Application Process

Cincinnati Country Day School serves highly motivated and high-potential students who can contribute to and benefit from our educational programs. Students represent a variety of interests and backgrounds. They have a positive attitude toward scholarship, exemplary personal qualities, and numerous achievements in their extracurricular pursuits.

Admission decisions are based upon a composite review process by faculty and staff of both subjective and objective information including: application date in accordance with the admission timeline, academic readiness and qualification, standardized testing, on campus evaluation and observation, maturity, affiliation with the school, commitment to long-term and on-going enrollment, diversity and gender balance, teacher recommendations, parent and student profiles, and appropriateness of the match between the family and school.

Application Procedure

Step 1: Submit an application

Applicants for the 2026-27 school year can click here to apply. Please note that many of our grades and programs in the Lower School (early childhood - grade 4) and Middle School (grades 5 - 8) have significant waiting pools for this academic year.

To apply for the 2027-28 school year, click here. Applications for the next school year are now available for submission. Please contact us directly at (513) 979-0220 if you have questions or join our prospective student inquiry pool.

Step 2: Schedule an evaluation

Applicants age 18 months through grade 2 must schedule an evaluation. Students entering Early Childhood through grade 2 will participate in an evaluation conducted by Country Day faculty members. Students entering grades 3 – 4 will take an Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). All families with students entering Early Childhood – Grade 4 must schedule an evaluation or testing date and time by calling (513) 979-0220. Click here for information.

For applicants grade 3 through 12, please see Step 3 for more information.

Step 3: Register for admission testing

Applicants grade 3 through 12, they must register for admission testing. All applicants to grades 5 through 12 must take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). Applicants may take the ISEE paper test in a small group setting at Cincinnati Country Day School or other school test site. Applicants also have the option of taking the ISEE Online at a Prometric Testing Center or via ISEE's Testing at Home option. To register for the ISEE paper or online tests, or for more information, click the icon below.

Step 4: Receive admission notification

The admission notification will be sent through you MyCCDS Portal. You will be sent an email stating that your child’s admission decision has been made, and you can view that decision as well as any corresponding tuition assistance (need- and merit-based) by using the “Inquire and Apply (Applicant Checklist)” button. As a reminder, here is the timeline for receiving admission notifications.

Step 5: Confirm enrollment

Once you have received your admission decision, you will have a specified number of days to confirm or decline your enrollment at Country Day. The number of days is dependent upon the timing of your application. A signed enrollment contract must be submitted electronically along with the enrollment deposit. Extensions are not typically granted due to the large number of applicants for many of our grades and programs and in fairness to those in our waiting pool.

Country Day enrolls students from 18 months through grade 12. Financial aid opportunities are available for new students in kindergarten through grade 12.

More Information

Admission Timeline

Students applying to Country Day must meet the following deadlines for submitting the application for admission, applying for tuition assistance and scholarships, and enrolling.

Decision Timeline

	Priority Decision	Regular Decision
Admission Application Deadline	Dec. 1	Feb. 15
Need-based (PFS) & Merit-based Assistance Application Deadline	Dec. 1	N/A*
Admission/Enrollment Contract Notification**	Jan. 10	Mar. 1
Tuition Assistance Notification	Jan. 10	N/A*
Confirmation Deadline	Feb. 1	Mar. 15

* Families may apply for tuition assistance consideration during Regular Decision. Awards will be made on a rolling basis and as long as funds remain available.

** Demand for space in the pre-primary programs (Early Childhood through Pre-Kindergarten/Montessori) is often greater than the capacity we can accommodate for new applicants, especially given the high percentage of returning students who reenroll each year. New families applying for children to these programs will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting in March until programs have reached capacity. Pre-primary applicants will be reviewed according to application date within each timeline category, previous application status with the Admission Office, affiliation to the school, and birth date. Children cannot attend the Early Childhood program prior to turning 18 months of age.

Cincinnati Country Day School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age (40 or over), national origin, ancestry, or military service/veteran status in the administration of its educational programs and policies, admission decisions, tuition aid programs, employment practices and benefits, athletics, or other school-administered programs.

Evaluation/Testing

Part of the admission process at Country Day includes student testing or evaluation. There are several opportunities throughout the year for students to be tested and evaluated on Saturdays from November through April. Please note there are different types of tests/evaluations depending upon the entering grade/program of the student.

Please go to our Evaluation/Testing page for more information.

Alumni/Friend Fee Waiver

Alumni/ae and friends are some of Cincinnati Country Day School's greatest recruiters of new students. If you know an alumnus or alumna who graduated from Country Day or a current parent or student, please ask him or her about the fee wavier program.

The fee waiver will save prospective students the application fee when they apply for admission to Country Day. A specific fee waiver code must be submitted by the student or parent during the online application process. The fee waiver cannot be accepted for an application that has already been received and processed by the Country Day Admission Office.

Please use this Alumni and Friend fee waiver code when submitting the online application.

Admission Checklist

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