Admissions

We are thrilled to invite you to submit your application for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year at Arlington Unitarian Cooperative Preschool (AUCP)!

Key Application Details

  • Online Application: Accessible on our website.
  • Paper Application: Please send paper applications to loveoutdoorpreschool@gmail.com or to Arlington Unitarian Cooperative Preschool, c/o Membership at 4444 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22204.
  • Application Deadline: For new families, all applications must be received by Friday, February 9, 2024, to be included in our admissions lottery. Any applications submitted after the deadline will be added to the waitlist in the order that they are received.
  • Application Fee: $50 per student; payment can be made via PayPal or submitted with your paper application.
  • Financial Assistance: For inquiries regarding financial assistance with the application fee, please contact our Board Treasurer at aucp.treasurer@gmail.com.
  • Admissions Lottery Notification: Applicants will be notified of their waitlist status via email by March 1, 2024.

Our Open House has already taken place, but small group tours are available in advance of the February 9 application deadline. Check out available tour dates, and sign up here.

Financial Aid

  • AUCP believes in providing quality education to every child, irrespective of financial circumstances.
  • Our formal financial aid program, built upon a longstanding tradition of a hardship fund, will grant aid on a sliding scale.
  • Eligibility extends to families with a household income below 3.5 times the Head Start income limits
  • Financial aid applications must be received by February 9, 2024, to be considered for the upcoming school year. Aid may be available after the deadline. Please contact aucp.treasurer@gmail.com with any questions.

Admissions Policies

We welcome children aged one to five years old, embracing diversity in race, color, religion, nationality, and ethnic origin. Our admissions process is guided by the following policies:

"toddler playing on a preschool playground in Arlington, VA" "play-based preschool in Arlington, VA" toddler preschool pre-k pre-kindergarten daycare “preschool in Arlington Virginia” “preschool in Northern Virginia” NOVA “play-based” “play-based curriculum” montessori reggio waldorf co-op co-operative playground baby classroom outdoor “early education” “DC metro area preschool” imagination cooperation exploration adventure curiosity
  1. Lottery System:
    • AUCP conducts a blind lottery annually to fill any openings, giving equal opportunities to all applicants.
    • We do not carry a waitlist from year to year.
  2. Priority Categories:
    • Priority is given to the following groups:
      • Children of AUCP staff
      • Current students and their siblings
      • Former students and their siblings
      • Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington pledging members and friends
  3. Application Process:
    • A $50 non-refundable application fee per student is required for families new to AUCP.
    • Both the application form and fee must be received for an application to be considered.
  4. Admissions Notification:
    • Applicants will be notified of their admissions status by March 1.
    • New applications are considered in the order received after the deadline, with priority given to siblings of enrolled students.
  5. Family Registration Fee and Tuition Deposit:
    • Upon acceptance, each family pays a one-time $120 non-refundable registration fee (per family, not per child). This fee includes Central Registry and criminal background checks for each co-oping parent.
    • A one-month tuition deposit (credited to May of the following school year) is required to reserve your spot. This deposit is non-refundable if you decide to withdraw after April 30, 2024.
    • Both the family registration fee and tuition deposit are due within 7 days of receiving your acceptance letter.
  6. Fees for Current Families:
    • For current families, there are no application or registration fees.
    • May 2025 tuition, including a non-refundable $50 tuition deposit, must be paid by February 1, 2024.
    • Current families will be notified about class placement in March.
    • The balance of the May tuition is non-refundable after April 30, 2024.

We look forward to welcoming your family to the AUCP community. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Membership at membership.aucpva@gmail.com.