Apply to BCHS

Admissions Process for the Class of 2029

Bishop Chatard High School, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis North Deanery high school, was established to serve the families of our North Deanery parish grade schools. While established to serve the North Deanery, our mission remains to welcome and encourage all students who seek an authentic Catholic education to apply.

Our incoming freshman classes have been filling up faster each year. To accommodate our North Deanery families and other families interested in a BCHS education, we have updated our admissions timeline and process.


We can’t stress enough the importance of applying early to secure your chance of acceptance. Don’t wait until the deadline!


Admission Criteria

Complete applications will be assigned an Admission Preference Priority and a date of completion. A complete application includes:

  1. the online application
  2. all required documents (The HSPT result is not required for the application to be complete but must be submitted by Dec. 18)
Admission Preference Priority is our long-standing policy that establishes a priority listing of admission for students applying to BCHS.

Each year, the Board of Regents and the school administration set the maximum enrollment for each of the four classes for the next school year. In admitting students to any of the four classes, the Admission Preference Priorities, in conjunction with a time stamp, will be used in the admission process.

Admission Preference Priorities:

  • 1st: Student who is a sibling of a current Bishop Chatard student or returning student.
  • 2nd: Catholic students who are participating members of a North Deanery parish and attended North Deanery school for no less than the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades unless they moved into the Indianapolis area during those three years. Participation is defined by each parish.
  • 3rd: Catholic students who are participating members of a North Deanery parish and have attended North Deanery school for less than the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Participation is defined by each parish.
  • 4th: Non-Catholic students who have attended North Deanery Catholic elementary school for no less than the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades unless they moved into the Indianapolis area during those three years. Or Catholic students who are participating members of a North Deanery parish but do not attend a North Deanery grade school. Participation is defined by each parish.
  • 5th: Catholics who are participating members of a parish of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis outside of the North Deanery or in the Diocese of Lafayette.
  • 6th: All other applicants not defined in priorities 1-5.

Application Deadline

December 5, 2024 is the deadline to submit a complete application. A complete application includes the online application and all required documents.

Families who submit a complete application by Dec. 5 will receive an admissions decision by Dec. 31, 2024.
Yes, you can. Students applying after the published deadline are deemed “Post Deadline Applicants”. Completed applications received after this deadline will be reviewed as space and Bishop Chatard’s ability to serve a student’s needs allow. Admission Preference Priority and date of application completion will be considered. Complete applications received after the Dec. 5 deadline will receive an admissions decision in mid-February.

No problem. Since our application is free of charge, it’s still in your best interest to apply early. While you await your admissions decision, come see us at our Open House on October 24, spend a day shadowing an underclassman or join us for a Wednesday Walk-Thru and find out if BCHS is the right fit for your family.

How to Apply

  1. COMPLETE THE ONLINE ADMISSION APPLICATION

    Open Class of 2029 Application Here

    Online applications are made through PowerSchool Enrollment.

    • You will need to create a PowerSchool Enrollment account, even if you already have a PowerSchool Parent Portal account at another school or even at Bishop Chatard. This account will be separate from the one used to view student grades.
    • Applications can be started and saved for completion later.
    • Once you click “Submit”, changes or additions to the application can only be made by contacting the Enrollment Department.
    • The online application can be submitted without the required documents but will not be considered complete until all required documents have been received.

  2. SUBMIT ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
    Admissions decisions are based on a variety of factors and documentation, including but not limited to class space and our ability to adequately serve your child’s needs. The following are required for an application to be considered complete:

    1. Online application
    2. 6th and 7th grade report card (8th grade report card if available at time of application)
    3. 7th grade ILEARN scores (include both Mathematics and English/Language Arts) and/or NWEA scores (include Mathematics and Reading)
    4. Copy of birth certificate
    5. If applying for academic support, the most recent IEP, ISP, CSEP or 504 and psycho-educational testing results
    6. Guardianship or custody papers, if applicable
    7. 7th or 8th grade High School Placement Test (HSPT) scores (if available, but no later than Dec. 18)
    Since the HSPT is not used as an entrance exam for BCHS admissions, an application can be considered complete and reviewed without this score. However, the score must be submitted by Dec. 18 to receive an admissions decision in December. The scores will be used to help evaluate your student’s course placement.

