The Kinkaid School
West Houston / Memorial · in Piney Point Village
201 Kinkaid School Drive, Houston, TX 77024Map ↗Established 1906
About this information
$38,960
Tuition · 2026–27
PK–12
Grades
1,532
Enrollment · PK–12
9:1
Student–teacher
At a glance
A challenging college-prep program combines advanced academics with experiential learning, global opportunities, and room for students to explore individual interests.
Advanced Academics
College-level, AP, Honors, and advanced courses offer depth and academic challenge.
Interim Term
A three-week January term gives students time for focused study, projects, internships, and experiences beyond the regular curriculum.
STEM & Innovation
Hands-on programs expand learning in science, technology, engineering, design, and problem-solving.
Global Learning
Academic travel and exchange programs provide immersive learning experiences beyond campus.
Tuition & financial aid
2026–27 Tuition
$38,960
Estimated First-Year Required Cost
$41,460
Enrollment deposit
$1,500
Payment options
Pay in full
Jul
Quarterly
Jul, Oct, Jan, Apr
Monthly
Jul–Apr
Required general fees — included in $38,960
Student fees for educational supplies, student photos, publications, gym uniforms and educational programs
Need-based aid
Admission is need-blind. Grants never have to be repaid, and families reapply every year. Students with a grant also get help with incidental costs.
Merit scholarships
Not offered — aid is need-based only
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Additional & conditional costs
Required and potential costs beyond published tuition
Mandatory freshman fees
Included in estimated first-year required cost
New Student Fee
New students only · Due with the July 1 payment. A student rising from Kinkaid’s own 8th grade does not pay it.
Application / pre-admission costs
Not included in estimated first-year cost
Application fee
Non-refundable
ISEE exam (paid to ERB)
Sources
- Tuition Schedule 2026-27
- 2027-2028 Admission Requirements, Testing Dates & Fees (PDF)
- ISEE Registration Fees — ERB
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Admissions
Admissions Timeline
2027–28 cycle- Dec 2, 2026
Application Deadline
- Jan 8, 2027
Financial Aid Application Deadline
- Jan 11, 2027
Recommendations Due
Student Essay Due
ISEE Scores Due
Transcript Due
- Mar 5, 2027
Admission Decisions Available
What's required
Entrance exam: ISEE
Teacher recommendations
Interview
School administrator recommendation
Special interest recommendation (arts or athletics; one required, two at most)
Transcript (current fall term plus the two prior years)
Student essay
Good to know
- Openings
- Grade 9 is a natural entry point; Grades 10–12 open only by attrition
Visits & Events
Upper School Information Session
Sep 17, 2026 · 9:30 AM
Parent + student / Family
Sources
- Admission
- Admission Events
- 2027-2028 Admission Requirements, Testing Dates & Fees (PDF)
- Affording Kinkaid
- Application Forms
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Academics
Advanced Coursework
19
AP Courses
6
Advanced Courses
Academic Model & Programs
Interim Term — Faculty-designed courses range from cooking and cryptography to documentary film and rocket physics, and seniors can intern instead. Recent trips have gone to South Africa, Eastern Europe, and Spain and France for language homestays.
Grading
GPA Scale
11.0 weighted GPA scale · College-level (“CL”) courses are marked on the transcript
Class Ranking
Not RankedGraduation Requirements
World Languages
French
AP French Language and French Literature (CL); Honors offered in Level 3
Spanish
AP Spanish Language and AP Spanish Literature; Honors offered in Level 2
Latin
Latin V (CL); Honors offered in Level 3
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 6, 2026
College Prep
College Counseling
Dean system · one Dean for all four years
The Dean is advisor, mentor and college counselor, so college counseling grows out of a four-year relationship.
Testing & Test Prep
SAT and ACT prep classes during Interim Term
Offered to 11th graders.
Career Exploration & Experience
Senior internship during Interim Term
Seniors spend three weeks in a field of interest, mostly in Houston.
College outcomes · Multi-Year
138
Institutions
Classes of 2023–2026
113
AP Scholar Recipients
Class of 2026
31
National Merit Program Awards
Class of 2026
1220–1480
SAT Middle 50%
Class of 2026
29–34
ACT Middle 50%
Class of 2026
Sources
Athletics
SPC
League / Classification
Southwest Preparatory Conference
72%
of students play a sport
15 sports offered
Varsity/interscholastic offerings
Cheerleading • Cross Country · Boys & Girls • Field Hockey • Football • Volleyball · Boys & Girls • Basketball · Boys & Girls • Soccer · Boys & Girls • Swimming · Boys & Girls • Wrestling • Baseball • Golf · Boys & Girls • Lacrosse · Boys & Girls • Softball • Tennis · Boys & Girls • Track & Field · Boys & Girls
Athletic Facilities
Eight-court tennis complex • Turf baseball practice field, used by other sports off-season • Multi-sport turf practice field
Athletic Notables
Most recent SPC titles: Girls Basketball, Boys Golf and Girls Tennis in 2026; Baseball, Field Hockey and Football in 2025
Girls Basketball: three straight titles 2024–2026
Boys Golf: twelve titles since 2012
Football: 34 titles, the most of any Kinkaid program
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Arts
Orchestra / Strings
The Advanced Ensemble performs at least three major concerts a year and enters festivals and solo contests.
