St. Thomas High School
Near Downtown Houston · At Memorial Dr. and Shepherd Dr., about 2 miles west of Downtown
4500 Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77007Map ↗Established 1900
About this information
$27,900
Tuition · 2026–27
9–12
Grades
791
Enrollment
9:1
Student–teacher
At a glance
An all-boys Basilian college-preparatory school offering dual-credit courses through the University of St. Thomas and one counselor who stays with each student four years.
Dual-Credit Partnership
Four courses through the University of St. Thomas, plus a Carnegie Mellon opportunity in programming.
Four-Year Counselor
Each student keeps one assigned counselor for all four years, at a 1:135 counselor-to-student ratio.
Camp Aquinas and Retreats
Freshmen start with a four-day camp, and every grade attends a required overnight retreat.
House System
Eight houses hold weekly Communio gatherings offering academic, emotional, physical and spiritual support.
Tuition & financial aid
2026–27 Tuition
$27,900
Estimated First-Year Required Cost
$30,250
TEFA (Texas Education Freedom Account)
Payment options
Annual
Jul
Semi-annual
Jul / Dec
Monthly
Jul–Apr
Required general fees — included in $27,900
Laptop & technology
Sibling discount
$2,000/yr per sibling after the first
Need-based aid
~1/3 of students aided; $2.7M+/yr; awards 10-95% of tuition; awards mid-March. Average financial aid award in 2026: $11,500 (brings $27,900 tuition to $16,400).
Merit scholarships
Academic Scholarship Program (ISEE-based), Gabel Scholarship (80% tuition, ~2/yr), Basilian Fathers', Principal's/Aquinas scholarships (GPA-renewable). Average scholarship in 2026: $7,000 (brings $27,900 tuition to $20,900).
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026
Additional & conditional costs
Required and potential costs beyond published tuition
Mandatory freshman fees
Included in estimated first-year required cost
Tuition deposit
Registration fee
Non-refundable, due at enrollment
Camp Aquinas (freshman retreat)
Paid in 3 installments ($200 at enrollment, $200 May 1, $200 June 1).
Book fee
Due at enrollment
Application / pre-admission costs
Not included in estimated first-year cost
ISEE exam (paid to ERB)
Application fee
Optional / variable expenses
Not included in estimated first-year cost
Athletics fee
Per sport
AP exam
Per AP course
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026
Admissions
Admissions Timeline
2027–28 cycle- Aug 3, 2026
Application Opens
- Jan 15, 2027
Financial Aid Deadline
Application Deadline
- Jan 31, 2027
Supporting Documents Verified Deadline
- Mar 5, 2027
Decision Day
- Mar 24, 2027
Common Reply Day
- Mar 31, 2027
Freshman Registration Night
- Apr 10, 2027
Freshman Placement Testing
What's required
Entrance exam: ISEE
Teacher recommendations
Student statement + resume
Report cards (grades 6-8)
Visits & Events
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026
Academics
Advanced Coursework
21
AP Courses
17
Advanced Courses
Dual Credit
Offered4 dual-credit courses via University of St. Thomas (UST): Advanced Texas State & Local Government, Advanced Philosophy, Advanced Sacred Scripture, Advanced Mandarin IV (if enrollment allows). Plus Advanced Programming and Computer Science, a dual-credit opportunity with Carnegie Mellon University (opt-in CMU exam required for credit).
Academic Model & Programs
Research — AP Seminar → AP Research (AP Capstone sequence); AP Research culminates in a 4,000-5,000 word paper and oral defense
Grading
+1.0 (advanced-level courses)
Class Ranking
Not RankedDoes not rank students; reports the top 6% and top 10% of class by GPA for certain state-school agreements
Graduation Requirements
28 total creditsSources
- Counseling
- Course Catalogue (2026-27 PDF)
- Official school source
- About
- Prepare (requirements & test dates)
- Apply
- Do You Offer College Credit? FAQ
- Admissions FAQ
- Academics
- FAQ — How do the counselors support the students?
- FAQ — How do you prepare students for the PSAT, SAT, & ACT?