    All documents can be submitted through the online application software, PowerSchool.

    • When submitting documents in PowerSchool, only one file can be uploaded into each category. A file can contain multiple pages.
    • If you missed uploading a required document in the online application software, electronic copies can be emailed to admissions@bishopchatard.org or if you don’t have an electronic copy of a document, paper copies can be mailed or brought to Bishop Chatard High School, Attn: Enrollment Office, 5885 Crittenden Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46220.

    How to Apply as a Transfer Student

  3. APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID

    Complete our Financial Aid application by December 5, 2024, for best consideration to receive BCHS-awarded aid. With new rules for the Indiana School Choice Scholarship program (vouchers), it’s estimated that 90% of Hoosier families will now be eligible for the School Choice program, with awards of around $6000/student. Don’t miss this!
    The application for financial aid for the 2025-2026 school year opens in October.
    >>View Indiana State Choice Scholarships with income eligibility levels
    >>How To Apply for Financial Aid

    Bishop Chatard operates on the philosophy that ability to pay should not be a deterrent for any family seeking a Catholic education for their child.

    • All financial assistance granted at Bishop Chatard is need-based.
    • To be considered for financial aid, a financial aid application made through FACTS is REQUIRED.
    • Financial aid information has no bearing on the acceptance of any student into Bishop Chatard High School.
    • Deadline for Financial Aid Applications to best be considered for BCHS-awarded aid for the Class of 2029 is December 5, 2024.
    Go to BCHS Financial Aid Information

    Bishop Chatard encourages all families to review the qualifications for Indiana State Choice Scholarships (vouchers) and tax credit scholarships (TCS through an SGO). Income eligibility for these expanded substantially in recent years and more families are now eligible.
    If you have questions about financial aid at Bishop Chatard, contact Bob Bell, Tuition Manager, at bbell@bishopchatard.org.

The Acceptance Process

  1. Acceptance Packets: Acceptance packets for the Class of 2029 will be mailed by Dec. 31.
  2. Our ‘Financial Aid Packet’: Financial Aid awards will be sent by email in January.
  3. Submit the Trojan Intent form and tuition deposit by Feb. 11, 2025: This will officially indicate your intention to enroll your student in the BCHS Class of 2029.
    The deposit for 2025/26 is $350 per student or $500 for two or more in a family. The deposit is non-refundable but will be credited towards your tuition.
    Once your deposit deadline has passed, if there is still room, we will accept your deposit. However, if others have been accepted and their deadline has not yet passed, the newer acceptances will take priority until their deadline has passed.
  4. Enroll in Classes for the Freshman Year: Watch for an email in February about how to sign up for an appointment.

Questions?

  • Admissions
    This encompasses the entire process of applying for acceptance to Bishop Chatard High School, obtaining an admissions decision, and upon acceptance, paying the non-refundable tuition deposit, submitting your Trojan Intent form, and enrolling in freshman classes.
  • Admission Preference Priority
    A priority group is assigned to all applicants

  • Post Deadline Applicants
    Refers to applicants who apply after Dec. 5. Admission Preference Priority and date of application completion will be considered.
  • Trojan Intent Form and Non-Refundable Deposit
    Upon acceptance, the Trojan Intent form is what is submitted indicating intent to attend BCHS along with a non-refundable tuition deposit to secure a seat in the upcoming class and prompt enrollment in courses.
  • Enrollment
    The process of selecting and enrolling in courses with the School Counseling Department
  • Conditional Acceptance
    Applicants whose acceptance is conditioned upon criteria set by the admissions committee
  • Deferred
    Applicants whose applications have been reviewed and will be reconsidered later in the admissions process
  • Waitlist
    Applicants who will receive an admissions decision upon space becoming available in the class
    Never hesitate to contact Karen Aruta, Enrollment Manager, at karuta@bishopchatard.org or 317-251-1451, ext. 2234 with your questions.

    Nondiscriminatory Policy
    All schools and parishes under the guidance of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis admit students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletics and other school-administered programs.