The Friends School of Atlanta

Bringing forward more than 329 years of excellence in Quaker Education

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Financial Aid

In keeping with our commitment to diversity, The Friends School of Atlanta seeks a student body that represents varied economic backgrounds. Once a student has been accepted for admission, financial aid is determined and renewed on the basis of demonstrated financial need without regard to gender identity, race, color, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or family structure.

The financial aid program is guided by our belief that parents have an obligation to pay the educational expense of their children to the extent that they are able. The purpose of aid is to fill the gap between the actual cost of a year’s tuition and what a family can realistically be expected to pay. Financial assistance in one year does not guarantee assistance in subsequent years.

How to apply 
To help determine a family’s contribution, we use an outside service that helps us look at the relative needs of all financial assistance applicants. If you are applying for financial assistance, we strongly recommend that you complete the financial aid application as soon as possible. In order to begin the process, all prospective parents are directed to complete the Student Financial Aid form on the NAIS (National Association for Independent Schools) website. The Friends School of Atlanta code is 3284. For further details and questions, contact our Director of Finance, Elsie Santway, by phone at 404-373-8746 x8140, or via email at [email protected].

Financial aid applications for the 2021-2022 school year were due on February 1, 2021. Unfortunately, this deadline cannot be extended.

Admissions Deadlines

Admissions Deadlines

We are thrilled that you are considering The Friends School of Atlanta for your child.  Below you will find our admissions deadlines.  Please note that each schools’ dates are unique to their community and, as such, we would like to encourage you to make note of the dates provided.  

Our PreK3-PreK4 applicants are reviewed and enrolled on a rolling basis. To learn more about our process, please reach out to our Director of Enrollment.

2/01/22 – Rising K – 8th Application Deadline and Financial Aid Application Deadline 

2/15/22– Rising K-8th Supplemental Documentation Deadline 

3/18/22 – Last day for Assessments/Observations

4/03/22 – AAAIS Admissions Decisions Release Day

4/14/22– AAAIS Acceptance of Offers deadline

Quaker Education Fund


Throughout the history of The Friends School of Atlanta, the school has enjoyed the participation of families associated with Friends meetings, who help articulate and model such values as peace and equality that are fundamental to the life of the FSA community. The Quaker Education Fund provides tuition assistance designated for children of members or attenders of Atlanta Friends Meeting. Please note, all families seeking tuition assistance must apply and qualify for such support using the school’s financial aid application process.

The Friends School of Atlanta is grateful for the generous gifts of support received each year for the Quaker Education Fund. To make a gift online, use the Donate Online button below. Or you may write a check, made payable to FSA and noting Quaker Education Fund in the memo line. Checks should be mailed to: Waman French, Head of School, 862 Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30030.

Donate Online

FSA Fast Facts

Campus Location and Features

  • Located on 5.85 acres on Columbia Drive in Decatur
  • 30,000-square-foot classroom/administrative building
  • 10,000-square-foot-gymnasium
  • Playground and playfields
  • Gardens throughout campus
  • Stewards of one-acre East Decatur Greenway greenspace

Friends School Distinction

Students

  • Current enrollment is 177, PreK3 through grade 8
  • 44% students of color
  • 9% students with LGBTQ parents
  • 45% girls; 55% boys
  • 40% to 50% students of color since 1991

Faculty

  • 26 full-time and 16 part-time faculty
  • Average student-to-teacher ratio is 8:1
  • 61% of faculty hold advanced degrees

Financial Aid

  • Currently awarding 16% of tuition revenue in need-based financial aid
  • 36% of current students receive financial aid

Academics

  • 1:8 teacher:student ratio
  • Individualized, development-based instruction
  • Responsive Classroom training for all teachers
  • Orton-Gillingham training for language arts teachers
  • Service learning opportunities at all grade levels
  • Emphasis on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics)
  • Curriculum guides can be accessed here

Specials

  • Art
  • Innovation Lab
  • Library
  • Spanish
  • Music and Movement
  • Creative Dramatics
  • Environmental Science
  • Physical Education

Technology

  • Classrooms equipped with electronic white boards
  • 3-D printer in Innovation lab
  • Student chromebooks starting in Grade 2
  • Middle school student Google accounts

Competitive Teams

  • Basketball
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Lego Robotics
  • Drones for Good

Afterschool Program

  • Drop-in aftercare program until 6:00 pm
  • Aftercare free for ages 3, 4 and 5
  • Afterschool club offerings ranging from individual music lessons, to visual arts to creative dramatics to sports, and much more — will resume when the public health authorities say it is safe re: the Covid-19 pandemic

Accreditation and Memberships

Application Process

Still accepting applications, class space permitting, for the current 2021-22 academic year.

Thank you for your interest in The Friends School of Atlanta. The following checklist for applicant families is designed to be user-friendly as well as to move you through a process that allows FSA to get to know you and your child(ren) as well as for you to obtain a deeper appreciation for the values-based education offered by FSA.

The Friends School of Atlanta (FSA) uses an online application system called Ravenna to organize all admissions applications, registration forms and more. The online application will be available in mid-October. In the meantime, please create an account within Ravenna to receive notifications about Parent Informational Tours and Open Houses for the current admissions season – all of which take place from October through April.

To learn more about FSA admissions for the 2021–2022 school year, please come to an Open House and/or make a reservation for a Parent Informational Tour.

The best way to determine if The Friends School of Atlanta is the right school to support your child’s academic and social-emotional journey is to join us for one of our regularly scheduled Parent Informational Tours. These tours are conducted in small groups and provide in-depth information about the programs and culture of FSA.

  1. We have limited openings available for the current school year, so please apply online in Ravenna if you are interested in the current academic year.

Applications for 2022-2023 will be available in Ravenna on October 1, 2021.

A completed application consists of the following by the admissions deadlines:

  • Application and application fee
  • Parent questionnaire 
  • School records (report cards), as appropriate, from last semester and 2 years prior (if applicable)
  • The AAAIS Teacher Evaluation Common Form from your child’s current teacher(s).
  • If applicable, any IEP, 504 plan or psychoeducational evaluation reports 
  • Observation/Assessment

Families can apply for Financial Aid starting November 1st, 2021 through School and Student Services. The application is due by February 1, 2022 for applications for a decision on April 2, 2022. 

As a member of the Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools (AAAIS), The Friends School of Atlanta has agreed to abide by certain common admissions procedures. Online notifications will be posted in your Ravenna account at 8:00am on Saturday, April 2, 2022. The deadline for families to accept an offer of enrollment is Thursday, April 14, 2022. Please note that both the admission decision and financial aid award decision will be communicated on April 2, 2022.

All member schools have agreed not to initiate contact with families between April 2nd  and April 15th to protect applicant families from being pressured by schools. While we will return phone calls and emails initiated by applicant families, this policy does not allow for visits to campus or meetings with representatives of our school during this period. You can find the AAAIS Principles of Best Practice here.