Montessori has a reputation for high tuition — but through NYC's free 3-K and Pre-K for All, some children can attend a Montessori-style program at no cost. Here's how the programs work, who qualifies, and which schools offer free seats.
More than when this guide launched. Three schools are fully free — public or charter, no tuition — listed in the public & charter section below. Separately, several private and nonprofit programs offer free Pre-K for All (4-year-old) seats through NYC:
Most other schools in the guide are private tuition (some with their own need-based aid). The third Twin Parks campus, Central Park, is tuition-only. For the fully-free options, see the public & charter schools below.
Pre-K for All is free, full-day early education for 4-year-olds, offered across NYC since 2014. 3-K for All is the same idea for 3-year-olds. Both are universal — no tuition and no income test for the standard "school day" seat (about 6 hours 20 minutes, September–June). Pre-K is well established citywide; 3-K is still expanding and, while now present in every district, remains uneven — popular programs are waitlisted and a nearby seat isn't guaranteed.
Eligibility is by birth year — your child qualifies when they turn the program age (3 for 3-K, 4 for Pre-K) by December 31 of the year they start:
| School year | 3-K (turns 3) | Pre-K (turns 4) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026–27 | born in 2023 | born in 2022 |
| 2027–28 | born in 2024 | born in 2023 |
You need a NYC address — that's the core requirement. There is no income requirement and no immigration documentation needed for the standard seat, and children with disabilities/IEPs are included. (The optional Extended Day/Year add-on is separately income-eligible — see “the catch.” 2027–28 birth years follow the stated rule but should be confirmed once that cycle opens.)
Nothing rolls over automatically. A child in 3-K must submit a new application for Pre-K, and again for kindergarten. Note too that charter-school Pre-K uses its own separate admissions, not the MySchools Pre-K application.
The same free seat is delivered through four kinds of provider:
Search the 3-K or Pre-K directory on MySchools by your address and read each program's description — some list a “Montessori” or “Montessori-inspired” approach. One honest caveat, though: because “Montessori” isn't a protected term, the label alone guarantees nothing, and fidelity tends to vary more in publicly-funded settings (which also must fold in city-mandated curriculum). Use our vetting checklist — ask about teacher Montessori credentials, the length of the work cycle, the materials, and mixed-age classrooms — rather than trusting the name on the door.
If you want free Montessori that carries into the elementary grades, NYC has a small set of free, lottery-based public options:
Formerly “NYC Montessori Charter,” billed as the city's first public Montessori school. Free public charter, open to all NYC students by lottery.
Free Montessori charter with AMI-trained, state-certified guides. Public lottery each spring, with preference to District 9 residents.
NYC's first public district Montessori school (opened 2024). Main entry at Pre-K via MySchools; adds a grade each year. Priority to District 13 families.
Grade ranges and seat counts at these schools are still growing year to year — confirm the current details before you apply.