How to Apply

For admission in September 2026:

• October 1, 2025: Online applications open.
• November 9, 2025: Open House
• December 13, 2025: Open House
• December 31, 2025: Pre-K to Grade 8 applications due.
• January 15, 2026: Grades 9 to 12 applications due.
• January 15, 2026: Re-enrollment opens for current families.
• January/February 2026: Pre-K to grade 8 admissions assessments. The link for sign-ups will be provided to applicant families in January.
• January 2026: Deadline for LFC financial aid applications for current families.
• February 11, 2026: Deadline for re-enrollment.
• February 27, 2026: New student acceptance notifications for Pre-K through 12th-grade applicants.
• March 9, 2026: Enrollment decisions due. 
• March 2026: Deadline for French Bourse application. 

For more information on financial aid policies and processes, please visit our Tuition & Financial Aid page.

Who can apply? 

• Pre-K candidates must turn 3 years old by December 31 and must be completely potty-trained by the first day of school. No exceptions.
• Jr-K candidates must turn 4 years old by December 31.
• Kindergarten candidates must turn 5 years old by December 31.
• Candidates are not required to already speak French.

How do I apply?

• Applications open for the following school year on October 1 of the previous year.
• Complete our online application by December 31 for grades PK-grade 8, and January 15 for grades 9-12. There is a $155 application fee to be paid upon submitting the online application. If you are unable to pay the application fee, please contact our Admissions Office, admissions@lyceechicago.org.
• The rolling admissions starts after regular deadlines, contingent on space availability. Please contact admissions@lyceechicago.org if you missed the deadline.   
• Schedule a call, Skype or Zoom meeting or a campus tour with the Admissions Office.
• Upload a copy of report cards or progress reports from previous school years (if available) on the application platform.
• Provide the student’s current teacher with our recommendation form (on application platform), which is to be completed and sent directly from the teacher. 
• Register for a group assessment  (“playdate”) or individual assessment. The link for sign-ups will be provided to applicant families.
• Register for a parent interview with the admissions team.
• Note: you will need to provide at the time of application a copy of the student's ID or birth certificate. Please note that if your child is accepted, you will be asked to upload a copy of the student's birth certificate within 30 days of enrollment.

For LFC daycare children applying to Pre-K

To help facilitate the transition from LFC*daycare to pre-k, we provide daycare families with the following benefits:

• A waived first application fee. 
• Simplified and prioritized admission into Pre-K (no assessment and no progress report required).
• Pre-K welcome pass, which includes  before-school program (7-8am), extended day (4:35-6pm) and school year camps during their first year as a Lycée pre-k family. 

When can I expect a decision?

• Admissions decisions will be sent out on February 27, 2026.
• Decisions for the rolling admissions for all grades within 2 weeks after completing the application.

The Lycée Français de Chicago reserves the right to request additional information, supporting materials, and an in-person interview for all candidates regardless of grade level.

Who can apply? 

• Non-French speakers are eligible via our Welcoming Language Program in Grades 1-3 (depending on availability). Students in the Welcoming Language Program must demonstrate advanced skills in English and mathematics.
• Students currently enrolled in the French school system or strong French speakers (to be assessed).

How do I apply?

• Applications open for the following school year on October 1 of the previous year.
• Complete our online application by December 31. There is a $155 application fee to be paid upon submitting the online application. If you are unable to pay the application fee, please contact our Admissions Office, admissions@lyceechicago.org.
• There are rolling admissions after December 31, contingent on space availability. Please contact admissions@lyceechicago.org if you missed the deadline. 
• Schedule a call, Skype or Zoom meeting or a campus tour with the Admissions Office.
• Provide the student’s current teacher with our recommendation form (on application platform), which is to be completed and sent directly from the teacher to the Admissions Office at admissions@lyceechicago.org or by mail.
• Upload a copy of report cards from the past three school years on the application platform.
• Register for an individual observation. The link for sign-ups will be provided to applicant families at the beginning of January.
• If French-speaking candidates are not currently enrolled in the French school system, a French evaluation will be scheduled.
• Potential Welcoming Language Program candidates will be invited to participate in a Shadow Day.
• Note: you will need to provide at the time of application a copy of the student's ID or birth certificate. Please note that if your child is accepted, you will be asked to upload a copy of the student's birth certificate within 30 days of enrollment.

When can I expect a decision?

• Decisions will be sent mid-March.
• Rolling admissions for all grades, depending on availability.
• All decisions will be sent via email only.

The Lycée Français de Chicago reserves the right to request additional information, supporting materials, and an in-person interview for all candidates regardless of grade level.

Who can apply?

• Students currently enrolled in the French school system or who are fluent in French (to be assessed).

How do I apply?

• Applications open for the following school year on October 1 of the previous year.
• Complete our online application. Deadline: rolling admissions. There is a $155 application fee to be paid upon submitting the online application. If you are unable to pay the application fee, please contact our Admissions Office, admissions@lyceechicago.org.
• Schedule a call, Skype or Zoom meeting or a campus tour with the Admissions Office.
• Provide the student’s current teacher with the English and math recommendation forms (on application platform), which are to be completed and sent directly from the teacher to the Admissions Office at admissions@lyceechicago.org or by mail.
• Upload a copy of the report cards from the past three school years on the application platform.
• If French-speaking candidates are not currently enrolled in the French school system, a French evaluation will be scheduled.
• 10th, 11th and 12th grade applicants: please provide results of the Brevet on the application platform, if available.
• 12th grade applicants: please provide results of the “épreuves anticipées du Bac” on the application platform, if available.
• Note: you will need to provide at the time of application a copy of the student's ID or birth certificate. Please note that if your child is accepted, you will be asked to upload a copy of the student's birth certificate within 30 days of enrollment.

When can I expect a decision?

• Decision date: March-April
• Rolling admissions for all grades, depending on availability.
• All decisions will be sent via email only.

The Lycée Français de Chicago reserves the right to request additional information, supporting materials, and an in-person interview for all candidates regardless of grade level.

Who can apply?

• English-speaking students entering grades 9-11. Grade 12 applicants must already be enrolled in an IB Diploma Program.

How can I apply?

• Applications open for the following school year on October 1 of the previous year.
• Complete our online application. Deadline: rolling admissions. There is a $155 application fee to be paid upon submitting the online application. If you are unable to pay the application fee, please contact our Admissions Office, admissions@lyceechicago.org.
• Schedule a call, Skype or Zoom meeting or a campus tour with the Admissions Office.
• Register for the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) and designate the Lycée Français de Chicago as a result recipient. Please note that online testing is now available in the United States.
• Register for a Student Shadow Day. To do so, please email Admissions at admissions@lyceechicago.org. 
  Provide the student’s current teacher with the English and math recommendation forms (on application platform), which are to be completed and sent directly from the teacher to the Admissions Office at admissions@lyceechicago.org or by mail.
• Upload report cards from the past three school years on the application platform.
• Note: you will need to provide at the time of application a copy of the student's ID or birth certificate. Please note that if your child is accepted, you will be asked to upload a copy of the student's birth certificate within 30 days of enrollment.

When can I expect a decision?

• Decision date: March - April
• Rolling admissions for all grades, depending on availability.
• All decisions will be sent via email only.

The Lycée Français de Chicago reserves the right to request additional information, supporting materials, and an in-person interview for all candidates regardless of grade level.