CALIFORNIA · BOARDING SCHOOL GUIDE
Santa Catalina School
Monterey · Monterey County, California
A Catholic school founded in 1950, with an all-girls day and boarding Upper School for grades 9-12 and a co-ed PreK-8 day school.
- 1950
- Founded
- 9-12
- Boarding grades (girls)
- 247
- Upper School students (133 boarding)
- 14
- Average class size
About Santa Catalina School
Santa Catalina School was founded in 1950 in Monterey, California, as a Catholic independent school in the Dominican tradition, with the motto Veritas (truth). It has two parts: the Lower and Middle School, PreK through grade 8, is co-ed and day only, while the Upper School, grades 9 to 12, enrolls girls only as day and boarding students. Tuition, admission and boarding details on this page refer to the Upper School.
In 2026-27 the Upper School has 247 girls, 133 of them boarding; 17% are international students, and students come from 14 states and 12 countries and regions. The 36-acre Spanish-style campus lies about two miles from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Dr. Barbara Ostos is the school's fifth Head of School, and the school is accredited by WASC.
| School type | Catholic independent · Girls' Upper School · Day and boarding |
|---|---|
| Divisions | Lower and Middle School PK-8 (co-ed, day) / Upper School 9-12 (girls, day and boarding) |
| Main entry grades | Grade 9; transfers into grades 10 and 11 |
| Mandarin | Yes: Upper School Mandarin from Level 1 through AP and Advanced Topic courses |
| Religious requirements | Weekly Wednesday chapel; Masses, retreats and prayer on the calendar; religious studies courses in the Upper School |
| Head of school | Barbara Ostos, Ed.D. |
| Accreditation | WASC |
| Address | 1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey, CA 93940 |
| Phone | (831) 655-9300 |
| NCES ID | 02187528 |
| Official Website | www.santacatalina.org |
Academics and programs at Santa Catalina School
- Marine Ecology Research ProgramMERP is a three-year program that selects students from sophomore year for independent research on Monterey Bay, often with researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station.
- Mandarin and world languagesThe Upper School teaches French, Mandarin and Spanish, each from Level 1 through AP and Advanced Topic courses, with honors sections from Level 3.
- AP and Advanced Topic coursesOfferings include AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science A and AP Chemistry, plus Advanced Topic (AT) courses held to college-level expectations; weighted courses begin in grade 10.
- ArtsEvery student takes an arts class, the 500-seat Performing Arts Center stages two musicals and one play a year, and multi-year certificate programs run in the visual and performing arts.
- Global leadershipThe Certificate in Global Leadership begins in sophomore year, and the school runs exchanges with Saint-Denis International School in France and Downe House School in England, plus trips to Italy and Costa Rica.
Santa Catalina School tuition and family budget
Tuition, 2026-27
$79,300/ year · Upper School boarding
Includes meals (lunch only for day students), evening and weekend shuttle, technology support, athletic fees, most uniforms, field trip transportation, yearbook, laundry machines and accident insurance
At the 2026-27 boarding rate of $79,300, four years from grade 9 through grade 12 come to about $317,200 in tuition, excluding fees, uniforms, a laptop and health insurance.
Financial aid at Santa Catalina School is need-based and given as grants, and the school states that aid requests are strictly confidential and do not affect admission decisions.
| Upper School boarding tuition | $79,300 |
|---|---|
| Upper School day tuition | $48,925 |
| Boarding grant range (2025-26) | $15,000 to $73,000 |
| Day grant range (2025-26) | $6,500 to $41,000 |
| Required extras | Incidental fees deposit $400, uniforms $500 to $600, books and supplies $400 to $700, plus a laptop |
| Tuition Refund Plan | Required for payment plans, at 1.45% of annual tuition |
| Financial aid | Grants, not loans, through Clarity with a $65 fee; reapply each year |
| Aid timeline | Opens October 1, 2026; due December 4 for Early Decision and February 1, 2027 for new students; awards sent with decisions on March 10 |
| Payment plans | One payment, two payments or ten monthly payments |
| Veritas Scholarship | Four years of full tuition for one incoming ninth grader a year; apply through Early Decision by December 4, 2026 |
Key dates for the 2027-28 Santa Catalina School admission season
- Early Decision application and aid deadline
- Early Decision results released
- Regular admission and aid deadline
- Regular admission results released
Early Decision is binding: admitted students sign by January 8, 2027, pay a 30% non-refundable deposit and withdraw other applications. Regular admits reply by April 10, or by March 24 if receiving aid. After February 1 the school admits on a rolling basis as space allows. A campus visit and interview with a parent present are required, usually on Monday, Thursday or Friday mornings.
