Frequently Asked Questions

The online application for the 2026-2027 school year will open on September 1, 2025, and is due by January 9, 2026. This is a hard deadline.

Tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis after submitting the online application. Grade-level checklists for the current admission year are available for reference, including admission requirements and due dates.

     2026-27 Kindergarten Checklist

     2026-27 Grades 5-6 Checklist

     2026-27 Grades 1-4 Checklist

     2026-27 Grades 7-8 Checklist

We accept applications for all grades, kindergarten through eight. Kindergarten and sixth grade are our main entry points. We have 44 openings in kindergarten and a minimum of six openings in sixth grade each year. We typically learn of openings in non-entry grade levels in March.

The wait pool is created after the admission committee has reviewed all completed candidate files, with admission decisions posted in March. The wait pool remains active through the summer. The wait pool is not ranked. If an opening becomes available due to enrollment changes, each applicant remaining in our wait pool will be reviewed to determine which candidate will best fill the position. If the opportunity to enroll does not become available, candidates may reapply for the following school year. Applications will open September 1.

We do not have rolling or mid-year admission.

To apply, students must be 5 by June 30, 2021. Students are eligible to apply with a June birthday but are encouraged to wait until the following year. 

Year Range Incoming Grade

6/2020 - 6/2021 K

6/2019 - 6/2020 1

6/2018 - 8/2019 2

6/2017 - 8/2018 3

6/2016 - 8/2017 4

6/2015 - 8/2016 5

6/2014 - 8/2015 6

6/2013 - 8/2014 7

6/2012 - 8/2013 8

Harbor Day’s tuition includes all field trips, school supplies, athletics, one-to-one iPads in all grades, and the yearbook.

Financial aid is available and is need-based. We strongly encourage families who think they may need financial assistance to apply for financial aid. Financial aid applications for the 2026-2027 school year are due by February 1, 2026. For more information, visit https://www.harborday.org/admission/affording-harbor-day.

Our online admission process is the same for all applicants. Students who are not U.S. citizens but have legal status to attend school in the U.S. without being issued an I-20 may apply. Admitted students must be fluent in English as we do not have an English as a Second Language program. All Harbor Day School students must live locally with a parent or legal guardian.

Beyond the Bell is our after school program. Students are served a snack after school and either go to after care or participate in enrichment classes. Previous enrichment class offerings have included Minecraft, art, chess, robotics, ceramics, basketball, mindfulness, and debate.

Brief homework assignments are sent home once a week in kindergarten. As the children move through the grades, they become accountable for more extensive independent work. In addition to its essential value as practice and preparation, homework allows children to take responsibility for their work.

Spanish begins in kindergarten and is taught three days a week. Fifth grade students take a semester of Latin and Mandarin. At the end of their fifth grade school year, students choose to study Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish in grades six through eight.

Middle school students (grades 5-8) may participate in our after school sports program. Sports offerings include volleyball, basketball, flag football, cross country, and track and field. Fourth grade students are also eligible to participate in cross country.

Professional development is of the utmost importance to our teachers and administration. Teachers and administrators attend workshops and conferences each year. The faculty, led by department chairs, assumes a significant part of the responsibility for designing the curriculum.

Family involvement supports school operations, enrichment opportunities, and the academic program. Coordinated by the Parent Council Board, there are many volunteer opportunities for parents/guardians, such as staffing the library, and the lunch program, serving as a room parent, and being on committees for special events like Grandparents’ Day.

Our students matriculate to various high schools, including Corona del Mar High School, JSerra, Laguna Beach High School, Mater Dei High School, Pacifica Christian, Sage Hill High School, and St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. We also have students matriculate to boarding schools such as Cate School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Phillips Academy Andover, and The Thacher School. Wherever our students matriculate, they report that they are well prepared.