Your journey starts here

The inquiry form will always be the first step for all applicants. If you have not done so already, please fill out the Admission Inquiry Form to set up your Admission Portal account. Please only submit one form per prospective student.

If you are a current parent, faculty or staff at Cate, please sign into the Admission Portal with your username and password to begin the application process (do not fill out the form above).

Cate School offers a unique campus visit experience. Our campus visits are reserved for prospective candidates for the 2023-24 academic year. We offer campus visits on Monday, Thursday, and Friday mornings when school is in session through the end of January.

Virtual interviews are primarily reserved for students who reside internationally or outside of California.

To schedule an appointment, please contact us at admission@cate.org or call (805) 684-4127 ext. 217.

In-Person Visits: Campus visits last about three hours and consist of the following:

• Class visit (prospective student only)
• Student-led tour of campus (prospective student and family)
• All-school assembly (prospective student and family)
• Interview with an admission committee member (prospective student and family)

Virtual Interview: Virtual interviews are reserved for students who reside internationally or outside of California. A completed application is required before we will determine if an interview is needed. To schedule a virtual interview, we require the following:

• Complete Gateway to Prep Candidate Profile
• Application fee paid
• TOEFL (International Students). Learn more about Cate’s TOEFL requirements.

Spring Visits (April 17 – May 17) are available in the mornings on Wednesdays and Fridays for 7th-grade families:

• All-school assembly (prospective student and family)
• Student-led tour of campus (prospective student and family)

For the 2022-2023 admission cycle (2023-2024 applicants), Cate School is not accepting standardized admission test scores (SSAT and ISEE).

International Applicants: Cate School requires that all non-native English speakers take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International Language Testing System (IELTS) in order to demonstrate proficiency in oral and written English, even if you have been studying in an English speaking country for the last few years. We require a minimum TOEFL score of 110 (out of 120 TOEFL) and 7 (out of 9 IELTS).

TOEFL: Visit TOEFL or call (877) 863-3546 or (609) 951-1100. The Cate School code: 8529
IELTS: Visit IELTS USA or call (323) 255-2771.
DUOLINGO: Visit DUOLINGO

To begin the application process, you must complete the Admission Inquiry Form to create your Cate Admission Portal account.

Cate School accepts the Gateway to Prep Schools Application. A complete application consists of:

• • Candidate Profile
  • Short Responses, Essays, Parent Statement
  • Principal/Counselor Recommendation
  • Current English Teacher Recommendation
  • Current Math Teacher Recommendation
  • Special Interest Recommendation
  • Transcript Report (current and previous year grades)

*If you are a current parent, staff, or faculty at Cate, please sign directly into the Admission Portal with your username and password. Then click ‘Add a New Applicant’ to start the online application for your child using either of the below common applications. Once your account is active, you may log in at any time to track the status of your application.