- Costa Mesa reception (Orange County)
- Harbor Day School high school fair (Corona del Mar)
- Virtual information session
- Upper School open house
- Virtual information session
- Virtual information session
Santa Catalina School entrance assessment and SSAT/ISEE requirements
| Entry grade | Testing |
|---|---|
| Grade 9 | SSAT Upper Level or ISEE Upper Level (optional) |
| Grades 10, 11 | SSAT Upper Level or ISEE Upper Level (optional) |
| Nonnative English speakers | TOEFL iBT (code 8102); Duolingo with approval |
| SSAT code 7132 · ISEE code 054087 · PSAT/SAT code 052045 · Early Decision deadline 2026.12.04 · Regular deadline 2027.02.01 | |
- Standardized testing is an optional submission at Santa Catalina School, and when a student tests several times in the same year the school considers the highest composite.
- The SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) and ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) are U.S. private school admission tests, and applicants to grades 9 to 11 take the Upper Level. Early Decision applicants need scores to arrive by December 4.
EDUBUS starts with a practice test to judge whether an SSAT score is worth submitting. Early Decision students finish testing in October or November for the December 4 deadline, and regular applicants test by January at the latest. After testing, preparation moves to essays, the writing sample and the interview. SSAT/ISEE prep · Boarding school application guide
Where Santa Catalina School graduates go to college
Classes of 2022-2026 matriculations101 schools
- Arizona State University (3)
- Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix
- Arizona State University Polytechnic
- University of Arizona
- Barnard College (4)
- Belmont University
- Boston College (3)
- Boston University (4)
- Bowdoin College (2)
- Brandeis University
- Brown University (2)
- Bryn Mawr College
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (7)
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- California State University, Monterey Bay (2)
- University of California, Berkeley (8)
- University of California, Davis (6)
- University of California, Irvine (8)
- University of California, Los Angeles (4)
- University of California, San Diego (3)
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of California, Santa Cruz (2)
- Chapman University (7)
- University of Chicago
- Clemson University
- University of Colorado Boulder (3)
- Colorado School of Mines
- Columbia University
- Dartmouth College
- Davidson College
- University of Denver (3)
- DePaul University
- Elon University
- Emerson College
- Fairfield University
- Florida Southern College
- Gonzaga University (2)
- Harvard University
- IE University, Madrid
- Ithaca College
- James Madison University (2)
- Loyola Marymount University (7)
- Loyola University New Orleans
- Macalester College
- Marquette University
- University of Miami (3)
- University of Michigan (3)
- Montana State University (2)
- Monterey Peninsula College
- New York University (5)
- North Carolina State University
- Northeastern University (8)
- Northwestern University
- Occidental College (3)
- Oregon State University
- Pepperdine University (3)
- Pitzer College
- Point Loma Nazarene University
- Pomona College (2)
- Princeton University
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Saint Mary's College of California (3)
- San Diego State University (7)
- University of San Diego (3)
- University of San Francisco (2)
- Santa Barbara City College
- Santa Clara University
- Savannah College of Art & Design (2)
- Scripps College (2)
- Seattle University (2)
- Sonoma State University
- University of Southern California (8)
- Southern Methodist University (4)
- St. John's College
- Stanford University
- Syracuse University (2)
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
- Technológico de Monterrey (3)
- Texas A&M University
- Texas Christian University (3)
- The University of Edinburgh
- The University of Texas at Austin (2)
- Tufts University (3)
- Tulane University (3)
- Underwood International College of Yonsei University
- Universidad de Monterrey (6)
- Universidad Panamericana
- University of St. Andrews
- University of Toronto
- University of Utah (2)
- Vanderbilt University
- University of Vermont
- University of Virginia (2)
- Wake Forest University (3)
- Washington State University
- Washington University in St. Louis
- University of Washington (4)
- Wellesley College
- Whitman College
- University of Wisconsin
- Yale University
From the school's 2026-27 profile: the 101 colleges and universities where graduates from the Classes of 2022 to 2026 enrolled, with the five-year number enrolled in parentheses and one student where none is shown. The profile states that graduates traditionally all attend four-year institutions; the Class of 2026 averaged 1312 on the SAT and 26 on the ACT. Schools marked → link to an EDUBUS admissions guide.
Getting to Santa Catalina School from Irvine
| Northwood | 305.6 mi |
|---|---|
| Woodbury | 307.0 mi |
| Turtle Rock | 307.0 mi |
| Portola Springs | 308.1 mi |
These are straight-line distances from Irvine neighborhoods to campus, about 306 miles, not driving distances; families usually fly or make a long drive. Tuition covers the evening and weekend shuttle, while airport transport for vacations is paid by boarding families, and the school estimates boarder spending money at about $40 a week.
