistance to UNIS students and families from Pre-K through 12, including social, emotional, health and wellness support, learning support, and college preparation.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) under the French Ministry of Education.	Country affiliation Affiliation with the United Nations.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure Junior School begins around 8:30 a.m. with homeroom at 8:45 a.m.; JA pick-up is at 2:55 p.m.; Tutorial House ends around 2:50 p.m., with some courses meeting until 4:10 p.m.; lunch lasts about 30–60 minutes and there are scheduled recess periods.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details There are free NYC school buses for students in kindergarten through sixth grade who live within five miles of the school; private buses may be arranged by parents; UNIS students may also receive MetroCards.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Tuition (2026–2027) - Nursery‑3 through Grade 12: USD 51,925 per year. This single tuition amount applies across all grade levels (Nursery‑3 to Grade 12). Application and Enrollment Fees - Application / Re‑enrollment fee: USD 200 (non‑refundable where noted by the school's enrollment terms). Advance Deposit and Enrollment Deposits - New families: non‑refundable advanced tuition deposit of USD 4,000 per student required with the signed enrollment contract; this deposit is credited against tuition. Returning families pay a non‑refundable, non‑transferable enrollment fee of USD 200 plus the same USD 4,000 advanced tuition deposit when submitting re‑enrollment. For families who enroll on or after May 1 the required deposit increases to between 50% and 100% of tuition and fees. Additional Required Fees (per student) - Association des Parents du Lycée (parent association) dues: USD 60. - Lunch (Nursery to Grade 8), 5 days per week: USD 1,920. - Books and supplies (Nursery to Grade 5): USD 200. - Digital books (Grades 6 to 12): USD 50. - School trips — Nature's Classroom (Grades 2 to 5): USD 800. - French national exam fees (relevant secondary grades): USD 350. - New student one‑time fee (first year only): USD 3,000. - Tuition Refund Plan (optional, with discretion to opt out): USD 1,000. - Note: depending on grade, families may have additional purchases such as PE uniforms, specific textbooks, laptops or other materials; those amounts vary by item and grade. Billing schedule and payment terms (how tuition is billed and when payments are due) - The school uses Blackbaud Tuition Management for tuition billing and offers these standard payment plans: annual, semi‑annual, monthly, and a special plan for financial aid recipients. - Annual plan: balance of tuition (after the USD 4,000 advance deposit) due on or before May 1, 2026. - Semi‑annual plan: balance due in two equal payments (50% each); Payment #1 due on or before May 1, 2026 and Payment #2 due on or before October 1, 2026. - Monthly plan: balance due in twelve equal payments beginning March 1, 2026 (Payment #1) and continuing through February 1, 2027 (Payment #12). For contracts signed after May 1, 2026, installments begin the month of contract signature and (for monthly plans) end in February 2027. Financial Aid plan schedules are finalized with the Business Office once aid is awarded; the first payment on that schedule also begins March 1, 2026. - Example calculations (illustrative) after the standard USD 4,000 advance deposit is applied to the listed annual tuition of USD 51,925: - Annual balance due on May 1 (after deposit): USD 47,925. - Semi‑annual payments (two equal installments): USD 23,962.50 each (May 1 and Oct 1). - Monthly payments (12 equal installments): USD 3,993.75 per month (March 1 through Feb 1). These amounts reflect the tuition minus the standard USD 4,000 deposit and then divided according to the chosen plan. Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable; Lycée Français de New York does not operate a boarding program and therefore no boarding fees apply. (Day school model; no residential program.) Other costs or occasional fees - Optional or occasional charges that families should expect in addition to the required items above include: certain grade‑specific textbooks, PE uniforms, student laptops or devices, after‑school activities or extended day programs (prices vary by program), and incidental fees for specific trips or performances. Specific mandatory extras by grade are listed above (books, digital books, lunch, Nature's Classroom, exam fees). Amounts for optional items vary by purchase. Refund information - The USD 4,000 advanced tuition deposit is non‑refundable but is credited against the student's tuition. The USD 200 enrollment fee paid at re‑enrollment is non‑refundable and non‑transferable. The school offers a Tuition Refund Plan priced at USD 1,000 (families have discretion to opt out of this plan). Other refund policies (for partial refunds of tuition after the start of the contract, refunds of fees, or refund timing) are governed by the school's enrollment contract terms and business office procedures. Fee payment options (methods accepted) - Tuition and billed fees are processed through Blackbaud Tuition Management (formerly Smart Tuition). Blackbaud's parent and payer documentation shows the platform supports multiple payment methods commonly used by schools, including automatic