Band
One advanced Upper School Band for grades 9–12, with regional and state honor-band auditions.
Musical Theater
An annual musical that competes in Houston’s Tommy Tune Awards.
Dance
Classes in ballet, modern, jazz, world dance and tap. Dance Company is an auditioned after-school group.
Visual Arts
Ceramics, drawing and painting, sculpture, mixed media and printmaking, from introductory to Advanced Portfolio Development.
Theater / Drama
Acting and technical-theatre classes plus about ten productions a year, with students running the technical side.
Choir / Vocal
Concert Choir is open to all singers; Encore is auditioned.
Digital / Media Arts
Film production, graphic design, and photography in both a darkroom and a digital lab.
Arts Notables
Nearly 90% of Upper School students study the arts for at least three years
Best in Show at the Houston Rodeo Art Competition
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
School life
Campus & Setting
Main Campus
64.5-acre PK–12 campus in Piney Point Village
The Memorial campus was dedicated in 1957.
Library
Katz Family Learning Commons
Serves the Upper School; the Middle and Lower Schools each have their own.
Upper School Building
New Upper School building, completed June 2025
Built on the footprint of the previous one, with expanded arts and athletic space alongside.
Dining & Parking
Dining and Learning Center · four-story parking garage
Arts
Katz Performing Arts Center
Includes a black box theatre.
Athletics
Barnhart Stadium, Doggett Family Fieldhouse & Gymnasium, Melcher and Fondren Gymnasiums
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Daily Life
Uniform
Everyday dress code
Neat everyday clothes, no athletic wear or hats. Announced Dress Days call for a sport coat and tie or a dress blouse with a skirt, dress or slacks.
Lunch & Dining
Dining Center serving breakfast and lunch
The campus is cash-free; meals are charged to the student ID card.
Community Time
Community Group · weekly through graduation
Each student joins a group of 10 to 12 students and one faculty member.
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Freshman Transition & Success
Getting Started
Decisions for Healthy Living & Leadership
A semester-long 9th-grade course on wellness, relationships and leadership.
Peer Support
Peer Mentor Program
Senior Peer Mentors lead each 9th grader’s Community Group programming.
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 9, 2026
Clubs & Activities
65 activities across 8 categories
Special Interest
- Anime Club
- Art Club
- Busking at Kinkaid Club
- Card Games Around The World Club
- Ceramics Club
- Chess Club
- Crochet and Knitting Club
- Esports
- Improv Club
- Lights, Camera, Dance Club
- Motion Picture Club
- Pickleball Club
- Rocking at Kinkaid
- Spirit of Kinkaid
- Table Top Gaming Club
- The Fashion Club
Service
- Art for the Heart Club
- Falcon Friends
- Food Allergy Awareness Club
- Garden Club
- Girl Up
- Heroes for Children Club
- Kids’ Meals Club
- Kinkaid Welcomes Refugees Club
- Love Our Seniors
- One Love Club
- Sports for Special Needs
- UNICEF Club
- Wellbeing Club
Student Government
- Governing Council
- Honor Council
- Community Service Leadership Council
- Fine Arts Leadership Board
- Student Athletic Advisory Council
- Student Diversity Leadership Council
- Student Wellness Advisory Board
- Upper School 2 Middle School
- Culture Fest
- Young Alumni Leadership
Academic
- Business and Investment Club
- Creative Writing Club
- Fix-it-Felix Architecture Club
- Latin Club
- Model UN
- Psychology Club
- Quiz Bowl
- Teen Entrepreneurs Club
- World Update Club
- Young Democrats Club
Cultural & Affinity
- African American Appreciation Club
- East Asian Heritage Club
- French Club
- LGBTQ+ Awareness Club
- Native American Club
- South Asian Heritage Club
- Viva La Raza
STEM / Robotics
- Engineering Club
- FalconStem
- Math Club
- Robotics
- Science Club
- Science Research Club
- Youth Medical Organization
Journalism & Media
- The Falcon
Yearbook
- Kinkaidian
Sources
Source last checked: Oct 6, 2026
About our dataInformation comes from official school sources. Availability reflects what we could verify from published materials.