How to Apply
We’re excited to welcome you to Berkshire Waldorf School, a Toddler through Eighth Grade Waldorf school located in the Muhhekunneauw (Muh-he-con-ok, or Mohican) homelands of Western Massachusetts.
In 2021, we celebrated BWS’s 50th anniversary by welcoming our new threefold Leadership Team, and adding outdoor learning cottages to our two Waldorf classroom buildings, meadows, woods, river and biodynamic gardens, which make our campus a beautifully indoor-outdoor, four season environment.
BWS is a treasure, truly a game-changer for children and families.
-Holly Henderson-Fisher
Berkshire Waldorf School is an “all-weather school” for First Grade through Middle School, and our Early Childhood programs offer indoor/outdoor learning for children starting at eighteen months. Our affiliated Berkshire Waldorf High School continues Waldorf Education from Ninth through Twelfth Grades, which means your child can have a healthy, holistic, heart-centered education from diapers to diploma.
To get started, click on your child’s program link below to create an account in Ravenna and access our online inquiry.
Fall 2025 Admissions
Applications for the 2025-26 school year open November 1, 2024 in our Admissions portal, Ravenna. Click on your student’s program level below to raise your hand with an inquiry. At Berkshire Waldorf School, Tuition Support is a separate, parallel process to the school application. Both school and tuition support applications for Fall 2025 are due on or before February 1, 2025. Apply early for best availability. (Tuition Support is not available for the youngest Toddler Nursery.)
Current Year Admissions
We offer rolling admissions for Grade School and Middle School students throughout the school year, where spots are available. Current school year (2024-25) applications close temporarily from July 15 to September 30, 2024, as we onboard enrolled students, and reopen October 1. To check availability in your child’s program, please scroll down and click on your student’s program level to create an inquiry in our family portal.
Get to Know Us
Visitors say pictures (or a thousand words) are no match for feeling the spirit of the school and the land in person. All seasons in the Berkshires are a lovely time to tour our indoor and outdoor classrooms, and see the school in action. You’re invited!
For an overview of festivals and community events, refer to our Calendar.
Planning Your Visit
As part of your exploration, plan to join one of our “Coffee, Tea & Tour” mornings (adults only), on select Wednesdays during the school year, from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Create an account and register in our Ravenna family hub or send us a quick email to request another date (admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org).
Learn more about our upcoming program introductions and special events on our School Visits page.
Register for all school visits in your Ravenna Family Portal. Any questions? Email Admissions Director Robyn Coe at admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org.
For more details about visiting and how to apply, continue on to the bottom of this page. Thanks for your interest in Berkshire Waldorf School. Go Bobcats!
Early Childhood (18 mos-6 years)
Children are eligible to join our 2025-26 Early Childhood classes if they will be at least 18 months old by September 1, 2025. We offer Toddler Nursery for children 18 months through 2.5 years, mixed-age Nursery for children turning 3 or 4 during the school year, and mixed-age Kindergarten for children who will turn 5 or 6 during the school year. At Berkshire Waldorf School, depending on your child’s birth date, they may spend several consecutive years in Early Childhood, and turn 6 during their final year of Kindergarten, prior to joining First Grade the following Fall.
Parent-Child Garden (4 mo – 3 yrs)
Parent-Child Garden is for young children to attend weekly classes with a parent or caregiver. There are three age ranges: 4 months to walking, 1-2 years and 2-3+ years. Join this circle for a warm welcome to school for parents and children alike. To register for year-round sessions, visit Parent-Child Garden.
I just want to say how much we’ve loved being part of the BWS community so far—we feel very lucky to have gotten a spot in the kindergarten, which our son absolutely loves. He’s excited about school every day, even with the cold weather.
– Kindergarten Parent
First Grade
Your child is eligible for First Grade during the 2025-26 school year if they will turn 6 by September 1, 2025. An interview, First Grade screening and current teacher’s reference are also part of the application. First Grade applicants may also be invited to visit one of our Kindergarten classrooms for a morning.
Join us for live events such as “Looking Forward to Grades School” (for families with children transitioning from Early Childhood to the Grades), “Looking Forward to Middle School” and “Becoming a Berkshire Waldorf Family.” RSVP in your Ravenna Parent Portal. We look forward to seeing you!
Elementary Grades 2-5
Waldorf Education is based on each child’s developmental stage, so at Berkshire Waldorf School, your student’s Elementary grade level is determined by their birth date rather than their skill level. However, for students coming from programs outside Waldorf Education, we will also consider each child’s individual experience.
Middle School Grades 6-8
Berkshire Waldorf School’s adventurous Middle School program builds on the strong foundation of Elementary School, advancing to a high level of personal and social responsibility, accountability, and individual and class expectations.