bank debits (ACH), payments from checking or savings accounts, credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express where accepted by the school), mailed checks, and wire transfers (wires may carry a receiver fee). Families enroll and manage payment schedules through the Blackbaud Tuition Management portal per the school's billing instructions. Wire payments and international payment options are also supported via the tuition manager, subject to any platform fees or bank fees. - Important operational notes on payment handling via Blackbaud: credit/debit cards are commonly accepted; bank/ACH drafts are available; mailed checks and bank online bill pay can be used but may require earlier scheduling so funds are received by the due date; wire transfers incur a processing/wire fee assessed by the tuition manager. Families should follow the school's invoicing and Blackbaud account instructions when scheduling payments. Summary - Annual tuition for 2026–2027 is USD 51,925 for all grades (Nursery‑3 through Grade 12). Required deposits and fees include a USD 4,000 non‑refundable advance deposit, USD 200 application/re‑enrollment fee, and a variety of grade‑linked fees (lunch, books, exam fees, new‑student fee, etc.) as listed above. Tuition is payable via the school's published annual, semi‑annual, or monthly plans through Blackbaud Tuition Management; payment methods include bank ACH, credit/debit card, check and wire where applicable. Refunds are limited: the advance deposit and re‑enrollment fee are non‑refundable; a USD 1,000 tuition‑refund plan is available as an optional charge.	Fee details Application and acceptance fees - Admissions fee (payable upon acceptance): USD 250. - Tuition pre-payment (payable upon acceptance): USD 1,000. - Security deposit (refundable upon graduation or withdrawal, subject to the school's conditions): USD 300. - One-time New Parent Levy (per new family, payable upon acceptance): USD 3,500. Total payable on acceptance (Admissions fee + Tuition pre-payment + Security deposit + New Parent Levy): USD 5,050. Tuition fees (2026–27) — annual amounts by year group - Junior School (Pre-K through Junior 4 / Grade 4): USD 46,856 per year for each grade in this range. - Middle School - Middle 1 (Grade 5): USD 48,592 per year. - Middle 2 (Grade 6): USD 48,592 per year. - Middle 3 (Grade 7): USD 48,592 per year. - Middle 4 (Grade 8): USD 49,259 per year. - Tutorial House (Grades 9–12) - Tutorial 1 (Grade 9): USD 50,911 per year. - Tutorial 2 (Grade 10): USD 50,911 per year. - Tutorial 3 (Grade 11): USD 51,390 per year. - Tutorial 4 (Grade 12): USD 52,167 per year. Billing schedule and payment terms (2026–27) - Re-enrolling students: a nonrefundable re-enrollment deposit of USD 4,000 is due on March 12, 2026; the balance of tuition is paid in two installments: 70% of the annual tuition due on August 1, 2026, and 30% due on January 1, 2027. - Payable upon acceptance (new enrolments): Admissions Fee (USD 250), Tuition Pre-Payment (USD 1,000), Security Deposit (USD 300), and One-time New Parent Levy (USD 3,500) for a total of USD 5,050 due when the place is accepted. Example installment amounts (70% / 30% split) for 2026–27 (rounded to nearest USD) - Junior School (annual USD 46,856): 70% = USD 32,799; 30% = USD 14,057. - Middle 1–3 (annual USD 48,592): 70% = USD 34,014; 30% = USD 14,578. - Middle 4 (annual USD 49,259): 70% = USD 34,481; 30% = USD 14,778. - Tutorial 1–2 (annual USD 50,911): 70% = USD 35,638; 30% = USD 15,273. - Tutorial 3 (annual USD 51,390): 70% = USD 35,973; 30% = USD 15,417. - Tutorial 4 (annual USD 52,167): 70% = USD 36,517; 30% = USD 15,650. Additional and incidental fees - Capital surcharge: USD 1,400 per child, charged in addition to tuition. - UNIS Parents' Association membership dues: USD 200 per family. - Textbooks and field trips: variable (as required by Middle School and Tutorial House). - 1:1 device assignment insurance deductible deposit (Grades M1 to T4): USD 250 per family; refundable upon return of devices in good condition subject to the school's device-return conditions. - Optional fees (examples): after-school programs, lunches (contracted on an annual basis), private music lessons and instrument rental; these are charged in addition to tuition and other mandatory fees. Boarding - Boarding is not applicable. UNIS is a PreK–12 day school; there are no boarding facilities or boarding fees. Refund information - All payments are generally non‑refundable, with stated exceptions for return of computer devices in good condition and the security deposit upon graduation (or withdrawal where the school's policy allows refund of the security deposit). Specific refund timing and conditions for the New Parent Levy and the Security Deposit are stated in the school's fee policy (examples for prior-year enrollment deadlines are included in the school's terms). Fee payment options - The school provides a Parent Portal (portal access is available for families) for account management. For other electronic payment channels used by the school for financial transactions (including donations), accepted methods include online credit-card payments, electronic funds transfer, Venmo, checks, phone payments, and securities transfer where applicable. (These electronic and check/EFT channels are used by the school for institutional payments and giving transactions.)
