The Awty International School vs The Village School
The Awty International School and The Village School are both in Houston, about 16 km apart. Both schools offer IB and American programmes. The Awty International School also offers French, and The Village School also offers Advanced Placement (AP) and Bespoke. Published annual fees are $34,145 - 44,880 at The Awty International School and $21,195 - 39,698 at The Village School, which puts The Awty International School roughly 30% higher. The Awty International School takes pupils from 3 to 18, and The Village School from 2 to 18. The two are similar in size, at around 1,754 and 1,500 pupils. Typical class sizes are 8 at The Awty International School and 18 at The Village School.
IB (DP), Advanced Placement (AP), American Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum
Pupils
Pupils
1,754
Pupils
1,500
Typical class size
Typical class size
8
Typical class size
18
Instruction language
Instruction language
English, French, Spanish
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
1956
Opened
1966
Bus service
Bus service
No
Bus service
No
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
7455 Awty School Lane, Houston, Texas 77055, USA. The school is located in Houston, Texas.
Location
The Village School is located at 13051 Whittington Drive, Houston, TX 77077, United States. The campus spans more than 28 acres in West Houston's energy corridor. The Village School is part of Nord Anglia Education. The Village School is an international community with a vibrant multi-cultural student body from 2 to 18 years old.
Early Childhood (Ages 2–4); Elementary School (Ages 5–10); Middle School (Ages 11–13); High School (Ages 14–18).
School type
School type
Independent international school
School type
Private day and boarding school.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
More than 1,800 students from more than 50 countries. The nationalities are 40% American, 30% French, with the remaining 30% representing over 50 other nationalities.
Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Learning differences are acknowledged under the International Baccalaureate framework. The school is independent and international; accommodations may include extra time for tests and examinations and the use of assistive devices. The Learning Support Coordinator provides information to coordinate necessary learning support.
Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
France
Country affiliation
United States
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
The school day runs 7:55 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. for Middle and Upper School, 8:00 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. for Lower School, and 8:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. for Early Learning.
School day structure
Open 8 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday. After-school care and activities are available through the ACE program.
Bus service details
Bus service details
Awty contracts with AFC Transportation to provide bus service to and from the school. Buses pick-up and drop-off riders at designated points. Bus fees for 2025-2026 are $3,500 for round-trip ridership and $1,750 for one-way ridership.
Bus service details
Bus service is available to families in Cinco Ranch, Eldridge, Parkway, Royal Oaks/Westpark/Bellaire/West University Place, and Sugar Land. Bus pickup is generally 7:00–7:15 am and drop-off is 4:00–4:15 pm. Service can be round trip or one-way; routes and stops are provided in a Village Bus Routes document. Fees apply per semester.
Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Application and Enrollment Fees - Application fee: USD 200 (one-time, for all new students not previously enrolled within the last three school years). - New Student Fee: USD 1,500 (due at time of enrollment; non-refundable). - Registration fee: USD 250 (assessed at enrollment). - Capital Building Fee: USD 1,250 (assessed at enrollment).
How tuition may be billed (payment schedules / per-term implications) - One-Payment plan: full annual tuition balance due in a single installment (balance payable by June 1). Families enrolling after June 1 pay one month after enrollment. Under this plan the full annual tuition above is billed as one payment. - Two-Payment plan: the annual tuition balance is split into two equal installments: 50% due June 1 and 50% due October 1. Under this plan each installment equals 50% of the annual tuition amount for the applicable grade group. A 5% finance fee applies to unpaid tuition under the Two-Payment plan; Tuition Insurance is required for families using the Two-Payment plan (cost noted below). - Monthly Installment plan: the annual tuition balance is divided into ten monthly installments payable June 1 through March 1. A 5% finance fee applies to unpaid tuition under the Monthly plan; Tuition Insurance is required for families choosing the Monthly plan (cost noted below). - Payment plan change fee: USD 100 per change of payment plan. - Note: fees (application, registration, capital, grade-level trip or exam fees, book fees, bus, etc.) are invoiced separately and are not covered by the tuition-only payment plans; those fees are billed and collected as invoiced by the Business Office.