High School, Grades 9-12
For inquiries and admissions for students ages 14-18 (Grades 9-12) at our sibling school, Berkshire Waldorf High School in Stockbridge, MA, contact Admissions Director Samantha Stier at admissions@berkshirewaldorf.com or 413-298-3800.
Discover more about how to apply here.
1. How to Apply to BWS: Meet
Here’s how to get started exploring Waldorf education for your family.
- All four seasons in the Berkshires are a special time to visit! Plan to join one of our monthly “Coffee, Tea & Tour” Wednesdays starting October 2. (Create an account and an inquiry in our Ravenna Admissions hub, and we’ll send you an invitation, or you can self-register by event.) This initial group tour is intended for grownups only. For other times and dates, contact Admissions Director Robyn Coe at admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org, to arrange your personal visit.
- Save the date for our festival days, such as the Holiday Handcraft Fair (an annual tradition at BWS for 50+ years!) on Saturday, November 16, 10a-4p and May Day, May 1, starting at 11:00a, for an opportunity to celebrate with the whole BWS community. All welcome!
2. How to Apply to BWS: Complete an Application
2024-25 or 2025-26 School Year Applications
- Current (2024-25) Grade School applications reopen for “rolling” admissions throughout the school year, where space is available, from October 1, 2024 through April 1, 2025. Apply any time via our “Mid-Year Application.”
- Priority Applications for Fall 2025 (for students 18 months through Eighth Grade) open November 1, 2024, and are due February 1, 2025. You can still apply through July 1, 2025 via our “Late Application.” Click on your child’s program link to create an account in Ravenna and access our online application. However, for best placement and if tuition support is a consideration, earlier is better.
Want to Start with an Inquiry?
Get started by creating an account and an inquiry in our Admissions portal, Ravenna. This puts you under no obligation, but does make it easier for us to keep in touch. You’ll also be able to register for events there once they open, and you’ll have everything you need in one place, when you’re ready to go ahead with your child/ren’s application to school.
Tuition Cost
- Find current 2024-25 tuition rates on our Tuition Information page. Look for tuition rates for the 2025-26 school year around January 1.
- Early Childhood tuition is based on your choice of days and times.
Tuition Support
- To make Waldorf Education a viable option for as many families as possible, BWS offers two options for Tuition Support: sliding scale tuition or financial aid.
- Apply for sliding scale with your most recent tax return, which may well be the prior tax year.
- If you plan to apply for tuition support, your Tuition Support Application (separate from and parallel to your school application) is ALSO due February 1, 2025 for the 2025-26 school year. This is an important deadline to meet, since we may not be able to provide tuition support for families who apply after this priority deadline.
- Tuition support is not available for the youngest Toddler Nursery due to appropriately low teacher to student ratio.
School Visit
Once you complete your child’s application and provide any supporting documents, it’s time to schedule your family visit to BWS.
3. How to Apply to BWS: Meet the Teachers
After your student’s application materials are complete, we’ll arrange a personal visit with their prospective BWS teacher.
For Early Childhood applicants, we’ll schedule your family visit with a member of the Early Childhood faculty.
Your prospective Kindergarten and First Grade student may be invited to visit one of our Kindergarten classes for a morning. First Grade assessments may also include a developmental readiness assessment and parent/caregiver interview with teachers.
For students in Second through Eighth Grades, after we receive your student’s application for school, along with all required supporting documents, if the Class Teacher would like to consider your applicant for enrollment, we’ll make an appointment for them to meet with your student for an individual Grade-level assessment, followed by a meeting between teacher and parents/caregivers.
4. Class Visit
- For Grades and Middle School applicants, if the Class Teacher feels that the student may be a fit for the class, the teacher will invite the prospective student to visit their grade level-appropriate class for at least two consecutive days.
- The classroom visit is the final part of our process during Admissions season (November 1- April 1, for the following school year), and essential if questions remain after an applicant’s individual assessment.
- The classroom visit isn’t a given, but by invitation only, and completely at the Class Teacher’s and school Leadership Team’s discretion.
- There are many variables to consider in large classes, especially as students enter Middle School, including the need for teachers to discover where students are academically and in their Subject classes.
- Classroom dynamics are complex, both socially and academically, so to make sure BWS teachers can serve new students as well as their currently enrolled classmates, both the Class and Subject Teachers need to spend time with applicants in classes with their peers.
ADMISSIONS NOTIFICATION: We’ll do our best to notify you of your child/ren’s admissions status and any tuition support award at the same time. Enroll ASAP to reserve your child’s spot, since availability is limited.
Want to learn more?
Please click the appropriate button above to create your account, tell us a little more about your child or children, and begin a conversation. Reach BWS Admissions Director Robyn Coe at admissions@berkshirewaldorfschool.org or reserve a time for a video chat right here.
Thank you, and we look forward to getting to know your family!