- 2026 College Destinations
- Freshman Schedule
- Student-Parent Handbook (2026-27 PDF)
Source last checked: Sep 25, 2026
Accommodations
Extended time • Preferential seating • Note-taking support • Assistive technology
Academic Support
Tutoring • Academic coaching • Executive-function support • Study skills • Organization & time management • Academic intervention
Good to know
At no extra cost, students are able to seek assistance and feedback on their assignments with one-on-one tutoring. To receive 50% additional time, families must submit: A psycho-educational evaluation or A current accommodation plan or 504 plan showing extended time is already provided.
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
World Languages
French
French I • French II • Advanced French III • French IV • French Conversation Workshop • AP French Language and Culture
Mandarin
Mandarin I • Mandarin II • Advanced Mandarin III • Advanced Mandarin IV
No AP Mandarin
Spanish
Spanish I • Spanish II • Accelerated Spanish II • Advanced Spanish III • Spanish III • Spanish IV • AP Spanish Language and Culture
Latin
Latin I • Latin II • Advanced Latin III • Advanced Latin IV • Latin Literature • AP Latin
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
College Prep
College Counseling
6-counselor department, 1:135 counselor-to-student ratio
One assigned counselor all 4 years, meeting individually 2-3 times per semester · Counselors are Licensed Professional Counselors and/or Texas Counselor Certified · Students are not ranked (holistic-review policy)
Testing & Test Prep
Ray Dass SARA™ program required for all students, grades 9-11
PSAT taken in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade (11th for National Merit Qualification)
College Planning
Naviance; grade-by-grade counseling plan
Freshman: academic strategies, Naviance intro (resume, goal-setting) · Sophomore: career assessments (YouScience) · Junior: college-list building, teacher recommendations · Senior: application support, scholarship & financial aid guidance
Career Exploration & Experience
Urban Plan
Urban planning · Urban Land Institute Houston
Eagle Shark Tank
Entrepreneurship · Design thinking
Alumni Mentorship
College & career mentoring
College outcomes · Class of 2026
182
Graduates
71
Institutions
28
States + Beyond
2
Service Academies
Sources
Faith & community
Catholic identity
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Basilian Fathers — founded 1900; oldest college-preparatory school for young men in Texas
Mass & prayer
Optional weekly
Mass offered at lunch/Community Time
Service
Freshmen: 10 hours; Sophomores/Juniors/Seniors: 20 hours. Must tie into a Catholic Corporal Work of Mercy; tracked via MobileServe.
Retreats
Annual · Overnight
All four grades participate in required overnight retreats. Freshmen attend Camp Aquinas · 4 days / 3 nights; sophomores (Take Up Your Cross), juniors (Father & Son) and seniors (The Great Commission) attend later overnight retreats · Dedicated Director of Retreats
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Athletics
TAPPS
League / Classification
12 sports offered
Varsity/interscholastic offerings
Football • Cross Country • Basketball • Soccer • Swimming • Wrestling • Baseball • Golf • Lacrosse • Rugby • Tennis • Track & Field
Athletic Facilities
Hotze Field (Granger Stadium) • Fr. Wilson Field (Joplin Campus) • Practice fields • Track • Two gymnasiums • Weight room • Training room • Wrestling room
Athletic Notables
107+ state titles since 1900
110 Eagles signed for college athletics since 2017
7 alumni currently playing professional sports
2026 TAPPS state titles in Wrestling and Soccer
Sources
Source last checked: Aug 21, 2026
Arts
Fine Arts Requirement
Two semesters of Fine Arts coursework required for graduation; can be taken any time.
Also appears as the 1-credit Fine Arts line in Graduation Requirements — this surfaces the "can be taken any time" flexibility Jenn wanted called out in Arts.