School address: 1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey, CA 93940
Santa Catalina School: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Irvine families applying to the Santa Catalina School Upper School need the SSAT?
Santa Catalina School lists the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) and the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) as optional submissions, not requirements. The school publishes score codes, SSAT 7132 and ISEE 054087, and considers the highest composite when several tests are taken in the same year. An Irvine student with a strong score can submit it to support the application.
Which grades board at Santa Catalina School, and can Irvine boys apply?
Santa Catalina School offers boarding only in its Upper School, grades 9 to 12, which enrolls girls only. The Lower and Middle School, PreK through grade 8, is a co-ed day school without boarding, so boys from Irvine cannot apply to board.
What are the Santa Catalina School deadlines for Irvine applicants?
Santa Catalina School's binding Early Decision for 2027-28 closes December 4, 2026, with results on December 18; regular admission closes February 1, 2027, with results on March 10. After February 1 the school admits on a rolling basis as space allows, usually deciding within 7 days of a complete application.
What is Santa Catalina School boarding tuition for 2026-27, and can Irvine families get financial aid?
Santa Catalina School charges $79,300 for Upper School boarding and $48,925 for day students in 2026-27. Financial aid comes as grants that do not need repaying, applied for through Clarity with a $65 fee; boarding grants ranged from $15,000 to $73,000 in 2025-26. The school states that aid requests are strictly confidential and do not affect admission decisions.
Does Santa Catalina School accept international students, and does a student in Irvine need the TOEFL?
Santa Catalina School accepts international students, who make up 17% of the Upper School in the 2026-27 profile, from 12 countries. Nonnative English speakers take the TOEFL iBT (code 8102), and may request approval to submit the Duolingo English Test if the TOEFL is unavailable; the international application fee is $150. Students already studying in English in Irvine should confirm with admissions whether a score is needed.
Santa Catalina School is Catholic; what should non-Catholic Irvine families know?
Santa Catalina School is a Catholic school in the Dominican tradition, with weekly Wednesday chapel in the Upper School and Masses, retreats and prayer on the school calendar, and its Upper School curriculum includes religious studies courses such as World Religions and Scripture. The school welcomes students of all faith traditions, and Confirmation preparation is offered only to juniors and seniors who choose it.
How far is Santa Catalina School from Irvine, and what do boarders do on weekends?
Santa Catalina School is on the Monterey Peninsula, about 306 miles in a straight line from Irvine, so families usually fly or make a long drive. Boarders live in three dorms, one for freshmen, one for sophomores and juniors and one for seniors; weekend activities include paddle boarding, theatre and trips to San Francisco and San Jose, and tuition covers the evening and weekend shuttle.
Sources: the school website and public filings · compiled 2026-10-07 · current policy follows the school's own notice
Sources24 sources · checked 2026-10-07
Compiled from the official Santa Catalina School website and public filings. Tuition and deadlines follow the school's current notice. Enrollment of 247 (133 boarding, 114 day) and the average class of 14 come from the school's 2026-27 Upper School profile and cover the Upper School only; the co-ed PreK-8 day school is not counted, and its enrollment is not published. NCES recorded 441 students in PK-12 for 2023-24. The profile also lists a 7:1 student-teacher ratio.
- santacatalina.org
- santacatalina.org/who-we-are
- santacatalina.org/who-we-are/mission-identity
- santacatalina.org/who-we-are/school-leadership
- santacatalina.org/who-we-are/75th-anniversary
- santacatalina.org/contact
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/upper-school-all-girls-
- santacatalina.org/lower-middle-school-co-ed-/lower-middle-school-prek-8-
- santacatalina.org/admission/upper-school-all-girls-9-12-/how-to-apply
- santacatalina.org/admission/upper-school-all-girls-9-12-/tuition-financial-aid
- santacatalina.org/admission/upper-school-all-girls-9-12-/early-decision
- santacatalina.org/admission/upper-school-all-girls-9-12-/veritas-scholarship
- santacatalina.org/admission/upper-school-all-girls-9-12-/admission-events
- santacatalina.org/admission/upper-school-all-girls-9-12-/visits-tours
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/academics/academic-overview
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/academics/marine-ecology-research-program
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/college-counseling
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/why-boarding-
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/student-life/location
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/spiritual-life
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/arts/arts-overview
- santacatalina.org/upper-school-all-girls-/athletics/athletics-overview
- santacatalina.org/userfiles/santacatalinaschoolv2mvc/03-upper-school/SantaCatalinaSchool_Profile_2627.pdf
- nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolName=Santa+Catalina&State=06&ID=02187528
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