Learn About Independent Schools
-
What Are Independent Private Schools?
More than 2,000 independent private schools across the United States provide high-quality education to more than 700,000 students from pre-K through high school.
Independent schools are close-knit communities that provide students with individualized attention. They challenge students to stretch their minds and go beyond academics to develop responsible, independent, and community-oriented students.
What makes independent schools independent? Independent schools are independent in:
- Philosophy: each is driven by a unique mission.
- The way they are managed and financed: each is governed by an independent board of trustees and each is primarily supported through tuition payments and charitable contributions.
They are accountable to their communities and are accredited by state-approved accrediting bodies.
Independent schools come in all shapes and sizes. Independent schools include elementary and secondary schools; day and boarding schools; single-sex and coeducational schools. Some independent schools are religiously affiliated and others are not. They vary in size and educational approach.
-
The Independent School Advantage
While they share much in common, each independent school is unique. You can find schools that fit your student’s needs using our detailed School Directory, which profiles 2,000 fully accredited, non-discriminatory NAIS member schools.
What Makes Independent Schools Special?
Independence in the truest sense of the word. Independent schools are governed by a board of trustees, not a public school board. They are primarily supported by tuition payments, charitable contributions, and endowment revenue.
- Independent school teachers have the freedom to create educational experiences that meet each child’s needs, without state mandates on curriculum, textbooks, and testing.
Mission-driven education. Whether co-ed or single sex, day school or boarding school, each independent school is driven by its own unique philosophy, values, and approach to teaching.
- The wide diversity among independent schools allows you to find a school that is a great fit for your student.
High academic standards. Independent schools nurture intellectual curiosity, stimulate personal growth, encourage critical thinking, and promote a lifelong love of learning.
- More students in independent schools enroll in advanced courses than in public, parochial, and other private schools.
Small classes that allow for individual attention. Low student-teacher ratios encourage close connections between instructors and students.
- In 2024-2025, the median ratio in NAIS schools was 8.2 students to each teacher.
Excellent teachers. Independent school instructors usually teach in their areas of expertise. They strive to develop a full understanding of each student’s learning style, interests, and motivation.
- Graduates of independent schools have a greater likelihood of completing a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree.
Education for the whole child. In addition to academics, independent schools also nurture students’ personal and social growth and civic conscience.
- Outside the classroom, students participate in school-sponsored athletic competitions, artistic pursuits, and leadership experiences.
Inclusiveness. Independent schools foster diverse and vibrant student communities that welcome and respect every family.
- In 2024-2025, students of color were 34.1 percent of independent school enrollment, while 5.7 percent of students were from other countries.
A community of parents who actively participate in their children’s education. Independent schools promote regular communication among students, parents, and teachers to ensure everyone is working toward the same goals.
- As a parent, you can actively engage in your student’s education, because the staff and teachers want and value your participation.
-
Links of Interest
Find more information on these topics below:
- Independent School Admissions
- Educational Consultants
- Boarding Schools
- Single-Sex Education
- International Schools
- Financial Aid Application Forms
- Loan Services
- Tuition Payment Plans
- Tax-Advantaged Savings Programs
- Merit Aid/Scholarships
Independent School AdmissionsNAIS member schools strive to uphold Principles of Good Practice, guidelines that set high standards and define ethical behavior in more than a dozen important areas of independent school operations. Each set of principles was drafted by an NAIS committee of practitioners in that professional area and submitted to the NAIS board of trustees for approval.
Two of the areas the Principles of Good Practice cover are especially relevant to families who want to learn more about how schools operate.- Principles of Good Practice for Admission guide the admission staff’s dealings with parents, schools, colleagues, and the general public. The principles cover issues including nondiscrimination, financial aid, confidentiality, and more.
- Principles of Good Practice for Equity and Justice provide a foundation for communities that are inclusive, diverse, and multicultural.
Educational Consultants
Independent Educational Consultants Association members specialize in helping families select and apply to international schools, boarding schools, schools for students with learning disabilities, and other independent schools.
Boarding Schools
Junior Boarding Schools Association represents 14 schools that specialize in elementary and middle school education in a residential setting. Get member links; perspectives from parents, faculty, students, and alumni; essays on the junior boarding school experience; and other resources.
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) provides definitions and links to different types of boarding schools, including military, junior boarding, pre-professional arts, etc., as well as information for international families and application advice.
Western Boarding Schools Association represents more than three dozen college-preparatory schools in the western United States and Canada. The site provides a school finder, a calendar of school fairs, and application materials.
Single-Sex Education
International Boys’ School Coalition represents 150 independent and parochial boys’ schools worldwide.
National Coalition of Girls’ Schools offers guidance on "Why a Girls' School" along with “Tips for Parents” and “Tips for Girls.” You can also search a state-by-state listing of more than 100 girls’ schools in the Member Directory.
