In short: The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut enrolls about 600 students in grades 9-12 and PG, publishes an average class size of 12 and more than 200 courses, charges $79,350 for boarding in 2026-27, requires test scores from every applicant, and offers no ESL support.
Applying to The Hotchkiss School?
SSAT or ISEE (PSAT/SAT/ACT for grade 11 and above) prepBook a school consultation- Location
- Lakeville, CT
- Founded
- 1891
- Official Website
- www.hotchkiss.org
Application timelineper school website
- Application and financial aid materials dueDeadline
- Decisions released
- Student reply deadlineDeadline
Overview
The Hotchkiss School is a boarding school at 11 Interlaken Road in Lakeville, in the northwest corner of Connecticut, founded in 1891. The school describes a community of about 600 students in grades 9 through 12 plus a PG (post-graduate) year. It also runs Fairfield Farm, a 287-acre working farm used for teaching and outdoor programs. The setting is rural, between hills and a lake, roughly two to three hours by car from both New York City and Boston, with no major airport nearby.
Academics
Hotchkiss publishes an average class size of 12 and more than 200 courses across seven departments, taught mainly in small seminar format. The academics pages do not publish a student-teacher ratio, and they do not give a single statement about whether courses carry Advanced Placement (AP) designations, so families who care about AP alignment in a particular subject should ask the academic office during a visit or interview.
One policy deserves emphasis before anything else. The admission FAQ states that Hotchkiss does not offer any ESL support and that all students must be fluent in English. There is no language ramp after enrollment. A student who is still building academic English will be asked to contribute to discussion-based classes and to write at length from the first week, and families should treat that as a screening question for themselves rather than something to solve later.
Applying
Applications go through Gateway to Prep Schools with a candidate profile and a $75 fee, waivable on request. The file also includes candidate essays, a parent statement, official transcripts from the current school, a principal or counselor recommendation form, English and math recommendation forms, and a personal recommendation written by an adult who knows the student well. Interviews run from mid-September to mid-January. Testing is required of all applicants, by grade level. The school prefers November or December test dates; January testers are still read in the regular round, but only once scores arrive. Applications and financial aid materials are due January 15, 2027, decisions are released March 10, 2027, and student replies are due April 10, 2027. No acceptance rate is published.
Cost and aid
Published 2026-27 rates are $79,350 for boarding and $67,450 for day, or $80,800 and $68,700 once technology and health service fees are added. These are the school’s posted figures for that year and exclude flights, insurance and personal spending. Aid reaches 33 percent of students, meets full demonstrated need, and is awarded entirely as grants.
What an Irvine family should plan for
There is no easy route from Orange County: expect a flight into New York or Hartford and a one- to two-hour drive, which makes each trip a full day. Add a three-hour time difference, four or more journeys a year, and a 14-year-old handling laundry, sleep and sick days without a parent nearby; arrange an adult in the Northeast who can reach campus quickly. EDUBUS works from Irvine on school selection, SSAT preparation, essays and interview coaching, scheduled backward from the school’s published deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tests are required?
Every applicant submits scores. Grade 9 and 10 applicants take the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam); grade 11 applicants may use the SSAT, PSAT, SAT or ISEE; grade 12 and PG (post-graduate year) applicants use the SAT, ACT or PSAT. The Character Skills Snapshot, a non-academic questionnaire offered with the SSAT, is not mandatory, though the school says it helps the admission team understand an applicant more fully.
Does a non-native English speaker also need a TOEFL score?
Yes, unless waived. Applicants whose first language is not English must add a TOEFL, Duolingo English Test or IELTS result. The requirement is waived for students who have attended a school where English is the primary language of instruction for at least three years, but the grade-level test is still required.
Is there ESL support on campus?
No. The admission FAQ states that Hotchkiss does not offer any ESL (English as a Second Language) support and that all students are required to be fluent in English. For a student coming from a Chinese-language classroom, that means no transition period: discussion classes and written work begin in week one.
Does the school publish an acceptance rate?
No. Neither the admission pages nor the FAQ publishes an acceptance rate or applicant count. EDUBUS does not substitute estimates from ranking or review sites.
How does financial aid work?
The school reports that 33 percent of students receive aid, that awards meet 100 percent of demonstrated need and consist of grants with no loans, and that it commits about $13.9 million a year. The financial aid page includes a section for international families explaining how to submit documentation. Aid materials are due on the same January 15, 2027 date as the application.
