Applying to Durham Academy

• Application fee ($125 for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 4; $75 for Grades 5 to 12)
• Reductions are available if this fee presents a financial hardship.
• Online application
• Two teacher recommendations (one for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten)
• School records
• Admissions testing
• Parent questionnaire
• Student questionnaire (grades 5–12)
• Student interview (grades 9–12)

Preschool (pre-k & kindergarten) Admission Assessment

After applying, you will be scheduled to visit Durham Academy. Each child visits campus twice, once for a group evaluation and once for an individual evaluation. 

Lower School (Grades 1–4) Admission Screening

All applicants to Grades 1–4 spend some time with us on campus. By working with our teachers in a small group setting, DA is able to glean more about their readiness for our academic program and their classroom interactions.

Middle and Upper School (Grades 5–12) Testing

Each student applying for grades 5 through 12 must take an achievement test. Students can take either the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) or the Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT). The ISEE and the SSAT are used by more than 1,000 independent schools in the United States. The only exceptions are students applying to grades 11 or 12 who have taken the PSAT or the SAT within the last year. Official ERB scores from the 2022–2023 school year may be substituted in some cases, subject to approval from the Director of Enrollment Management.

Please contact us for a fee waiver if the testing fees present a hardship to your family. We are happy to help!

For pre-kindergarten through grade 4, the most important thing is to ensure that your child comes for the testing when he or she is healthy, well-rested and has had a good breakfast.

If applying for grades 5 through 12, both the SSAT and the ISEE websites have free resources that will help you and your child understand the format of the test, directions given, sample questions and the answer sheet used.