International Schools
Canadian Association of Independent Schools includes a membership listing you can search for more than 75 schools by province or school type.
Council of International Schools provides a member directory of international schools.
Financial Aid Application Forms
There are services that process financial aid for many independent schools. Ask your school if it recommends any of these services and what forms you need to fill out.
Loan Services
Financial aid loan programs are tuition-loan services especially for kindergarten through 12th grade. Ask the school to which you’re applying if it has any preferred loan companies, perhaps connected with its tuition-payment plan.
Tuition Payment Plans
Tuition payment plans allow you to make monthly payments for independent school fees and tuition, instead of paying in one or two lump sums. Typically, payment plans are coordinated between a financial services company and individual schools and are offered to families for a relatively small fee. Ask your school if it recommends certain plans or providers.
Tax-Advantaged Savings Programs
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are tax-friendly accounts that families can use for K-12 private school expenses, as well as higher education. You can learn more at http://finaid.org/savings/coverdell.phtml and in the IRS publication “Tax Benefits for Education.” (Note that the IRS publication covers more than just Coverdell accounts, including many tax-related programs that are exclusively for college expenses.)
Merit Aid/Scholarships
The majority of financial aid available to families attending independent schools comes directly from the schools, so the first step in researching scholarships is to talk to the school. Also look into scholarship programs offered by local chapters of national organizations like the Rotary Club, employers, churches, civic organizations, and your local Chamber of Commerce. Some of these are listed below.
NAIS has compiled the following list of scholarship programs for informational purposes only. The information has been verified to the best of NAIS’s ability. NAIS cannot be held responsible if certain programs cease operations, alter their program details, or change contact information. Because these organizations are largely funded through voluntary, private donations, programs may change at any time. Contact the agencies for specific program terms, descriptions, deadlines, and eligibility requirements.Contact
PO Box 1616
Phoenix, AZ 85311
623-414-3429
For students in
State: Arizona
Affiliations
Childrens Scholarship Fund
Restrictions
Income-based
Contact
268 Bush Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
415-986-5650
For students in
State: California
Counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo
Restrictions
Application period from January-April on a first come, first served basis. Maximum scholarship of $1,600/year.
BISON Scholarship Fund (New York)Contact
PO Box 1134
Buffalo, NY 14205
(716) 854-0869
For students in
State: New York
Counties: City of Buffalo, Lackawanna, West Seneca, Cheektowaga, Snyder/Eggertsville, Kenmore, and Town of Tonawanda
Baltimore Educational Scholarship TrustContact
808 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 752-2225
For students in
State: Maryland
Counties: Baltimore
Contact
3636 16th Street NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20010
(202) 387-1414
http://www.blackstudentfund.org
For students in
State: District of Columbia
Counties: DC Metropolitan area
Contact
287 East 10th Street
New York, NY 10009
For students in
State: New York
Counties: NYC
Restrictions
Must become a member of the Boys' Club of New York.
Contact
1000 Lafayette Blvd., Suite 1100
Bridgeport, CT 06604
For students in
State: Connecticut
Counties: Hartford and Bridgeport
Affiliations
Children First America
Capital Partners For Education (DC)Contact
1413 K Street, N.W., 2nd floor
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 682-6020
For students in
State: District of Columbia
Counties: metropolitan area
Restrictions
A GPA of 2.0-3.0 is required. Single-parent, low-income households.
Catholic Schools Foundation (Massachusetts)Contact
260 Franklin Street, Suite 630
Boston, MA 02110
https://www.csfboston.org/programs/
(617) 778-5981
For students in
State: Massachusetts
Counties: Boston area inner-city
Charles E. Ellis Trust For Girls (Pennsylvania)Contact
215 S. Broad Street, 10th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 735-4480
For students in
State: Pennsylvania
Counties: Philadelphia
Children's Education Fund (Texas)Contact
PO Box 225748
Dallas, TX 75222-5748
http://www.todayfoundation.org
(214) 572-4487
For students in
State: Texas
Counties: Dallas County
Contact
8 West 38th Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10018
http://www.scholarshipfund.org
(212) 515-7100
Restrictions
Available to students entering grades K - 8
Daniel Murphy Scholarship FoundationContact
100 West Monroe, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 455-7800
For students in
State: Illinois
Counties: Chicago
Contact
55 Madison St, 8th Floor
Denver, CO 80206
information@denverfoundation.org
http://www.denverfoundation.org
(303) 300-1790
For students in
State: Colorado
Counties: Denver public schools
Denver Urban Scholars (Colorado)Contact
3532 Franklin Street, Suite T
Denver, CO 80205
http://denverurbanscholars.org/
For students in
State: Colorado
Counties: Denver metropolitan area
Contact
PO Box 5403
Washington, DC 20016
director@latinostudentfund.org
http://www.latinostudentfund.org
(2020 244-3438
For students in
State: District of Columbia
Counties: Washington metropolitan area
Restrictions
Maximum Scholarship: Grades PreK-5: $500
Contact
2221 South State Street
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 225-5465
For students in
State: Illinois
Counties: Chicago metropolitan area
Contact
245 Main St., Ellsworth ME 04605
(877) 700-6800
http://mainecf.org/Scholarships/PrivateHighSchool/tabid/217/
For students in
State: Maine
New Hampshire Charitable FoundationContact
37 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301-4005
For students in
State: New Hampshire
Counties: Belknap County
Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship & Financial AssistanceContact
PO Box 1599
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Affiliations
Office of DINE Youth
Restrictions
Contingent upon available funds. For students entering grades 9-12, meeting the required GPA of 3.3.
