Admission

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Thank you for your interest in St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. 

If you are interested in applying for the 2027-28 school year, please complete the inquiry form so we may keep you informed about upcoming events. Our application will be posted on September 1, 2026 and our calendar of events will be updated frequently throughout the spring and summer. 

We look forward to getting to know your family and exploring St. Margaret’s together!
All 2027-28 application steps are listed below by division:

Application Steps

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  • Early School

    Step 1: Explore St. Margaret's! (Strongly Encouraged)
    Attend a Fall/Winter Discovery Morning to learn more about our community, programs, and our Early School experience. Check out our Visit us page to register!

    Step 2: Submit Application FORM1 by December 15 

    Step 3: Complete your application checklist by February 1
    Submit all required application materials through your SMES Admissions Portal.

    Step 4: Register and attend a playgroup with your child by February 1
    Playgroups and visits may be scheduled through your SMES Admissions Portal.

    *Early School offers three entry levels: Early School Twos, Threes, and Fours. Children must be five years old by July 1 to enter Kindergarten. As a result, children who turn three after July 1 (during the summer and fall months) will spend three years in Early School before advancing to Kindergarten.

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  • Lower School (Kindergarten - Grade 5)

    To be considered for Kindergarten, children must be five years old by July 1.

    Step 1: Explore St. Margaret's! (Strongly Encouraged)
    Attend a Fall/Winter Admission Tour and/or our Kindergarten Open House to learn more about our community, programs, and Lower School experience. Check out our Visit us page to register!

    Step 2: Submit Application FORM1 by December 15.

    Step 3: Complete your application checklist by February 1.
    Submit all required application materials through your SMES Admissions Portal.

    Step 4: Register for required applicant or parent visits:
    • K-2nd grade applicants only: Register for an on-campus playgroup
    • Kindergarten applicants only: Register for parent meeting with Admissions team member
    • 3rd-5th Grade applicants only: Register for Applicant Visit Experience

    Step 5: Register for and complete the ISEE “At-Home” assessment (3rd-5th grades only) by February 1. 

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  • Middle School (Grades 6 - 8)

    Step 1: Explore St. Margaret's!
    Attend our Open House and a Sneaker Tour to learn more about our community, programs and Middle School experience. Check out our Visit us page to register!

    Step 2: Submit Application FORM1 by December 15. 

    Step 3: Complete your application checklist by February 1.
    Submit all required application materials (Parent Statement, Student Statement, Teacher Comment and Transcript Requests) through your SMES Admissions Portal.

    Step 4: Register for and complete the ISEE “At-Home” assessment by February 1. 

    Step 5: Register and attend an in-person applicant interview.
    Interviews may be scheduled through your application portal and need to be completed by February 1. 

    ** Motivated Middle School applicants have the option to participate in Early Admission Review, an opportunity to receive an admission decision before the standard notification timeline.

    To be considered for Early Admission Review, families must opt in by November 15 by emailing admission@smes.org. All application requirements, including the online application, supporting materials, interview, and ISEE scores, must be completed and received by December 1.

    Applicants who complete the Early Admission Review process will receive an admission decision in mid-December.

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  • Upper School (Grades 9 - 12)

    Step 1: Explore St. Margaret's!
    Attend our Open House and a Sneaker Tour to learn more about our community, programs and Upper School experience. Check out our Visit us page to register!

    Step 2: Submit Application FORM1 by December 15.

    Step 3: Complete your application checklist by February 1.
    Submit and delegate all required application materials (Parent Statement, Student Statement, Teacher Comment and Transcript Requests) through your SMES Admissions Portal.

    Step 4: Register for and complete the ISEE “At-Home” assessment by February 1. 

    Step 5: Register and attend an in-person applicant interview and visit day.
    Interview/Visit Days may be scheduled through your application portal and need to be completed by February 1. 

    **Motivated Upper School applicants have the option to participate in Early Admission Review, an opportunity to receive an admission decision before the standard notification timeline.

    To be considered for Early Admission Review, families must opt in by November 15 by emailing admission@smes.org. All application requirements, including the online application, supporting materials, interview, and ISEE scores, must be completed and received by December 1.

    Applicants who complete the Early Admission Review process will receive an admission decision in mid-December.

For Relocating Families

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School proudly supports a diverse community with families from around the world. Please note that we are a day school and all students must reside with immediate family members or legal guardians in Orange County. 

For English Language Learners:
Please be aware that St. Margaret’s does not offer an ESL (English as a Second Language) program. All students must have fluency with reading, writing, and speaking English. Students should have had at least two years of an English-based curriculum prior to applying.


Notable Admissions Process Requirements


In-Person visit required:
Every candidate must visit St. Margaret’s campus in person for their interview, assessment, or playgroup in order to complete their application.

Required assessments:
All applicants for grades 2 through 11 need to sit for the ISEE Entrance Exam. (Please note that we do not accept the TOEFL.)

All application forms must be submitted by the St. Margaret’s application deadline of February 1st. For more information about our admissions process, please visit our Admissions Steps page.

St. Margaret’s is a SEVP-certified school: if your child requires a Form I-20 student visa, an offer of enrollment must be finalized with the tuition deposit paid.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School

31641 La Novia Avenue
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 661-0108
 
Translation? ¿Traducción? 翻译?:

An Independent Preschool Through Grade 12 College-Preparatory Day School in Orange County California

Non-Discrimination Policy
St. Margaret's Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, admission, financial aid, hiring and athletic policies or in other school-administered programs.