Admissions Information

City Garden Montessori School offers two pathways, depending on your child’s age:

Preschool (Primary) Program

Kindergarten to 8th Grade Charter School

A private, tuition-based program for young children, with financial aid available for eligible families.
A free, public charter school serving students in the City of St. Louis.

To begin the admissions process for our Charter School, please click the button below.

Preschool (Primary)

Admission Process

Step 1: Eligibility

Children must:

Be fully potty trained by the first day of school:

If a child is potty trained at home but cannot consistently do so at school, enrollment may be paused until readiness is achieved.

Turn 3 years old by July 31 of the enrollment year

Step 2: Tuition Information & Financial Aid

Preschool tuition is income-based, using a sliding scale determined by family size and income.
Use the Income Level Calculator
(2026-27) to determine your level (A-D)
View tuition rates in the
(Preschool Tuition Rate Guide (2026-27)

Financial aid and state subsidy applications are completed after acceptance.

Step 3: Submitting an Application

Required documents:

  • Original birth certificate (no copies of copies)
  • Immunization records
  • Two proofs of residence
    (utility bill, lease, mortgage, voter registration, etc.)
  • Parent/guardian photo ID
Application deadline: March 1
Notifications sent: Week of Mar 9, 2026
Contact Us:
📞 314-664-7646
📧 admissions@citygardenschool.org
Tuition is prorated only for unexpected school closures.
Scheduled school breaks are included in tuition rates.
Submit a Preschool (Primary) Application!

Kindergarten–8th Grade School

Admission Process

Step 1: Eligibility

To apply, families must live in the City of St. Louis.

Admissions follow this priority order:

Once FRL goals are met, remaining seats are offered based on catchment area.

Kindergarten age requirement: Children must turn 5 years old by July 31 of the enrollment year.

Step 2: Determine Your Catchment

City Garden uses three geographic catchments within St. Louis City.

  • Use the interactive catchment map
  • Enter your address to see your catchment:
  • Red = Catchment 1
  • Blue = Catchment 2
  • Yellow = Catchment 3
  • All other colors = Outside (not eligible)

We have created an interactive map that folks can use to determine their catchment.

Step 3: Submitting an Application

Required documents:

Submit a Charter School Application!

Step 4: Lottery & Deadline

Charter School Lottery Date: March 6, 2026
First round of offers issued for the upcoming school year

For questions, please contact our Admissions Office.

Phone Line: 314-664-7646
Fax Number: 314-664-4997
Email Address: admissions@citygardenschool.org