Admission FAQs

List of 18 frequently asked questions.

• How will I know if I have applied? 

  Applications are submitted through MyAMS. Once the $100 application fee has been submitted, you will recieve an automated confirmation, and then a personalized Application Confirmation email from Admissions. 

   

  If you are unsure if you have submitted an application, feel free to reach out to Admission to verify. 

• How do I place my child in the Austin Montessori School waiting pool?

  By virtue of how multi-age Montessori classrooms are balanced, our waitlist is a wait pool. Children are selected from the wait pool according to the needs of the individual classroom communities.

  
  Your child will be placed in our active waiting pool once we receive an admissions application along with the application fee.
  
  When a space becomes available, we look to the wait pool and select candidates giving priority to applications from children of faculty and alumni, siblings of children enrolled at the school, and applicants whose parents have demonstrated engagement in the admissions process by attending admissions events.

• How much in advance do I need to apply? 

  The Austin Montessori School application process is thorough and requires advanced planning and allocation of time. Meetings, observations, and other visits are scheduled in advance. Completion of the application progress does not guarantee placement due to limited availability and other factors considered while making admissions decisions. Please read our Admissions Acceptance and Placement Policy for detailed information. 

• At what age can my child enroll at Austin Montessori School?

  Children enroll at Austin Montessori School at either the Youngest Children's Community (YCC) or Children's House Level.
  
  The YCC is a community for children aged 16 months through 36 months. However, there is a very narrow window of time where the child can enter into that community - this is between the age of 16 and 18 months old. The child must be walking stably to enroll in this program.

   

  Children are eligible for enrollment at 2 years and 10 months in the Children's House. The child must be fully toilet independent to enroll in this program.

• What are your policies and practicies during the COVID-19 pandemic?

  Our operating protocols during the pandemic can be found in our Covid-19 Operating Plan.

• Where are you located?

  Austin Montessori School has three campus locations in Austin, Texas.
  
  The Sunset Trail campus (16 months to 12 years) is located at 5006 Sunset Trail, Austin, 78745.
  
  The Great Northern campus (3 to 9 years) is located at 6819 Great Nothern Blvd, Austin, 78757.
  
  The Gaines Creek campus (Adolescent Community for 12 to 15 years) is located at 5677 Oak Blvd, Austin, 78735.

• What is the tuition?

  Please refer to the Tuition and Fees page for the tuition and fee schedule.

• Do you offer tuition assistance?

  Yes. The Tuition Assistance program at Austin Montessori School was established to enable children to attend this school regardless of a family’s ability to meet the cost of tuition.  Priority is given to families already enrolled in the school with funds allocated first to families with children in the Elementary and Adolescent Communities.  Awards are based solely on financial need as determined by an independent assessment through Smart Aid.

• How many children are in a class?

  Our Youngest Children's Communities for toddlers (16 months to 2 years, 10 months) have 12 children in each of our three classroom communities.
  
  Our Children's House and Elementary communities have between 28 - 32 children.
  
  Our Adolescent Program has up to 50 students. 
  
  All classes are of mixed ages and balanced by gender. 
  

• What is AMI?

  The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) is our primary accrediting agency. AMI was established in 1929 by Dr. Maria Montessori to maintain, propagate, and further her ideas and principles for the full development of the human being. AMI functions as the source of complete Montessori training and as a center for continuing research and development.

• Is this a year-round program?

  The majority of our school offers a 9 ½ month program, beginning in mid-August and continuing through the end of May. 
  
  We offer a year-round program for the Youngest Children's Community (ages 16 months to 3 years) at the Sunset Trail Campus. We also offer a Children's House level (3 to 6 years) year-round program at both our Great Northern and Sunset Trail campuses. We refer to this option as All-Day/All-Year. 
  
  Elementary children (aged 6-12) can enjoy our Summer Enrichment Program which is offered for 8 weeks during June and July.

• Can my child attend school part-time?

  In our school community, children do best with a regular, predictable schedule.  Therefore, all of our programs are five days per week.

• Do you have a kindergarten program?

  AMI Montessori classrooms offer a three-year age range starting with the Children's House for 3-6 year olds.  The Children's House includes what would elsewhere be termed the kindergarten year.  This final year from 5 to 6+ years allows children to fully integrate all of the foundational work that was begun in the previous two years.  Children of this age benefit from the daily opportunities for leadership and mentoring of younger children.

• What is the best age to start a child in Montessori?

  In our Youngest Children's Community, we primarily place children in the 16-19 month range.  
  
  In the Children's House level, the majority of spaces will be offered to children between the ages of two years and ten months, and three years and six months of age. 

• Does my child need to be walking to start school in the Youngest Children's Community?

  Yes. Children need to be walking to be enrolled in the Youngest Children's Community.

• Does my child need to be toilet independent ("potty trained") to start school?

  Children do not need to be toilet independent to be enrolled in the Youngest Children's Community. However, they do need to be fully toilet independent to be enrolled in the Children's House. Diapers and pull-ups are not permitted at this level.

• Can my child enroll in your Elementary program without prior Montessori experience?

  We only accept children transferring from other Montessori schools into our Elementary program.

• Can I enroll my child in your Adolescent Program without prior Montessori experience?

  Montessori experience is required for students entering our Adolescent Program.