NYC Catholic and parochial school admissions, explained

Catholic and parochial schools run their own admissions, entirely separate from the public side, no citywide portal, no single match, and a calendar set by each school and diocese. The shape of the process depends almost entirely on the entry point: at the elementary level you register or apply directly to a parish or diocesan school, with no entrance exam; at the high-school level many schools use a shared standardized test, the TACHS, taken by 8th graders. This guide walks through both, neutrally, there is no default sector here, only different systems that fit different families. For a side-by-side of Catholic schools against DOE, charter, and independent options, see the sector comparison linked below.

How it works in 60 seconds

• Catholic and parochial schools are tuition-based, run by a parish or diocese, and most offer financial assistance.
• They sit entirely outside the DOE's MySchools portal, there is no citywide Catholic match.
• You apply directly to each school, or through a diocese's own admissions system, it is an independent, parallel process to the public one.
• Catholic elementary admission is by parish or diocesan registration / application plus an interview, there is no entrance exam at this level.
• Catholic high school is where the main academic gate sits: many schools use the TACHS, taken by current 8th graders, administered online, generally in the fall.
• Tuition is generally far below independent-school levels, and aid is available, confirm current figures with the school or diocese.

Catholic elementary (registration, no exam)

At the elementary level, Catholic and parochial admission looks much more like enrollment than like a competitive screen. You apply directly to the parish or diocesan school, and there is no standardized entrance exam, the main steps are an application, an interview, and submitting the required documents.

The mechanics differ a little by diocese. The Archdiocese of New York, which covers Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island (plus the upper counties), runs a centralized online admissions application: families create an account, apply to the school they're interested in, and then arrange an interview directly with the school. The Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens runs its own process for its schools, so the exact portal and steps differ there. Either way, you are dealing with the parish, school, or diocese, never MySchools.

Timing is set locally and shifts year to year, so we hedge on specifics: in broad strokes, registration tends to open in the late summer or fall ahead of the start year, and many schools offer early-enrollment fee incentives. Confirm the current dates and steps on the diocese's or school's own page each cycle rather than relying on last year's.

Catholic high school and TACHS

The one place Catholic admissions becomes academically selective is the high school entry point, and the shared instrument there is the TACHS, the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools.

• Who takes it, current 8th graders applying for the following fall's 9th-grade seats at participating Catholic high schools.
• Where it counts, TACHS is used across three dioceses: the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island.
• How it's given, online, and offered generally in the fall.
• What it covers, the test measures school aptitude and achievement in Reading, Language, and Mathematics, plus a general reasoning / ability component. Treat this as the qualitative shape; confirm the current subjects when you register.

The flow is its own thing, parallel to the DOE high-school process. You register for the TACHS (online, at tachsinfo.com), sit the test on the scheduled fall date, and then each high school uses the score along with the rest of a student's record, grades, the application, sometimes an interview, to make its own decision. Individual high schools may layer on their own steps, so read each school's admissions page for the full picture. Because registration windows and the test date move year to year, confirm the current dates each cycle rather than assuming.

Cost and financial aid

Catholic and parochial schools charge tuition, but the number is generally far below independent-school levels, this is one of the main practical reasons families weigh them. As with any tuition school, the sticker price is not the whole story.

Financial assistance is widely available. Dioceses run aid programs, and in the Archdiocese of New York's online system, completing an admissions application opens a path to apply for financial aid. Many schools also offer early-enrollment fee incentives. We keep the specifics qualitative on purpose: tuition and aid amounts vary by school and diocese and change every year. The mindset that matters is the same one that applies on the independent side, don't rule a school out on its published tuition. If aid might apply to you, ask the school or diocese how it works and apply, and confirm current figures before you act.

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Common questions

Do Catholic schools use MySchools like the DOE? No. Catholic and parochial schools sit entirely outside the NYC Public Schools MySchools portal. You apply directly to the school or through the diocese's own admissions system, on a separate calendar, applying to a Catholic school does not touch any DOE, charter, or independent application you also run.

Does my child take an entrance exam to get into a Catholic school? At the elementary level, no, Catholic elementary admission is by registration or application to the parish or diocesan school, with an interview, not by a standardized entrance exam. The main academic test is at the high-school level, the TACHS, taken by 8th graders applying to many Catholic high schools. Confirm each school's requirements.

What is the TACHS and who takes it? TACHS stands for the Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools. It is taken by current 8th graders applying to many Catholic high schools across the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens, and the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island. It is administered online, generally in the fall, register and confirm the current date at tachsinfo.com each year.

Is Catholic school expensive? Tuition is generally far below independent-school levels, and financial assistance is widely available. Many dioceses run aid programs and offer early-enrollment fee incentives. Don't rule a school out on its sticker price, ask the school or diocese about aid and apply if you might qualify, and confirm current figures each year.