Tuition insurance and finance charges - Tuition Insurance: available to all families and required for those choosing the Two-Payment or Monthly Installment plans. The stated Tuition Insurance cost is 2.25% of the tuition. - Finance fee: a 5% finance fee is applied to unpaid tuition for families on the Two-Payment and Monthly Installment plans.
Additional required and typical fees (per year / per item where shown) - Grade-specific trip, exam, and diploma fees (examples and ranges): - 6th Grade (6ème) Awty Connects Week activities: USD 500. - 7th Grade (5ème) Washington, D.C. class trip: USD 2,950. - 8th Grade (4ème) Big Bend class trip: USD 1,200. - 3ème Brevet exam (average): ~USD 170. - 10th grade / 2nde and 11th grade / 1ère Awty Connects Week experiential trips: ranges USD 250 – USD 6,000 depending on chosen activity. - International Baccalaureate fee (Grades 11 and 12): USD 1,100 (2026–2027). - French Baccalauréat exam/registration fees (1ère / Terminale): ranges shown (e.g., ~USD 260 for 1ère; USD 310–600 for Terminale registration/exam). - Senior fee (Grade 12 / Tle): USD 750. - Book fees (ELC and Lower School) — charged by grade group and include required books and supplies (textbook rental policy noted): - PK3 – PK4: USD 240. - Kinder/GS: USD 355. - Grades 1–5: USD 485. - CP – CM2: USD 405. - Middle and Upper School estimated book ranges (depend on electives): MS (6–8) USD 700–850; US (9–12) USD 750–1,100 (estimates; used-book discounts noted where applicable). - Uniforms: all students in Kinder/GS and above must wear the school uniform; average uniform cost is USD 200–250 (full dress and daily uniform required). - Bus service: contracted bus service is available; annual bus fees for 2026–2027 are USD 3,500 for round-trip and USD 1,750 for one-way (route availability is subject to minimum ridership and routing changes).
Awty Plus (after-school / activity programme) fees - Awty Plus example fees per semester (packages and single-day options): Activity Package (five-day) — Fall USD 2,375; Spring USD 2,731. Stay & Study/Play (five-day) — Fall USD 1,733; Spring USD 1,830. Single-day activity or stay & study options are listed at lower per-semester amounts. One-on-one music: USD 45 (half hour) / USD 85 (hour). Late pick-up and other occurrence fees apply. Refund policy for Awty Plus: full refund (less USD 100 administrative fee) if a student withdraws before attending the selected activity; no refunds after the first day of class (Awty Plus policy).
Boarding - Boarding is not applicable. The Awty International School is an international day school (PK3–Grade 12); it operates as a day school rather than a boarding school.
Refund and withdrawal information (tuition and fees) - Enrollment-time fees (New Student Fee and Registration Fee) are due at the time of enrollment and are non-refundable. - The Student/Parent Handbook states there will be no refund of tuition when withdrawal or dismissal occurs because a student's living arrangements violate the School's residence requirement. The Handbook also states that in a force majeure closure the School is under no obligation to refund any portion of tuition paid. These specific Handbook provisions apply to enforced withdrawal and force majeure circumstances. - Awty Plus program refunds: full refund less USD 100 administrative fee if withdrawn before attending; no refunds after the first day of class.
How parents are billed and common payment methods - Billing and payment activity is managed through the school's parent portal and tuition-management systems (the school uses a Blackbaud / MySchoolApp integration for parent access and tuition billing). Families receive invoices from the Business Office and fees are charged to student accounts accordingly. - Typical payment methods used with the Blackbaud / MySchoolApp tuition-management workflow include credit/debit card and ACH/eCheck (payment processors commonly assess a convenience/processing fee for credit-card transactions; ACH/eCheck is typically offered with lower or no processing fee). Specific accepted card types and any convenience fee amount depend on the tuition-management processor and the school's chosen settings. Examples of Blackbaud tuition-management implementations list Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express as accepted cards and note convenience fees on credit-card transactions.
Billing terms and collection notes - Fees (application, registration, capital, exam, trip, book, bus, Awty Plus) are invoiced by the Business Office and must be paid as invoiced; payment plans described above apply to tuition only, not to separately invoiced fees. Late or unpaid balances are subject to the school's established collection/finance policies as set out by the Business Office and tuition-management procedures.
