2025/2026 Applications

Who is this program for?

We welcome pupils from all socio-economic, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, and offer a community founded on friendship and a shared love of wisdom. In the 2025/26 school year, we will be open to students in grades K-9 in Edmonton, and K-10 in Calgary. Our program is demanding, both academically and in its expectations for student behaviour. It is intended for learners who are committed to seeking moral and intellectual excellence.

When will the application portal open?

The application portal is open as of November 1, 2024. Please click the link above to apply.

What is the deadline to apply?

The lottery was run on February 1, 2025. Applications received after that date will be added to the waitlist based on the date their application is received. For more information on key dates, see further information in the section below.

When will I hear if my child is admitted?

Families with sufficiently high places in the lottery will be called for interviews with school administration beginning in February through April, and enrolment offers will be made in the early Spring.

All other families will be informed of their position in the waitlist in late Spring. Due to the volume of applications received, email inquiries related to application or lottery number status will not be answered.

How does the waitlist work?

Should enrolment applications exceed the space available for a given grade, pupils will be entered into a lottery, which will determine their position on a waitlist. Each grade has its own waitlist, and waitlists are reset every year.

Students with a sufficiently high place in the waitlist will be invited to the school to attend a family interview / grade placement assessment. Formal offers of enrolment will follow.

Which students have “priority status” in the waitlist?

Certain categories of pupils have priority status on the waitlist. This includes siblings of already-enrolled students; children of staff members; families who joined our initial interest list (in 2021 for Calgary, or 2022 for Edmonton); and students who, for reasons of geographic proximity (2.5 km) or grade level, are transferring from another Alberta Classical Academy campus.

Note that priority status does not guarantee that we will have space for your child.

The Classical Academy is the nearest public school to my home. Does my child get to attend?

Starting this year, up to 20% of vacancies in the school will be reserved for students living within the immediate geographical vicinity of the school (2.5km). Applications in this category will be made on a rolling basis.

If you live near the school but apply after the lottery date, your application may still have priority as long as the 20% allocation has not yet been filled.

Families applying in this category will be asked to provide proof of their residential address (e.g. a utility bill or Notice of Assessment, or similar).

Which grades are offered at each campus?

The Calgary Bridgeland Campus offers grades K-4. After grade 4, enrolled students transfer to the Currie campus.

The Calgary Currie Campus will offer grades K-10 in the upcoming school year.

The Edmonton Campus will offer grades K-9 in the upcoming school year.

At our Currie and Edmonton campuses, we will continue adding one additional grade per year until we have a full K-12 program.

I applied last year. Do I need to re-apply?

We do not carry over our waitlists from year to year. If you applied last year but did not receive a place in the school, you will need to apply again.

If you were offered a space in a previous year, but declined the offer, you will similarly need to re-apply.

How old does my child have to be to apply?

To be eligible to apply, your child must turn five years old by December 31st of the school year for which you are applying.

What is the Statement of Interest?

When you apply, you will be asked to provide a written statement of interest (max: 500 words). This requirement applies to all parents of children from Kindergarten to Grade 8, and all students entering Grade 5 and above. Applicants will also be asked to choose one additional written question in the application portal.

The written component of the application is a new requirement, and is intended to ensure that applicants have made a sincere effort to understand our program. Before writing your statement, we strongly encourage you to attend an open house at the school, read our website, and watch informational videos about the school.

Statements of Interest will not be evaluated based on the quality of the prose or adherence to standard grammatical conventions. We simply want to see that you understand and support our philosophy and approach. Please do not use AI tools such as ChatGPT to generate your Statement of Interest. If fraud or plagiarism is detected, your application will be voided.

What supporting documents will I need to apply?

When you apply, you will be asked to upload the following documents:

• Proof of Canadian citizenship or valid immigration status (e.g. birth certificate, passport, permanent residency card, etc.)

• Parent’s Statement of Interest (parents of children entering Kindergarten to Grade 8; should not exceed 500 words)

• Student’s Statement of Interest (for students entering grade 5 and above. Must be handwritten and scanned, and should not exceed 500 words)

• Copy of two most recent report cards (for children transferring from other schools or homeschooling programs)

• Copy of Provincial Achievement Test results (if applicable)

• Copy of Individual Program Plan (IPP) (if applicable)

• Copy of Psycho-Educational Assessment (if applicable)

• Legal documentation pertaining to custody orders or court protection orders (if applicable)

Do you select students based on academic ability?

We do not select students based on academic ability, though we do require that students demonstrate an ability and willingness to meet grade-level expectations. We ask that parents provide their child’s most recent report cards for the purpose of determining the most appropriate grade placement for the child.

What's involved in the family / grade placement meeting?

Prospective pupils with a sufficiently high waitlist position will be asked to attend a family meeting with the principal, and to complete an assessment to determine the appropriate academic grade level and placement. As ours is an academically demanding program, students who are evaluated as achieving below their expected grade level may be placed in a grade that better corresponds to their level.

Students entering Grade 5 and above are also expected to demonstrate their personal interest in attending the school by answering short essay questions.

Families asked to attend an interview and academic screening may be required to pay a non-refundable $ 35.00 administrative fee.

How many vacancies are there in the schools?

Calgary: Both Calgary campuses add two new Kindergarten classes each year. There will be a limited number of vacancies in other grades. The Bridgeland campus may have somewhat more vacancies due to the smaller number of students at that campus claiming sibling priority.

Edmonton: In the 2025/26 school year, our Edmonton will be intaking two new cohorts of Kindergarten students. Subject to demand, we will also open a new Grade 9 class. A limited number of vacancies can be expected in other grades.

What if I have more questions, or need to update my application?

All questions about the application process or the status of a pending application should be directed to applications@classicalacademy.ca . Please include the applicant’s name, grade, city, and preferred campus (if known) in the subject line of the email. Please do not call the school office for an update. 

Can I attend an open house or book a tour?

We strongly encourage prospective families to attend an open house or attend a tour. Open houses will begin in November 2024. Click here for details.

Is Kindergarten full-day or half-day?

We offer full-day and half-day Kindergarten options. Because Alberta Education only funds half-day kindergarten, families choosing the full-day option are expected to subsidize a portion of the program. Full-day Kindergarten fees in the 2024/25 academic year are set at $400/month.

Can I apply for both the Currie campus and the Bridgeland campus?

If you have a child entering Kindergarten to Grade 4, you may submit applications to both Calgary campuses. This will require you to create two separate Powerschool accounts with different email addresses (we recommend one parent/guardian apply at one campus, and the other parent/guardian at the other campus).

Please note that bus service is not guaranteed if your child is attending the campus that is farther from their home (e.g. busing may not be available to a student residing near the Currie campus but attending the Bridgeland campus, and vice versa).

If I withdraw my child from the Classical Academy, will you hold a spot for them in case they wish to return in the future?

Unless otherwise approved in advance, we will not hold a space for a child who withdraws from the school. Families who choose to un-enrol a child from one campus forfeit their child's seat at that campus and will need to re-apply if interested, going through our full application process again.