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 The school offers a bilingual curriculum that blends the best of French and American educational traditions. Instruction emphasizes project-based learning, rigorous academics, and creative exploration to support student learning, development, and wellbeing. The program integrates language learning, the arts, and cultural instruction to deepen the core curriculum. In the Secondary level (grades 6-12), there is intensive preparation for the French Baccalaureate alongside in‑class and extracurricular intellectual exploration. Language mastery is supported by exposure to multiple languages taught by native-speaking instructors, and STEAM is integrated across all grade levels with facilities such as a Makerspace and a Media Lab. Graduates are prepared for higher education worldwide, with matriculation at universities across North America, Europe, and beyond.	Curriculum details The UNIS curriculum is a Pre-K-12 International Baccalaureate program. The school is accredited by the International Baccalaureate, the Council of Independent Schools, and the New York State Association of Independent Schools. The UNIS curriculum aligns to Common Core Math Standards, the Next Generation Science Standards, NY Next Generation ELA standards, and British Columbia Social Studies Standards. UNIS is a founding IB school, and the IB learner profile is reflected in UNIS's approach to learning.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates have matriculated to universities around the world. The College Counseling program supports students through the application process. Representative destinations include Columbia University, Cornell University, Harvard University, Yale University, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania.	Higher education progression Graduates attend colleges and universities across the United States and in many other nations. UNIS students apply to and enroll at universities in ten or more countries. The College Counseling Office provides a structured program with events such as the UNIS College Fair, which hosts over 150 colleges, and a College Counseling Timeline to guide students through the process.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	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 Nursery, Pre-K, K 1. Applications must be completed via the online application portal and a non-refundable $200 application fee must be paid. The portal starts the admissions review for Nursery through Kindergarten, and early submission helps begin the interview and evaluation process. 2. For Fall 2026 entry, submit by December 1, 2025 to ensure review in January; all required documents must be submitted by January 16, 2026. Submitting by the deadline supports timely consideration and evaluation. 3. On January 16, 2026, preschool evaluation day is held in person at the Lycée; families outside the New York metro area will receive instructions to participate in remote evaluation. 4. Admission decisions will be shared during the first week of February 2026. 5. If accepted, return a signed contract with a non-refundable tuition deposit of $4,000 within seven calendar days of receiving the acceptance letter. First to Twelfth Grades 0. Language requirement: Starting with first grade (CP), students must speak, read, write, and understand spoken French. 1. The admission process begins in the fall of the year before enrollment; the number of available places varies yearly based on attrition. 2. Application Deadlines: We recommend submitting by December 1, 2025 to be considered in January for first-round review; all required documents must be submitted by January 16, 2026; applications continue to be accepted throughout the year as spaces remain available. 3. For Grades 1-5, a virtual interview with a member of the Admissions Team is required for both current Lycée families and prospective guardians. 4. For Grades 6-12 not in a MOE-accredited program, an entrance exam in French and Mathematics is required on January 10, 2026; invitations are sent by the Admissions Office; outside the New York City metropolitan area, the test may be mailed to the child's school or live-proctored via Zoom. 5. Admission decisions will be shared in the first week of February 2026; if accepted, return a signed contract and pay a non-refundable tuition deposit of $4,000 within seven calendar days of the acceptance letter.	Admissions 1. Create a Ravenna account to begin the UNIS application. Through Ravenna you submit the UNIS application, register for a tour and assessment, email a teacher recommendation form directly to your child's teacher, submit additional admissions materials, and check the status of your application. The $75 application fee is paid by credit card and is waived for financial aid applicants. 2. Submit the UNIS application in Ravenna. 3. Schedule the assessment or interview: Prekindergarten to Fourth Grade participate in an in-person assessment; parents attend a panel discussion led by the Director of Admissions; Fifth to Eighth Grades may have a group activity or an interview; Ninth to Twelfth Grades are interviewed. 4. Send the ISAAGNY Confidential Information Sheet via Ravenna to delegate to your child's current teacher. 5. Take an Admission Test: ISEE or SSAT; testing can be online or at a Prometric testing center; MAP or PSAT may be submitted as substitutes. 6. Receive the Admission Decision: PK decisions on February 26, 2026; Kindergarten on February 5, 2026; 1st–4th on February 11, 2026; 5th–8th on February 11, 2026; 9th–12th on February 20, 2026. For entry in 2026-27, the Manhattan campus window runs September 1, 2025 to November 15, 2025 with interviews by mid-January 2026; midyear entries are possible when spaces exist, with midyear applications due by March 1, 2026 and enrollment by March 17, 2026.
Scholarships	Scholarships The Lyce9e Frane7ais de New York offers need-based financial aid to students of all nationalities. For the 2025b12026 school year, the Lyce9e has committed $7.1 million in financial aid. French citizens may also be eligible for financial aid from the French Government. Applications are submitted via Clarity, the Lyce9ea0s Financial Aid tool, and awards are determined confidentially by the Lyce9e Financial Aid Committee based on demonstrated financial need. Current families can consult deadlines and instructions on MyLyce9e. The French Government Financial Aid program may be available for eligible French citizens registered with the French Consulate in New York.	Scholarships A need-based financial aid program provides awards to newly admitted students based on demonstrated financial need. Financial aid is based on need and UNIS uses its own Financial Aid form; an aid application will not prejudice admission decisions. Financial aid decisions are coordinated after admissions decisions, and submission timing helps the process. SSS begins processing financial aid information on November 1, 2025; it is recommended to submit by December 31, 2025 for consideration in the February/March notification cycle. For more information on eligibility and process, contact Margaret Chiu at (212) 584-3034 or mchiu@unis.org.
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