HOW TO APPLY

Admissions

ADMISSIONS UPDATE

The Ethical Culture Fieldston School application for the 2027–2028 academic year is now open. Explore our pages to learn more about our Admissions process.

Dear families,

Choosing a school is one of the most personal decisions you will make for your child, and our team is here to support you every step of the way. At Ethical Culture Fieldston School, we have spent nearly 150 years bringing together ethical learning and progressive education, and that history shapes everything we do, from our academic program to the relationships our teachers build with students. As you visit our campuses and get to know our community, I hope you feel the same sense of purpose and warmth that drew so many of us here.

Our founder, Felix Adler, believed that actions matter more than beliefs alone, a principle that still guides how we teach ethics, both as its own discipline and as a part of everyday school life. Whether your family is drawn to our deliberate Pre-K through Form VI academic arc, our ten core tenets rooted in progressive education, or the strong sense of belonging our teachers work hard to create, I am confident you will find a place where your child is known, challenged, and cared for.

To stay up to date on ECFS events and receive news from our community throughout your process, I encourage you to fill out our inquiry form.

I look forward to getting to know your family as you explore whether ECFS is the right fit for you. Along the way, we hope you’ll discover what rigorous learning for an ethical world looks like in practice.

Warmly,

Tiffany Nelson signature

Tiffany Nelson, EdD

Tiffany Nelson, EdD
Chief Strategic Enrollment Officer

Reach out to the admissions office for the division you’re applying to.

Ethical Culture (Pre-K–5th Grade, Manhattan)

Linda Philp
Assistant Director of Admissions, Ethical Culture

admissions-ethical@ecfs.org

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Fieldston Lower (Pre-K–5th Grade, Bronx)

Rachel Mieszczanski
Director of Admissions, Fieldston Lower

admissions-fieldston-lower@ecfs.org

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Fieldston Middle and Upper (6th–12th Grade, Bronx)

Caroline Hubbell
Director of Admissions, Fieldston Middle and Fieldston Upper

admissions-fieldston@ecfs.org

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Tuition and Financial Aid

At ECFS, we are deeply committed to making a quality education affordable to as many families as possible — we grant more than $16 million per year in financial aid.

Frequently Asked Questions about Our Admissions Process

We know the application process can be confusing, but we’re here to help. We’ve compiled a list of questions we regularly receive about the admissions process and Ethical Culture Fieldston School in general.

I found a school that strove to ignite my moral as well as my creative imagination.

Welcome to ECFS

Get to know the Ethical Culture Fieldston School with a welcome note from CEO & Head of School Kyle Wilkie-Glass.

Learning at ECFS

Join us as we advance academic excellence, progressive learning, and everyday ethical practice; helping our students grow into curious and thoughtful citizens.

ECFS is a dynamic and inspiring place — a place that gave me so much, and one that I truly love.

Is ECFS the Right School for Your Family?

We may not be the right school for every child or every family, so here are some things to consider when determining if our focus on ethical education and progressive pedagogy is a good fit for you and your student.

Our Commitment
to Community

We focus on Inclusion and Belonging work so that we can create an environment in which our students can truly thrive. Here's how we do it.

College Destinations

Our students have attended a wide array of educational institutions over the past five years.

College Destination List

Ethical Culture Fieldston School offers a world-class progressive education in Pre-K–12th Grade at two historic campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx. The core of our educational program is the study and practice of ethics, which prepares us — and compels us — to take care of our world, ourselves, and each other.

CFS is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to be a welcoming community of professionals that broadly reflects the people of the metropolitan New York City area, our students, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion or religious practices, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, age, ability status, military status, unemployment status or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to hiring practices that ensure all candidates are given fair consideration in alignment with our institutional mission and goals.

Ethical Culture Fieldston School; ECFS; Fieldston; and the distinctive Starburst logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as trademarks of Ethical Culture Fieldston School.

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