Orchestra / Strings
String Ensemble (Beginning/Advanced)
Band
Band (Beginning-Advanced IV) and Jazz Band courses
Musical Theater
Annual spring musical, co-produced with sister schools including Incarnate Word, Duchesne & St. Agnes
Visual Arts
Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Printmaking, Ceramics
Theater / Drama
Theater I-III & Tech Theater I-III courses (also Shakespeare & Film Studies) plus co-ed Drama Guild; fall play and spring musical each year
Choir / Vocal
Choir (Beginning/Advanced) courses, also Music History & AP Music Theory; St. Thomas Singers ensemble
Digital / Media Arts
Digital Graphics I-II course; also Eagle Broadcast Network daily live student news broadcast
Arts Notables
Band finished top 3 in TAPPS in 8 of the past 10 years
Choir students selected for TPSMEA All-State
Student art work exhibited at community, state & national competitions
Sources
- Fine Arts
- Fine Arts Department
- Spring Musical — Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- Arts
- Student Media
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
School life
Campus & Setting
Main Campus
28-acre campus, about 2 miles west of downtown Houston
Acreage confirmed on the Strategic Plan page; distance from downtown confirmed on the About page ("approximately two miles west of downtown").
Campus Expansion
Campus Master Plan underway
One of five pillars in the school's current Strategic Plan; planned additions include spaces for school assemblies, performing arts, and student recreation — no completion date published yet.
Academic Buildings
Main Building, Basilian Hall, Webre Building, Moran Fine Arts Center, Schill Learning Center
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Daily Life
School Day
7:50 AM - 3:10 PM modified block — four 80-minute classes, 35-min advisory, 55-min lunch
Uniform
Collared shirt + khakis + dress shoes; dress days add white button-up, red tie, blue blazer
Transportation
Carpool partnership
Community Life
An 8-house system built around brotherhood, leadership, and pastoral care — each house holds weekly Communio gatherings offering academic, emotional, physical, and spiritual support, extending the mentorship relationships that start at Camp Aquinas.
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 22, 2026
Freshman Transition & Success
Getting Started
New Student Orientation + Camp Aquinas
Orientation day (meet House, teachers, walk schedule) immediately followed by a required 4-day / 3-night freshman outdoor leadership experience at Camp Cho-Yeh, before the school year begins
Summer Readiness
Summer Programs · by invitation for boot camps
Freshman Math and English boot camps and a Step Up Study Skills course for rising 9th graders, plus original-credit summer courses in core subjects and electives
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 23, 2026
Clubs & Activities
64 activities across 10 categories
Special Interest
- Airsoft Club
- Barbecue Club
- Bass Fishing Club
- Car Club
- Chess Club
- Cooking Club
- Dungeons & Dragons Club
- Eagle Volleyball Club (EVC)
- Elite Sack Team
- Fantasy Sports Club
- Pickleball Club
- Powerlifting Club
- Sports and Trading Card Gaming Club
- Tabletop Gaming Club
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Wiffle Ball Club
- Eagle and Child Tolkien Appreciation Club
- Film Club
- Guitar Club
- Improv Society
- Miniature Painting
- St. Thomas Arts, Literary, and Cultural Organization (STALCO)
Academic
- Business Club
- Eagle Finance Club
- Eagles on Wall Street
- Engineering Club
- Junior Classical League
- Mock Trial
- Model United Nations
- Pre-Law Society
- Pre-Med Society
- Quiz Bowl Club
- Sports Business Club
- Young Founders Club
STEM / Robotics
- 3D Printing Club
- Aviation Club
- Computer-Aided Design and Bionic Engineering Club
- Competitive Coding Team
- Cubing Club
- Cyber Security Awareness Club
- eSports Club
- Robotics Team
- Rocketry
- Welding Club
Cultural & Affinity
- Asian Culture Club
- Cajun Club
- Hispanic Association Club
- International Eagles
- Italian Culture Club
- Middle Eastern Culture
- Tolton Society
Faith & Ministry
- Ad Altare Dei Society
- Brothers Under the Cross (BUX)
- Cancer Awareness Club
- Eagles for Life (E4L)
- Helping Hands Club
- Veterans Club
Journalism & Media
- The Eagle
- Eagle Broadcast Network (EBN)
Honor Societies
- National Honor Society
- Computer Science Honor Society
Yearbook
- Aquin Yearbook
Student Government
- STH Student Council
Debate & Speech
- Speech and Debate
Sources
Source last checked: Sep 23, 2026
About our dataInformation comes from official school sources. Availability reflects what we could verify from published materials.