Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
Memorial · West Houston
10202 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77024Map ↗Established 1960
About this information
$33,600
Tuition
PK3–12
Grades
357
Upper School Enrollment
8.1:1
Student–teacher
At a glance
A college-preparatory school on a six-term MOD schedule, where students take fewer courses at once in longer periods designed for deeper learning.
Global Learning
Students may exchange 2-4 weeks at a Sacred Heart school worldwide, and Duchesne hosts students in return.
Service Learning
Grades 11-12 take on off-campus volunteer placements; Grades 9-10 complete two service projects each year.
Research
Grades 11-12 complete a two-year Transformative Research and Action capstone, culminating in an original research paper.
Faith & Purpose
Theology is required all four years, grounded in the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria shared across the global network.
Tuition & financial aid
Tuition
$33,600
Estimated First-Year Required Cost
$38,050
Enrollment deposit
$1,000
TEFA (Texas Education Freedom Account)
Not participating for 2026–27; the school will reevaluate for future years.
Payment options
Annual
May
Semi-annual
May / Nov
Monthly
Need-based aid
65% of Upper School students receive tuition assistance; $2.4 million awarded
Merit scholarships
$15,000 a year, renewable: Janet Erskine Stuart (Catholic middle-school applicants), Madeleine Sophie Barat (current Duchesne 8th graders), Rose Philippine Duchesne (9th-grade applicants from other schools)
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 10, 2026
Additional & conditional costs
Required and potential costs beyond published tuition
Mandatory freshman fees
Included in estimated first-year required cost
New Student Fee
Technology fee (Grade 9)
Textbooks
Approximate, Upper School
Application / pre-admission costs
Not included in estimated first-year cost
Application fee
Optional / variable expenses
Not included in estimated first-year cost
AP exams
Per exam
Athletics fee
Per sport
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 27, 2026
Admissions
Admissions Timeline
2027–28 cycle- Oct 15, 2026
Financial Aid Application Opens
- Dec 15, 2026
Application Deadline
- Jan 15, 2027
Supplemental Requirements Deadline
- Jan 17, 2027
Financial Aid Application Deadline
- Mar 5, 2027
Financial Aid Award Notification
Admissions Decisions Released
- Mar 24, 2027
Enrollment Reply Deadline
What's required
Entrance exam: ISEE
Teacher recommendations
Interview
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 10, 2026
Academics
Advanced Coursework
22
AP Courses
18
Advanced Courses
Dual Credit
OfferedPartner institution not published — contact the school for details.
Academic Model & Programs
Signature program: The MOD Schedule — 80-minute classes with 3–4 courses at a time, each term about 30 school days. Students focus on fewer courses at once in longer periods, for deeper study and more course variety.
Grading
+0.5 AP · +0.3 Advanced
Class Ranking
Not RankedGraduation Requirements
84 credits requiredAcademic Support
Study skills
Good to know
Accommodations are provided at the school’s discretion, and the curriculum itself is not modified. Documentation of the student’s needs is required.
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 5, 2026
World Languages
French
French I • French II • French III • French II/III Advanced • Advanced French DELF • AP French Language and Culture
Spanish
Spanish I • Spanish II • Spanish III • Spanish IV • Advanced Spanish II • Advanced Spanish III • Advanced Spanish IV • AP Spanish Language and Culture
American Sign Language
ASL I • ASL II • ASL III
No AP offered
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 3, 2026
College Prep
College Counseling
1:1 advisor freshman through senior year
Weekly advising sessions in junior year · Parent programming (standardized testing, admission trends) · Essay/application/financial-aid workshops · Rep visits scheduled via Scoir
Testing & Test Prep
PSAT 10 (sophomore); PSAT/NMSQT + SAT/ACT (junior)
Sophomores take PSAT 10 in fall · Juniors take PSAT/NMSQT in October, then sit for SAT or ACT by end of year
College Planning
Scoir platform; published grade-by-grade roadmap
Scoir introduced freshman year for college/career research · Multi-college spring tour (sophomore) · Catholic High School College Fair (fall, junior) · College list-building junior spring
College Readiness Coursework
Optional junior-year elective: "College Essays and Conversations"
In-depth guidance on crafting compelling college essays and personal narratives
College outcomes · Multi-Year
$10M+
Scholarships Offered
Class of 2025
36
AP Scholar Recipients
Class of 2027
1160–1390
SAT Middle 50%
Class of 2027
26–31
ACT Middle 50%
Class of 2027
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 9, 2026
Faith & community
Catholic identity
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Network of Sacred Heart Schools
Chapel on campus
Burguières Family Chapel of the Sacred Heart
Service
Global & Social Awareness Program
Grades 11-12: assigned off-campus volunteer placements (schools, senior communities, charitable organizations) with a reflection component · Grades 9-10: two self-chosen service projects per year
International Travel & Mission Trips
Sacred Heart Exchange
Sophomores live and study at another Sacred Heart school in the U.S. or abroad; the school also runs a College Tour and travel to France and Italy.
Sources
- Upper School Academics
- 2026-27 School Profile (PDF)
- The Burguières Family Chapel
- The Duchesne Difference
Source last checked: Nov 9, 2026
Athletics
TAPPS + SPC
League / Classification
League varies by sport, e.g. TAPPS for field hockey and tennis, SPC for golf and swimming
65%
of students play a sport
13 sports offered
Varsity/interscholastic offerings
Basketball • Cross Country • Dance Team • Field Hockey • Flag Football • Golf • Lacrosse • Soccer • Softball • Swimming • Tennis • Track & Field • Volleyball
Athletic Notables
SPC 3A Golf Champions (2024)
SPC 4A Swimming & Diving Champions (2025)
HJPC Tennis Champions — Team, Singles & Doubles (2025)
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 9, 2026
Arts
Musical Theater
Upper School production alternates play/musical years · All-School Musical (grades 2-12) every third year
Dance
Intro to Dance through Dance 4 Advanced, plus Aerial Dance
Ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, jazz funk & musical theater styles · Beginner & intermediate levels available · Spring Duchesne Dance Show
Visual Arts
Advanced 2D/3D design, photography, sculpture & digital media · Art History electives · Student exhibitions and gallery visits
Theater / Drama
Introduction to Theater course plus advanced acting, design & playwriting tracks; one major extracurricular production annually
Choir / Vocal
Treble Choir (open) & Advanced Choir (auditioned), plus Guitar, Handbells & Music Theory/AP · Performances including the Astros anthem, Christmas Concert, Spring Pop Show · Acabellas a cappella club
Sources
Source last checked: Aug 30, 2026
School life
Campus & Setting
Main Campus
One campus in West Houston (Memorial), serving PK3–12; the Upper School is grades 9–12
On this campus since 1960
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 5, 2026
Daily Life
School Day
Six-Term MOD Schedule
Four class periods of about 75–80 minutes a day instead of 6–8 shorter ones; each of the six terms runs about 30 school days before courses rotate. 40-minute lunch and a 15-minute mid-day break.
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 5, 2026
Clubs & Activities
1 activity across 1 category
Yearbook
- Yearbook
Sources
Source last checked: Nov 3, 2026
About our dataInformation comes from official school sources. Availability reflects what we could verify from published materials.