Apply to NFA | Independent Preschool-Grade 8 in Philadelphia

Welcome to NFA!

We welcome your application to Norwood-Fontbonne Academy!

If you have more than one child applying, please complete a separate application for each child. As soon as we receive your application, we will contact you to discuss next steps in the admissions process. Please contact the admissions office at 215-403-7310 or admissions@norfon.org if you have any questions.

Founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Norwood-Fontbonne Academy offers families the unique choice between the Montessori program or the Primary program for ages 3 - Grade 3, followed by challenging, active learning experiences in Grades 4 - 8. Home to dozens of clubs and extracurricular activities, NFA offers its students the chance to engage their learning, passions, and curiosity well beyond the classroom. Through the 11-year journey at NFA, we position our students to enter the wider world aware of their own worth and their power as a positive force for good.

Please review the information below to begin the Admissions Process at NFA!

OVERVIEW OF THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Applicants to the Montessori Preschool (ages 3 to 5), Pre-Primary (ages 3 or 4), or Kindergarten

Once the application and fee are submitted online, our Director of Admissions will email you to schedule the child's visit. Instructions regarding the application are listed in the second section of this page.
Each child visits with a certified teacher on a school day for a short one-on-one assessment that usually lasts no more than one hour. For a five-year-old applicant, the visit also includes time in an NFA classroom.
If the child attends preschool, there are instructions on how to send the online Confidential Common Recommendation form to his or her teacher as part of the online application through Finalsite Enrollment Manager.
Upload a copy of child's birth certificate and immunization records. (Exemptions are not granted, except for medical reasons.)

Applicants to Grade One (Junior Level Montessori or Primary)

Once the application and fee are submitted online, our Director of Admissions will email you to schedule the child's visit. Instructions regarding the application are listed in the second section of this page.
For applicants to Primary Grade One, schedule a morning visit to the NFA Kindergarten class with the Admissions Director. As part of this visit, each child will have a short assessment with a certified teacher.
For applicants to the Junior Level Montessori Grade One, schedule a morning visit to a Montessori preschool class with the Admissions Director. As part of this visit, each child will have a short assessment with a certified teacher.
Complete a Release of School Records Form, which is given to the child’s present school and permits NFA to receive a copy of the child’s current school record.
There are instructions on how to send the online Confidential Common Recommendation form to his or her teacher as part of the online application through Finalsite Enrollment Manager.
Upload a copy of child's birth certificate and immunization records. (Exemptions are not granted, except for medical reasons.)

Applicants to Grades Two to Eight (Junior Level Montessori, Primary, Intermediate and Middle School)

Once the application and fee are submitted online, our Director of Admissions will email you to schedule the child's one-day visit. Instructions regarding the application are listed in the second section of this page.
During their shadow day, students gain a feeling for the school community and academic expectations. During the visit, an NFA administrator will administer a short assessment in Language Arts and Math.
In summer 2026, only applicants for 6th-8th grade will visit to complete a math placement test. These assessments are used in conjunction with student’s current school records, the evaluation from the student’s current teacher, and the parent interview to determine acceptance and placement.
During the child’s visit, parents are required to meet with a member of the admission team for an interview.
Complete a Release of School Records form, which is given to the child’s present school and permits NFA to receive a copy of the child’s current school record.
There are instructions on how to send the online Confidential Common Recommendation form to the student's math teacher and another current teacher as part of the online application through Finalsite Enrollment Manager.
Upload a copy of child's birth certificate and immunization records. (Exemptions are not granted, except for medical reasons.)

Acceptance and Enrollment Process

Decisions are communicated to families in mid-January for any applicant who has completed the admissions process by December 13. After January, applicants are considered on a rolling basis as they complete the admissions process.

To enroll a child, families are asked to remit a $1,000 non-refundable deposit of enrollment; this deposit is applied to the child’s 2025-2026 tuition.

A student is enrolled at NFA upon submittal of the signed Enrollment Contract AND deposit to NFA, unless the family submits written notice of withdrawal by February 15.

For questions regarding our Admissions process, please contact Erin Wallin, Director of Admissions, or 215-403-7310.

START YOUR APPLICATION!

Norwood-Fontbonne Academy is pleased to partner with Finalsite Enrollment Manager for its online application submissions process. Finalsite Enrollment Manager simplifies the admissions process for you, helping you submit forms, monitor the status of your application, view decisions, and more. In turn, Finalsite Enrollment Manager helps our Admissions Office track your application as well, so you will be guided every step of the way of the admissions process.

STEP 1

Let’s get started! CLICK HERE (or the button below) to visit Finalsite Enrollment Manager.

APPLY TO NFA!

STEP 2

Create an account using a familiar email address that you use frequently and will use throughout the admission process. It’s through this email that our Admissions Office will contact you.

STEP 3

Next, complete the Finalsite Enrollment Manager application, where you’ll complete student and parent information. Once an account is created, click the green button to "begin application process" for a new student.

The application and $110 application fee ($30 for siblings of currently enrolled students) along with a copy of a birth certificate, immunization records, and recommendation form are completed and submitted online. The fee covers the cost of the application process and student assessment.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions about your application, contact Erin Wallin, Director of Admissions, at ewallin@norfon.org. When contacting NFA by email, remember to use the email you used to set up your Finalsite Enrollment Manager account.

Norwood-Fontbonne Academy

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