Dear Prospective DMA Families:

Thank you for your interest in Del Mar Academy! We realize that choosing a school is an important process for families and we want you to feel welcome to learning more about who we are and what we do. We cordially invite you to explore our website, come on a tour, call or email us with questions and see for yourself all that DMA has to offer.

Our admission procedure is designed to provide you with information about the philosophy and the academic programs at Del Mar and for you to provide us with sufficient information about your family. We consider “enrollment” at DMA to involve families as a whole, not just the student, and our goal is to select families who share our values and who will benefit from and contribute to our school.

We welcome inquiries and applications from all families with children from 3 years through 11th grade.  Although DMA accepts applications throughout the year, for optimum consideration for the upcoming school year applications should be downloaded and completed as soon as possible. Here is our admissions timeline:

December 1st: Application form available from admissions@delmaracademy.com

March 1st: Placement tests, family interviews, and review of documentation. 

April 1st: Acceptances confirmed on a rolling basis. 

Throughout the Admissions section of the website you will find information about program options, how to apply, tuition and fees, payment and forms. Should you have questions at any time during the admissions process, do not hesitate to call the school, or email us at admissions@delmaracademy.com.

We look forward to getting to know you and your family.

Program Options

Casa & Lower Primary
3 to 9 years old

Upper Primary
4th to 6th grade

Lower Secondary
7th to 9th grade

Upper Secondary (IBDP)
10th to 12th grade

How to Apply

Step 1. Complete a tour of the school (tours are suggested, but not required).

Step 2. Submit the following documents to DMA. Submission may be made via email at admissions@delmaracademy.com or directly at the school.

For admissions consideration:

  1.  A completed and signed Application Form, along with a non-refundable application administrative fee of $100 (by PayPal, cash, or wire payment).
  2. Last 2 years of official academic records-progress reports from previous schools
  3.  Any psychometric or special education testing, IEP or special educational plans or accommodations documentation. 
  4. Copy of your child’s birth certificate or child’s passport or cédula
  5. Copy of the parents’ passport or cédula
  6. Copy of the child’s up-to-date immunization records
  7. A notarized proof of custody or adoption (if applicable)

Step 3. The Admissions Committee and/or the Head of School may contact you to schedule a parent or a student interview.

Step 4. Upon acceptance, a letter of confirmation and a tuition/matriculation agreement will be emailed to you. The tuition agreement specifies the contractual terms of enrollment and must be returned with: a) the matriculation fee, b) the scholarship fee, and c) the capital projects contribution fee. To reserve your enrollment positions ALL 3 admissions fees must be paid by April 1 or TWO WEEKS after admittance (whichever is earliest).

Any admissions related questions please email us at admissions@delmaracademy.com

A note on age requirements:

The Costa Rican Ministry of Education requires that a child be six years old and three months in order to commence formal education in the first grade. The Ministry applies this regulation as a guideline for all grade levels in order to avoid any future conflict in relation to receiving certification. As a Ministry accredited school, DMA uses the following guidelines:

  • Casa: Children must be three (3) years old by September 1st, and they must be potty-trained.
  • Lower Primary: Children must be six (6) years old by September 1st or have successfully completed Kindergarten at an accredited institution, which must provide all transfer documents.
  • Upper Primary: The child must be nine (9) years old by September 1st or have completed the third grade at an accredited institution, which must provide all transfer documents.
  • Lower Secondary (7th – 9th grades): The child must be twelve (12) years old by September 1st or have completed the sixth grade at an accredited institution, which must provide all transfer documents
  • Upper Secondary (10th-12th grades) – Entrance to our IB Diploma program requires a GPA of at least 84% or higher, and high bilingual Spanish – English proficiency.

Waiting List

We wish all children could be the beneficiaries of our wonderful educational programs. At times, however, the number of applications to DMA exceeds the number of students we can serve.  If this is the case, your child will be placed on a waiting list of applicants. DMA assigns priority for admission according to the following criteria:

  • Siblings of currently enrolled students are given first priority for admission
  • Montessori transferees (Casa through Lower Primary)
    Families showing commitment to the Montessori and IB Philosophy
  • Families actively involved in the school community and service to the school
  • Students and families for whom our program is the best-fit
  • Students that the school predicts will be successful at DMA
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