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United States, San Diego
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6550 Soledad Mountain Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
Pre-Elementary (from 18 months) through 8th grade; PK-8; Pre-Elementary, Elementary School, Middle School; ages 18 months to 13 years
Private, independent bilingual school
France (AEFE/MEN accreditation) and Mission Laïque Française affiliation
School-owned bus service with North County stops in Carlsbad, Encinitas and Carmel Valley; a morning shuttle van in South County from Coronado and Old Town. Buses are owned, operated, and maintained by SDFAS; three-point seat belts; 5-point harness for smaller children.
Application and Enrollment Fees
- Application fee (per child, 2026–2027): USD 150.
- New student admission fee (one-time at enrollment): First child USD 1,500; additional child USD 500.
- New-family tuition deposit required to secure enrollment (non-refundable): USD 2,000 (full payment of the deposit is required at contract signature for 2026–2027).
Annual Tuition — 2026–2027 (full-time)
- Pre-Elementary
- Toddlers (18 months old) – PK2: USD 27,500 per year.
- Kindergarten: USD 29,000 per year.
- Elementary School
- Grades 1–5: USD 29,000 per year.
- Middle School
- Grades 6–8: USD 33,200 per year.
Part-time Preschool Tuition (2026–2027)
- Toddlers (18 months old – PK0 / 2 years old):
- 5 mornings: USD 25,300 per year.
- 3 full days (Mon/Wed/Fri): USD 22,800 per year.
- 2 full days (Tue/Thu): USD 18,600 per year.
Annual Fees and Grade-specific Fees
- Annual fees (non-refundable; paid with the first tuition installment each year):
- Pre-Elementary: USD 1,000.
- Elementary School: USD 1,000.
- Middle School: USD 1,000.
- Technology (Grades 3–8): refundable device deposit USD 150 (refunded on return of Chromebook + charger in good working condition); annual technology fee USD 75 (2026–2027).
- Fluency Transition Programs (F.L.E. and E.S.L.) — charged by grade and by year of support when required; examples (2026–2027):
- Grades 1–2: Year 1 USD 2,500; Year 2 USD 1,500; Year 3 USD 1,500 (F.L.E.).
- Grades 3–5: Year 1 USD 3,500; Year 2 USD 2,000; Year 3 USD 2,000 (if needed).
- Grades 6–7: Year 1 USD 4,500; Year 2 USD 3,000; Year 3 USD 2,000.
- Grade 8: Year 1 USD 6,500; Year 2 USD 3,000; Year 3 USD 2,000.
Tuition Payment Plans, Billing Schedule and Payment Terms (2026–2027)
- Plan A — one-time payment: Full tuition (annual amount) due on June 5, 2026. The optional Tuition Refund Plan (insurance) is not required for Plan A.
- Plan B — two installments: Two equal installments due on June 5, 2026 and November 5, 2026. A mandatory Tuition Refund Plan equal to 1.65% of the annual tuition (before fees) is added to accounts using Plan B. Annual fees are billed and paid with the first installment.
- Plan C — monthly installments: Ten equal installments billed on the 5th of each month from June 2026 through March 2027. A mandatory Tuition Refund Plan equal to 1.65% of the annual tuition (before fees) is added to accounts using Plan C. Annual fees are billed and paid with the first installment.
Note: the Tuition Refund Plan cost is calculated as 1.65% of the annual tuition amount and is added to Plans B and C only (it is optional with Plan A). The school applies annual fees with the first tuition installment; technology deposits and certain grade-specific charges may be billed at enrollment or with the first installment.
Illustrative per-installment amounts (rounded) for 2026–2027
- Calculations below show how tuition, the mandatory Tuition Refund Plan (1.65% of annual tuition) and the annual fee are allocated under Plan B (two installments) and Plan C (ten installments). All amounts shown in examples are rounded to the nearest cent and displayed as whole payments due on the stated dates.
- Example — Elementary / Kindergarten (Annual tuition USD 29,000; Annual fee USD 1,000):
- Tuition Refund Plan (1.65% of USD 29,000) = USD 478.50.
- Plan B (two equal installments): tuition + TRP = USD 29,478.50 → two equal installments USD 14,739.25 each. First installment (due June 5, 2026) includes the annual fee: USD 14,739.25 + USD 1,000 = USD 15,739.25. Second installment (due Nov 5, 2026) = USD 14,739.25.
- Plan C (ten installments): tuition + TRP = USD 29,478.50 → ten monthly installments USD 2,947.85. First installment (due June 5, 2026) includes the annual fee: USD 2,947.85 + USD 1,000 = USD 3,947.85. Subsequent nine installments = USD 2,947.85 each.
