Admissions

The Girard Difference

Selecting the right learning environment for your child’s school is one of the most important decisions you can make. Girard College provides a weekday campus home that is optimal for learning. Students benefit from a living and learning environment during the weekdays paired with essential time together with family and community on the weekends. This thoughtful balance builds responsible study and life skills so students can thrive in all ways.

Embraced by the Girard family, students experience structure with support, guided independence with responsibility, and an expansive space to safely explore and grow—intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Through challenging academics and transformative experiences, they are empowered to build on their strengths and shape their own success.

Located in Philadelphia on a beautiful 43-acre campus brimming with historic architecture, students and faculty have access to all the remarkable facets a major city has to offer. From project-based learning opportunities to collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations, students can discover new interests or explore passions through direct interactions with leaders who want to share their expertise.

Readiness to learn and academic success are closely linked to social and emotional growth, a key component of a Girard education. Every student who shows a need is fully supported by a Student Achievement Team composed of counselors and specialists who help address difficult topics, establish meaningful relationships, and work together with the student to make constructive progress.

Students fully embrace their tight-knit community and shape each other’s lives through reciprocal mentorship. A strong lifelong bond develops among older and younger students and alumni—a unifying pride in being Girardian.

Join the Girard Family

Thank you for your interest in Girard College!

Please review the information on this page regarding eligibility for our program and first steps in the application process.

We invite you to explore our Get to Know Us page and Frequently Asked Questions to give you a taste of life at Girard.

The best way to reach us is via email at admissions@girardcollege.edu, or you may call 215-787-2621. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hail Girard!

Tin Luu
Director of Admissions

Eligibility

All accepted students receive full scholarships that are renewed yearly. Our unique program has very specific eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for admission, candidates must meet all the following requirements:

• Student must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
• Student must currently reside in a household headed by a single biological parent or guardian. Eligible students cannot currently live with both biological parents in the same household.
• Student must be at least 5 years old, enrolled in a kindergarten program, and/or applying for grades 1-9.
• Desirable student should demonstrate excellent academic achievement as defined by the following.
  • Student with GPA at or above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or B average on all report cards from previous or current academic year.
  • Student exhibit grades 80 or better on their report card from previous and current year in the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science.
  • Student with no grades below 70 on their report card from previous or current academic year.
  • Student should currently be on grade-level proficiency in both Mathematics and Reading based on benchmark or standardized test scores.
• Student should demonstrate a commitment to our core values: Respect, Responsibility, Courage, Compassion, and Integrity.
• Student should not have any negative disciplinary records, including school suspensions.
• Student should have attendance records of being present 95% or more of school days (no more than 9 absences) during the past academic year, with no more than 50% of those absences being unexcused (not to exceed 4.5 days).
• Student must be able to live on campus 5 days a week, from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon.
  Parent or legal guardian must be able to consistently meet the student weekend transportation expectation with Sunday evening drop-offs between 5:30-7pm and Friday afternoon pick-ups between 3:15-6pm.
• Student must demonstrate financial need. Please see Financial Eligibility below.

Financial Eligibility

Girard College serves families with limited financial means to lessen their financial burden while they strive to improve their socioeconomic situation. With this goal in mind, families are financially eligible to apply to Girard College if parent/guardian annual income does not exceed the provided household size thresholds listed below:

Household / Family Size: 2022 Annual Income

2 : $49,300
3 : $62,150
4 : $75,000
5 : $87,850
6 : $100,700

If you meet all the eligibility requirements above, then we invite you to apply!  You may submit your child’s application via the portal provide at the bottom of this page.

Supportability (IEP & 504 Plan)

Girard College has limited support. All students deserve to be where all of their needs can be accommodated. If your child currently is supported through an IEP or a 504 Plan, their most recent reports must be submitted for evaluation by Girard College. The below lists state what we are able and unable to support at Girard College. If your child’s needs cannot be fully supported by Girard College, their application will not be permitted to continue the admissions process and will be withdrawn from consideration.

Can Possibly Support

• Other Health Impairment (OHI) such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Asthma
• Specially Designed Instruction (SDIs) such as frequent breaks, extended time, and preferential seating

Cannot Support

• 1:1 Specialized Services support
• Any Special Education support
• Read-aloud instructions for tests and high-stakes assessments
• Pullout support for IEPs/504s that mandate times of service
• IEPs/504s that require speech, physical, and/or occupational therapy

Admissions Process

Girard College prides itself on being a personal and intimate school. Our small class sizes allow for a robust academic and residential experience for the students we serve. This also means that available beds for new incoming students are typically very limited, making admission to Girard College competitive. Strict deadlines must be met for student candidates to be considered for admission. It is advantageous for our applicant families to complete their admissions checklist as soon as possible.

Applicants and their families must meet all eligibility criteria in order to apply to Girard College. Please be sure to review the “Eligibility” section before submitting your application. If determined through our verification process that your applicant child(ren) does not meet one or more of our eligibility criteria, their application will not be permitted to continue the admissions process and will be withdrawn from consideration.

Once your child’s application form is submitted, you will receive an email titled “Thank you for applying to Girard College.” Please follow the instructions in this email to log into your Parent Portal. There, you will have access to your child(ren)’s Admissions Checklist. The checklist must be completed in order for your child(ren) to be considered for acceptance to Girard College.

Admissions Checklist Items

• Student Photo
• Parent Interview
• Official School Records
• Financial Eligibility
• Teachers’ Recommendations
• Entrance Exam (On-campus event)
• Shadow Day – includes tours for parents/guardians (On-campus event)

Once all checklist items are completed, your child(ren)’s file will be forwarded to our Admissions Committee for consideration. Acceptance, denial, and waitlisted decisions will be announced on or after April 1st, 2023.  If accepted, your Admissions representative will discuss bed availability for your child(ren). If a bed is not available at that time, your child(ren) will be placed on our waitlist. Waitlisted students will be pulled by order of their acceptance date from our waitlist as beds become available.  Openings of beds for waitlisted students are not guaranteed.  Families are expected to actively work through the admission process in a timely manner and be communicative with the Office of Admissions.

Quick Links

Teacher Recommendation Form (entering grades 1 to 5)

Teacher Recommendation Form (entering grades 6 to 11)

School Records Release Form

Submit Your Application Today!

Please read the above Eligibility and Admissions Process sections before submitting your application.
Click Here To Apply