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Admissions

At St. James School, you will find a community grounded in faith and the tradition of Catholic education where virtue, excellence, leadership, and service are emphasized and valued.

Ready to see St. James School in person?

We look forward to meeting you!

Open House

Join us for our open house during our annual Catholic Schools Week celebration in January.

Visitors are warmly welcomed to tour our school and see our beautifully maintained facilities, meet current students and parents to inquire about their St. James experience, and get a feel for what it is like to be part of the St. James Bulldog Family!

Take a Tour of St. James

Missed our annual open house? Schedule a visit and private tour.

Guided by a Leadership Team Member, parents and prospective students will walk through our school for a personal, one-on-one tour. We are also pleased to offer the opportunity for students to enjoy their first experience as a Bulldog with a shadow day! 

To reserve a tour or shadow date, please contact our office at 224.345.7145 or submit your information in the form below and we’ll schedule a time to meet with you. 

Take a Tour

Apply

Ready to join the St. James Bulldog Family? Let’s get started!
Returning SJS Family Online Application
New SJS Family Online Application

Application Details

  • Applications may be completed online.
  • St. James reserves the right to deny registration for students whose educational needs cannot be met by St. James School. The administration makes this decision.
  • All students wishing to transfer to St. James School must go through a screening process with the administration.
New family application fee (per child)
PreK-3&4 MWF half day $225.00
PreK-3&4 – MWF full day $275.00
PreK-3&4 – M-F half day $225.00
PreK-3&4 – M-F full day $275.00
Kindergarten – Grade 8 $325.00

Application fees are non-refundable.

Acceptance for admittance is taken in the following order:

  • Current students of St. James School
  • Sibling(s) of current students at St. James School
  • Children of current St. James parishioners
  • Children of non-parishioners

Acceptance

If your student/students are accepted:

  • Orientation Day will be held in August the day before school begins. Representatives from various school departments and organizations will be available for questions. Further information will be communicated at a later date.

Waiting List

  • If a child is not placed due to the homeroom maximum, the child will be placed on a waiting list for the appropriate grade level.
  • Once placed on a waiting list, the child will retain that position under all circumstances until the child is placed in the school or requests to be removed from the list.
  • Children will be placed in the order of the list as vacancies occur.
  • The principal will contact all waiting-list families prior to the end of the school year and again prior to the start of the school year to determine if they desire to remain on the list. A written confirmation will be sent if requested.

Tuition & Financial Aid

St. James School strives to keep tuition rates as reasonable as possible. Knowing that a Catholic education would not be possible for every family who would desire the opportunity, tuition assistance is available for registered parishioners with students in grades Kindergarten through 8.

Families requesting assistance are required to complete an application that is processed through Blackbaud Financial Aid. Blackbaud Financial Aid will provide the business office with an accurate and just assessment of a family’s need. All information that is submitted is kept secure and in strict confidence.

Tuition Assistance ApplicationTuition Assistance Information

Tuition

To be considered a Participating Parishioner, families will meet the following criteria:

  • Registered parishioners of St. James who regularly attend Mass and are active in parish life by participating in parish and school activities.
  • Families who assist St. James Parish by donating to the Sunday and Holy Day collections either through use of their contribution envelopes or the Faith Direct online giving program, meeting a suggested minimum guideline of $1,000 per tuition year for Kindergarten through Gr. 8 or $500 per tuition year for all PreK only families (donations received May 1-April 30).
Parishioner Tuition Rate
PreK-3&4 MWF half day $3,704
PreK-3&4 MWF full day $5,402
PreK-3&4 M-F half day $4,314
PreK-3&4 M-F full day $8,628
1 Child Half Day Kindergarten $5,031
1 Child Hybrid: MWF full day, T/Th half day $6,930
1 Child Full Day Kindergarten $8,197
1 Child Grades 1-8 $7,508
2 Children Grades K-8 $12,464
3 Children Grades K-8 $17,119
4+ Children Grades K-8 $19,522

All kindergarten students are eligible for the K-8 multi-child discount.

Families paying the 1 Child (Full Day K) rate of $8,197, are eligible for a St. James loyalty tuition rebate of $500 credited towards the 2025-2026 academic year.

Non-Parishioner Tuition Rate
PreK-3&4 MWF half day $4,979
PreK-3&4 MWF full day $6,668
PreK-3&4 M-F half day $4,952
PreK-3&4 M-F full day $9,904
1 Child Half Day Kindergarten $6,690
1 Child Hybrid: MWF full day, T/Th half day $8,590
1 Child Full Day Kindergarten $9,856
1 Child Grades 1-8 $10,575
2 Children Grades K-8 $14,123
3 Children Grades K-8 $18,778
4+ Children Grades K-8 $21,181

All kindergarten students are eligible for the K-8 multi-child discount.

Families paying the 1 Child (Full Day K) rate of $9,856, are eligible for a St. James loyalty tuition rebate of $500 credited towards the 2025-2026 academic year.

Policies

  • ​​The Pastor and Tuition Aid Team, in conjunction with the principal, will set the amount available for distribution from the tuition aid fund for the following school year.
  • Any family seeking assistance must register their child(ren) for school and pay registration fees. These fees will be refunded if their family does not qualify for or is not granted assistance, and the family chooses not to enroll their child(ren) at St. James School.
  • Requests for assistance will be accepted in the following order:
    • Families that are in good standing returning to St. James School
    • New families registered with St. James Parish
  • Requests for assistance will NOT be accepted for:
    • Families registered at another parish with a school
  • All requests must be made by August 1 to be considered for assistance the following academic year. The intent is to identify and support families with the greatest need
  • All families seeking assistance must submit the specified financial statements and request forms. All applications for assistance will be processed through Blackbaud Financial Aid.
  • The financial need review process will allocate the assistance designated for the following academic year.
  • When prompted, please use the SJS ID: 10147
Tuition Assistance InstructionsTuition Assistance Instructions

Non-discriminatory Student Admissions Statement

Archdiocesan schools admit students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students in these schools.

Archdiocesan schools do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, or national and ethnic origin and ensure equality of opportunity in administration of educational policies, loan programs, athletic, or other school-administered programs.

Non-discriminatory Title IX Statement

No student attending St. James School shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.