Partners Advancing Values in Education (Wisconsin)Contact
135 W. Wells Street, Ste. 850
Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414) 263-2970
For students in
State: Wisconsin
Counties: Milwaukee
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting/Society of FriendsContact
1515 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
For students in
State: Pennsylvania
Counties: Philadelphia area
Rhode Islanders Sponsoring EducationContact
143 Prairie Avenue, 1st Floor
Providence, RI 02905
(401) 421-2010
For students in
State: Rhode Island
Counties: Providence metropolitan area
Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (New Jersey)Contact
PO Box 9500
171 Clifton Avenue
Newark, NJ 07104-0500
(973) 497-4279
For students in
State: New Jersey
Counties: Essex, Union, Hudson, and Bergen counties
Affiliations
Children's Scholarship Fund
School CHOICE Scholarships, Inc. (Kentucky)Contact
PO Box 221546
Louisville, KY 40252-1546
For students in
State: Kentucky
Counties: Jefferson and Oldham Counties
Contact
PO Box 50
Kensington, MD 20895
(240) 482-4963
info@theshepherdfoundation.org
http://www.theshepherdfoundation.org
For students in
State: District of Columbia
Counties: Washington metropolitan area
Restrictions
Funds paid directly to the school on behalf of the students.
Skillman Foundation (Michigan)Contact
100 Talon Centre Dr. Suite 100
Detroit, Michigan 48207
(313) 393-1185
For students in
State: Michigan
Restrictions
Not available to families.
Student/Partner Alliance (New Jersey)Contact
PO Box 566
Millburn, NJ 07041
(973) 379-5878
http://www.studentpartneralliance.org
For students in
State: New Jersey
Tri-County Scholarship Fund (New Jersey)Contact
4 Century Drive
Parsippany, NJ 07054
For students in
State: New Jersey
Vermont Student Opportunity Scholarships (Vermont)Contact
PO Box 232
Williston, VT 05495
For students in
State: Vermont
Wight Foundation, Inc. (New Jersey)Contact
60 Park Place, 17th Floor
Newark, NJ 07102
wightfoundation@wightfoundation.org
http://www.wightfoundation.org
(973) 824-1195
For students in
State: New Jersey
Counties: Greater Newark area
-
Stats of Interest
- More than 700,000 students were enrolled in NAIS schools in 2024-25.
- The average day-school tuition was $32,251.
- The average tuition at seven-day boarding schools was approximately $71,715, including room and board.
- Approximately 25 percent of students at day schools received financial aid. Among students at boarding schools, about 40 percent received financial aid.
- The median grant to students at day schools who received financial aid was $12,700. The median grant to students receiving aid at boarding schools was $42,151.
- Students of color made up 34.1 percent of total enrollment.
- International students made up 5.7 percent of total enrollment.
Source: 2024-25 NAIS National Tables and 2024-25 Facts at a Glance.
-
First Steps
What’s on your wish list?
Start by working with your family to determine your ideal educational community. Ask yourself whether the school would be:
- Small or large?
- A day school or boarding school?
- Coeducational or single-sex?
- Traditional or progressive?
- A source of special programs (for example, arts, sports, or computers)?
- A diverse community?
- Sensitive to your child’s special needs, whether for rigorous intellectual preparation, for programs devoted to average learners, or for a curriculum geared to students with learning differences?
Then check out these sources of school information:
- Regional guidebooks on the shelves of your local library or bookstore;
- State or local associations of independent schools;
- School fairs, usually sponsored in the fall by local groups of day schools or by regional groups of boarding schools;
- Teachers who have worked with your child.
Whether your child is moving on from preschool, elementary school, or middle school, teachers are likely to be knowledgeable about where other children tend to go and what kind of school your child might thrive in.
-
First Steps: Act Early
Public schools take in new children all year round. But not independent schools. Most schools’ admissions and financial aid timelines are like colleges’; applicants start the process almost a year before they plan to attend.
Take-away message: Learn the deadlines — for both admission and financial aid — by checking websites. Call individual schools if you have questions. The entire process will be easier on your family if you know the deadlines, keep track of them carefully, and give yourself plenty of time to meet them.