Admissions

Admissions Information: 2026–2027 School Year

At Tompkins Hall Nursery and Childcare Center, we welcome families who share our commitment to creating a warm, inclusive, and developmentally rich environment for young children. Our program serves children from Infancy through Pre-Kindergarten, offering play-based, inquiry-driven learning that nurtures curiosity, creativity, and a love of discovery.

Tompkins Hall is part of Columbia University and offers admissions priority for active Columbia affiliates, including faculty, researchers, staff, and students. 

Age Requirements

• Infants: 3 months–12 months as of September 1, 2026
   
• Toddlers: 1–2 years old as of September 1, 2026
   
• Twos Program: Must be 2 years old by September 1, 2026
   
• Threes/Pre-K: Must be 3 or 4 years old by September 1, 2026

Application Process

• Schedule a tour directly here. Email [email protected] with any questions you may have.
• Submit an admissions application and application fee (and financial aid application if applicable): When filling out the financial aid application, our school code is 5391. Submit your admissions application and $50 application fee by the admissions deadline. You can complete your admissions application after you complete your virtual or in-person tour.
• Submit registration and deposit form: When accepted, you will receive a registration and deposit form. Your child’s enrollment is not guaranteed until your registration form and $2,000 non-refundable deposit have been received.
• Sign and return tuition contract: You will receive a tuition contract for the 2026-2027 school year that outlines your payment schedule after your registration form and deposit are received.

General Application (All Families)

• Applications Open & Financial Aid Available: September 2, 2025
   
• Tours & Information Sessions: September 2025 – January 2026
   
• Financial Aid Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
   
• Application File Completion Deadline: January 8, 2026
   
• Notification Date (admission + financial aid): No earlier than 8:00 a.m., Thursday, February 26, 2026
   
• Parent Reply Deadline: No later than 12:00 noon, Thursday, March 5, 2026
   

Early Notification (Qualifying Families)

We offer an Early Notification option for:

• Students currently enrolled at Tompkins Hall
• Siblings of current students with at least one Columbia-affiliated parent and who will also be enrolled at Tompkins Hall in 2026-2027
• Children of current Tompkins Hall staff
• Children of families in which at least one parent will be an active affiliate of Columbia University at the time of enrollment:
  • Children of Columbia University faculty and staff
  • Children of Columbia University students
• Children of current families who are not Columbia-affiliated and whose currently enrolled child:
  • Was enrolled at Tompkins Hall this past year, and
  • Is enrolled in the current year, and
  • Will also be enrolled at Tompkins Hall the same year that the younger sibling is first enrolled. 

Early Notification decisions (Including early financial aid awards) are released no earlier than 12:00 noon on Friday, December 5, 2025, with replies (and $2000 deposit, which is applied toward tuition) due no later than 12:00 noon on Friday, December 12, 2025.

Important Early Notification Note

• Choosing the Early Notification timeline is optional and not required to apply to Tompkins Hall.
• Families who select Early Notification agree to:
  • Complete the application file and, if applicable, the financial aid application by the Early Notification deadlines.
  • Receive their admissions decision, financial aid award (if applicable), and enrollment contract on the Early Notification decision date.
  • Return the signed enrollment contract and a $2,000 non-refundable deposit by the Early Notification reply deadline (Friday, December 12, 2025) to secure the child’s spot.
  • Understand that if the contract and deposit are not returned by the deadline (Friday, December 12, 2025), the application will automatically be considered under the General Admissions timeline, with decisions released in February 2026, pending space availability.
• Families will be asked to sign and return an Early Notification acknowledgment form confirming their choice of admissions timeline.

Tuition rates for the 2026-2027 School Year will be released when available.