FAQ

Chelsea Academy seeks to offer the highest quality education while still making it accessible for as many families as possible. The tuition rates reflect the spending per pupil in local public schools.

Tuition for 2012-2013:

Grades 6-8:
$6,800

Grades 9-12:
$7,700

Families will receive a $1,000 reduction for their second child, a $2,000 reduction for their third child, and a $2,000 reduction for their fourth child enrolled in the Academy.
It addition to tuition, there is a $250 fee per student that covers the cost of books and materials.

Given that the tuition is not within reach of every family, the Academy makes available some financial aid on a merit and need basis. Families seeking financial assistance are encouraged to complete and submit an Application for Financial Aid along with accompanying documents. All applications for financial aid are reviewed by an independent company that provides grant and aid assessment services.

Chelsea Academy is located in Front Royal, Virginia, 22 miles from Winchester, 26 miles from Sperryville, 30 miles from Woodstock, and 32 miles from Warrenton. Situated at the fork of the Shenandoah River, Front Royal is nestled in between the Blue Ridge and the Massanutten Mountains, and it lies in Warren County, 70 miles west of Washington, D.C.

Chelsea Academy takes its name from the house at Chelsea of the sixteenth-century English statesman, scholar, and martyr Thomas More. The great humanist Erasmus, who often visited More and his family at Chelsea, described his household (in the words of a More biographer) “as Plato’s Academy on Christian footing.” More was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935, four hundred years after his execution by King Henry VIII. Chelsea Academy offers an education that is inspired by the life and writings of St. Thomas More.

Because the decision to start a new school was driven in part by the desire to create an alternative to the existing programs that provide part-time classes and extracurricular activities to students in the Front Royal area, enrollment is limited to full-time students.

The Academy does not provide bus transportation, but it does help in facilitating car pools for families coming from long distances. Depending on the demand, van service may be arranged at additional cost from locations to be determined.

Chelsea Academy is accredited by the Virginia Independent Schools Association (VISA).  VISA is a member of the Virginia Council for Private Education, the body authorized by the Virginia Board of Education to accredit independent schools in the Commonwealth.

Chelsea Academy is committed to providing small classes for its students. The average class size will not exceed fifteen students, and no classes will have more than eighteen students.

Students are required to wear a uniform. Information about the uniform is available in the Parent Student Handbook and may be purchased through Lands' End and Flynn & O’Hara (www.flynnohara.com).

Chelsea Academy is recognized as an official non-profit organization. As an institution that does not receive diocesan, federal, state, or local financial assistance, the Academy relies on its tuition and the generous support of its families, friends, and donors to meet its operating and administrative costs.

Chelsea Academy is committed to establishing itself as a first-rate independent school dedicated to providing a liberal arts education in the Catholic tradition. Your tax-deductible gifts are invaluable in this endeavor, and we encourage you to contact us if you are interested in making a gift to the Academy.