(End of fees overview.)
Fee details
Application & enrollment fees - Enrollment fee: USD 500, charged at enrollment. A deposit of USD 2,500 is required and is applied toward the student's tuition. Visa-processing fee: USD 1,500 (charged only when the school obtains an I-20 for an F-1 visa).
Day-student tuition (2026–2027) — annual, per-semester and 10-month plan examples - Pre-K2: Annual USD 21,945 — Per semester (approx.) USD 10,973 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 2,195. - Pre-K3: Annual USD 24,819 — Per semester (approx.) USD 12,410 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 2,482. - Pre-K4: Annual USD 27,849 — Per semester (approx.) USD 13,925 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 2,785. - Kindergarten – Grade 4: Annual USD 30,108 — Per semester (approx.) USD 15,054 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 3,011. - Grade 5: Annual USD 33,020 — Per semester (approx.) USD 16,510 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 3,302. - Grades 6–8: Annual USD 33,689 — Per semester (approx.) USD 16,845 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 3,369. - Grades 9–12: Annual USD 35,373 — Per semester (approx.) USD 17,687 — 10-month plan (approx. monthly) USD 3,537. High-school students (Grades 9–12) are required to purchase books in addition to tuition.
(Note: the school operates on a two-semester academic calendar; per-semester figures above are the annual tuition divided by two. The 10-month figures are the annual tuition divided by ten to reflect the school's offered 10-month payment plan.)
Boarding fees (2026–2027) - 7-day boarding (full-time on-campus): Annual boarding tuition USD 86,230 + Student Fee USD 7,500 = Total USD 93,730. Boarding inclusions listed: room, board, tuition, meals, health insurance, laundry service, academic and personal advising, full access to athletic facilities, class trip, airport transportation, uniforms, textbooks, Thanksgiving/Spring Break trip, after-school and weekend activities. Some items (specialty program fees, athletic participation fees, graduation fees) are not included. - 5-day boarding (Sunday evening–Friday dismissal): Annual boarding tuition USD 68,984 + Student Fee USD 7,500 = Total USD 76,484. The 5-day program excludes certain items (uniforms, textbooks, Thanksgiving/Spring Break trip, weekend activities, airport transportation and some specialty fees).
Additional mandatory and commonly charged fees - Curriculum Enhancement fees (per grade where applicable): Grade 4 USD 570; Grade 5 USD 880; Grade 6 USD 1,190; Grade 7 USD 2,780; Grade 8 USD 2,800; Grade 9 USD 2,630; Grade 10 USD 2,800; Grade 11 USD 2,800; Grade 12 USD 1,900. - Building fee: USD 1,250. Enrollment fee: USD 500. Technology fee (Grades 1–12): USD 425. Graduation fee (Grade 12 only): USD 1,250. Visa processing (I-20) fee: USD 1,500 (charged only when applicable). High-school textbooks and certain after-school programs, trips, and specialty activities may incur additional charges. - Uniforms and campus-store items: uniforms are required and available through the specified uniform supplier; PE and spirit wear are sold at the campus store (costs vary by vendor and item). The used-uniform store operates on campus as a separate channel for purchases.
Billing schedule and payment terms - Deposit: USD 2,500 deposit is applied toward tuition at enrollment. - Payment plans offered: Single Payment Plan; Two-Installment Payment Plan (finance charges apply); 10-Month Payment Plan (finance charges apply). Two-installment payments are approximately one-half of the annual tuition per installment; the 10-month plan spreads the annual tuition across ten monthly payments. Specific finance-charge rates for installment plans are applied to installment options. - Academic schedule used for term/billing reference: the school publishes a two-semester academic calendar (Semester I and Semester II). - ACH / automatic debit terms: electronic-check/ACH authorizations permit automatic debits for statement balances; the school may debit the account no later than 15 days following the payment due date and requires 14 days' notice to change or cancel a scheduled ACH payment. Returned or rejected payments may incur return fees and termination of the electronic payment method.