- Example — Middle School (Annual tuition USD 33,200; Annual fee USD 1,000):
- TRP (1.65%): USD 547.80. Tuition + TRP = USD 33,747.80.
- Plan B installments (two): USD 16,873.90 each; first installment including annual fee = USD 17,873.90 (due June 5, 2026); second = USD 16,873.90 (due Nov 5, 2026).
- Plan C installments (ten): USD 3,374.78 per month; first including annual fee = USD 4,374.78 (due June 5, 2026); months July–March = USD 3,374.78 each.
- Example — Pre-Elementary / Toddlers PK2 (Annual tuition USD 27,500; Annual fee USD 1,000):
- TRP (1.65%): USD 453.75. Tuition + TRP = USD 27,953.75.
- Plan B (two): USD 13,976.88 each; first including annual fee = USD 14,976.88 (due June 5, 2026); second = USD 13,976.88 (due Nov 5, 2026).
- Plan C (ten): USD 2,795.38 per month; first including annual fee = USD 3,795.38 (due June 5, 2026); subsequent months USD 2,795.38.
- Example — Part-time Toddler (5 mornings, annual tuition USD 25,300; Annual fee USD 1,000):
- TRP (1.65%): USD 417.45. Tuition + TRP = USD 25,717.45.
- Plan B (two): USD 12,858.73 each; first including annual fee = USD 13,858.73 (due June 5, 2026); second = USD 12,858.73 (due Nov 5, 2026).
- Plan C (ten): USD 2,571.74 per month; first including annual fee = USD 3,571.74 (due June 5, 2026); subsequent months USD 2,571.74.
(These illustrative installment amounts show the school's stated billing structure: annual fees are collected with the first installment and the Tuition Refund Plan of 1.65% is added to Plans B and C. Individual family accounts may include additional charges such as technology deposits, fluency program fees or transportation.)
Transportation and Other Optional Costs
- 2026–2027 Transportation (North County, Coronado & Old Town) — sample annual route pricing (annual package rates):
- Carlsbad / Encinitas / Carmel Valley: Single child (one-way) USD 1,520; Additional child (one-way) USD 1,140. Round trip single child USD 3,040; additional child round trip USD 2,280. (Specific routes and availability vary by program and route.)
- School clothing / spirit wear: The school does not require a uniform but enforces a dress code; teal polo shirts for field trips (PK0–5) and a grey PE shirt for PE classes are recommended and available via the school's Lands' End store and the school spirit store. Prices for clothing items are set by the vendor at time of purchase.
Technology, Deposits and Refund Terms
- Technology deposit (Grades 3–8): USD 150 deposit refundable upon return of the Chromebook and charger in good working condition; annual technology fee USD 75.
- Annual fees are explicitly non-refundable and are collected with the first tuition installment each year. The initial tuition deposit of USD 2,000 for new families is non-refundable.
- The Tuition Refund Plan (1.65% of annual tuition) is an insurance-style plan applied automatically to Plan B and Plan C; families may opt in to this plan with Plan A.
Boarding
- Boarding is not applicable for this school (SDFAS operates as a day school; boarding fees are not charged).
Fee Payment Methods and Platforms
- Enrollment contracts and all tuition payments are processed through FACTS SIS and FACTS Tuition Management platforms. Families use FACTS to sign contracts and to enroll in a payment plan.
- The school accepts payment methods for development/donation purposes (checks, credit card) through the Development Office; donation payment methods and bank-transfer information are provided to donors by the Development Office. Tuition and billing are managed through FACTS.
Additional notes on charges
- Other possible charges include overnight field-trip fees, grade-level specific fees (for example additional assessments, extended trips or special programs), enrichment or after-school program fees, and any bank or processing fees charged by the payment platform. Technology deposits and fluency program fees are billed separately where applicable.
30 nationalities comprised in our community
San Diego French-American School is a private, independent bilingual school serving ages 18 months through 8th grade on a Mount Soledad–La Jolla campus. It delivers a blended curriculum that weaves French and American approaches, with instruction in both French and English from Kindergarten onward and a full-day bilingual program beginning in early years. The school holds AEFE/MEN accreditation, CAIS membership, and WASC accreditation, and partners with Mission Laïque Française, reflecting its Franco-American identity. The campus features a large athletic field, a spacious library, an auditorium, and advanced STEAM facilities for coding, robotics, and science. An Innovation Lab expands hands-on learning with 3D printing, robotics, laser cutting, VR, and AI-assisted personalization of paths. The arts program includes a music education partnership with Conservatoire français de musique and a Scholastic Art curriculum; students also explore languages through the International Language School. Middle school fosters leadership, service, field trips, and global engagement together.