Fee payment methods (accepted forms and instructions) - Online payment portal (TuitionPay): accepts credit card, debit card and ACH/eCheck payments. ACH/eCheck payments may incur fees charged by the sender's bank. - Checks: payable to The Village School; mailed or deposited in school lockboxes. Wire transfers: bank and beneficiary details are provided for international wires; wire fees must be paid by the sender. FlyWire is available for international online payments. The school's payment instructions include bank routing and account numbers as well as the FlyWire link for international payments.
Refunds and withdrawal processing - Withdrawal procedure: an official withdrawal form must be completed to withdraw a student. The school requires time to complete the withdrawal packet (two weeks is indicated as a typical processing window) and will confirm the withdrawal via the parent/guardian listed in the student system. Outstanding fees or unreturned school property may delay the withdrawal process. Returned materials (textbooks, uniforms, athletic gear) must be returned before records are released. - Tuition refunds: no general, detailed public schedule for tuition refunds on withdrawal is published in the school materials located during this review; withdrawal is processed through the Business Office and billing adjustments (refunds or charges) are handled according to the school's billing procedures. For clarification on tuition refund timing or the deposit's refundability, the school's Business Office handles billing questions (business.office@thevillageschool.com; 281‑496‑7900, option 3). - Specific refund policies that are published: camp programs — full refund if cancelled prior to the published deadline (example: April 5 for the camp season); after that deadline refunds are normally only for cancellations by the school or for medical reasons with documentation. Sports fees — a NO REFUND policy is stated in the relevant division handbook for sports fees. IB re-grade fees — if a re-grade increases the student's score, a refund for the re-grade charge will be given.
Other notes about fees - Many optional and program-specific fees exist (after-school programs, specialty trips, athletics participation fees, Global Games/region-event fees, graduation-related costs, and certain course or exam fees). These are charged in addition to base tuition and are listed as separate charges on student billing statements when applicable. Building, technology and student fees are assessed in addition to tuition as noted above.
(For billing, ACH and wire details, and for questions about account statements, the Business Office provides payment instructions, an ACH authorization form, and the school's online payment portal. Contact details and business-office resources are listed for billing inquiries.)
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
Awty serves PK3–12 with two language programs: the French Accredited Program, which follows the French National Curriculum and culminates in the French Baccalaureate, and the International Program, which leads to the International Baccalaureate Diploma or the United States High School Diploma. Early Learning (PK3–1st/CP) uses French and Spanish immersion to build bilingual foundations. In Lower School, the International Program is taught in English or Spanish, while the French Program follows the French National Curriculum, with Cycle 2 (CP–CE2) leading into Cycle 3 (CM1–6ème); both tracks include daily second language instruction (English for French Accredited Program; French or Spanish for International). The World Language Department offers additional languages (Arabic, Chinese Mandarin, German, Hindi, Japanese, Russian), with courses at different levels and CEFR guiding language learning. In Upper School, graduates earn the American High School Diploma and either the International Baccalaureate Diploma or the French Baccalaureate Diploma; the school emphasizes inquiry-based learning and advisory support as part of university preparation. The program emphasizes multilingualism, with English, French, and Spanish immersion and CEFR guidance across language learning.
Curriculum details
The Village School offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in High School for students aged 14–18. Students take six subjects from six groups, typically three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level, with the option of an arts course or another subject from the groups. The IB curriculum includes Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity and Service as its core components. Language study is integrated into the program, with opportunities to take IB language courses as part of the six subjects. The Village School's teachers are trained in delivering the IB Diploma curriculum, and assessment includes external examinations and school-based tasks.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
8:1.
Student teacher ratio
7:1
Exam results
Exam results
Awty reports pass rates above 90% in both the International Baccalaureate and French Baccalaureate programs.
Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Graduates matriculate primarily to United States universities; the Class of 2023 US matriculation was 87% with France 6%, Canada 4%, and Other 3%. Notable universities attended by Awty graduates include University of Massachusetts (Boston and Amherst), University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, USC, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, and Washington University in St. Louis, among others. All graduates prepare for either the French Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate alongside the United States High School Diploma.
Higher education progression
The Village School provides a comprehensive college counseling program with individualized attention for all high school students, with a dedicated college counselor for the duration of their Village experience. Support begins as early as eighth grade, helping students plan and apply to universities, and graduates go on to top universities around the world.
Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
Awty supports gifted and talented students through formal honors and societies, including National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, Société Honoraire de Français, National Art Honor Society, National Chinese Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and Tri-M Music Honor Society. NHS/NJHS memberships have specific criteria and service components; SHF recognizes top French-language excellence; NAHS and other honor societies support arts, languages, and academics.
Gifted and talented
After Class Enrichment (ACE) offers a robust program of after-school activities across athletics, arts and academics, providing outlets for students to express their talents, creativity and ambition and develop as innovators and creative thinkers.
Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Submit the online admissions application via Ravenna. Create a family account and a profile for each applicant. Enter the intended entry year and select the program track or diploma focus. Applications for 2026-2027 open September 1, 2025, with deadlines of October 31 (PK3–5th/CM2) and November 21 (6th/6ème–12th/Tle). 2. Submit the online application along with the parent statement (for all grades) and, for 6th–12th, the student statement. Pay the $200 non-refundable application fee. Ravenna will guide you to upload required materials and to verify guardian contact information; all other requirements are due by mid-January. 3. Arrange and complete the required standardized admissions tests. PK4–5th graders takeWPPSI or WISC, while 6th–12th graders take the ISEE. Tests are scheduled through Collaborative Academic Testing Service (CATs) or ERB; review the admissions checklist for specifics. 4. Attend admissions events and book tours through Ravenna. In-person tours are available to families who apply and can be booked after submission; tours run September through December. Ravenna also lets you schedule admissions events and view decisions. 5. Files are reviewed by the Admissions Committee and decisions are communicated in early March. If relocating and space is limited, inquire with Admissions about openings; late applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis if openings exist. 6. If your child is in the waiting pool, you will be contacted immediately if an opening becomes available; the waiting pool is not ranked and stays open until the first day of school. If admitted, respond with enrollment by the stated deadline (March 25, 2026). 7. Legacy considerations apply: qualified applicants whose parent is an Awty alumnus, an employee, or already has a child enrolled may receive special consideration in the admissions process. 8. Financial aid decisions are separate from admissions. The school offers need-based aid to admitted students; there are no merit scholarships. Applications for aid are submitted through Blackbaud Financial Aid, with a February 15, 2026 deadline. For French citizens applying to the French Accredited Program, the French Bourse via Houston's French Consulate is available.
Admissions
Step 1 Submit an Inquiry: Complete the online inquiry form. We will be in touch within 24 hours. This initiates contact with the admissions team. You will begin the admissions process.
Step 2 Get Connected: Schedule a conversation with the admissions team, meet your enrollment officer, and have your questions answered. Tours are available upon request. Relocating or non-local families can have interviews and meetings online to accommodate circumstances. This connection helps you understand the program and plan next steps.
Step 3 Complete the Application: Enter your details through the online form and begin the process. Submit teacher recommendations, government-issued ID, and report cards or transcripts. Include test scores and immunization records as part of the required documentation.
Step 4 Interview/observations: Observations are required for all Pre-K and Kindergarten applications. Student interviews for higher grades will be scheduled once all other steps are complete. These steps help the school assess readiness and fit.
Step 5 Application Review: We review your application and advise you of the decision. For priority consideration, submit your application and all required documents by January 15. If offered admission, complete enrollment steps by March 25 to secure your spot, space permitting.
Scholarships
Scholarships
The school offers need-based financial aid to admitted students; no merit scholarships are offered. Financial aid applications are submitted through Blackbaud Financial Aid, with a February 15, 2026 deadline. Aid decisions are communicated as part of the admissions process and aid is typically awarded on a year-to-year basis. For French citizens applying to the French Accredited Program, the French Bourse through Houston's French Consulate is available.
Scholarships
Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) vouchers are accepted for eligible families beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. Acceptance of a voucher does not change the admissions process. Families may still apply for additional financial aid through the standard process, and the school cannot assist with the state's TEFA application.
Waitlist
Waitlist
Waiting pool exists. If an opening becomes available, the Admissions Office will contact you right away. The waiting pool is not ranked and stays open until the first day of school. Families should re-apply for the following academic year if no spot is offered.
