What is the St. Jerome Institute?
The St. Jerome Institute is an independent, liberal arts high school that seeks to overcome the fatal separation of faith and life that afflicts modern society. To pursue this ambitious goal, we offer an integrated curriculum and carefully-cultivated school culture. Students and teachers live and learn together in a community that calls us to be our best selves, rooted in and nourished by the intellectual tradition and liturgical rhythm of the Catholic Church.
We have been featured by multiple national media organizations including EWTN, Word on Fire, and the Catholic School Playbook as an exemplar model of an integrated, Catholic, liberal arts education.
What does the curriculum look like?
The St. Jerome Institute is unique in that we have carefully developed a complete, four-year integrated curriculum. It is structured as a quest for unified and integrated wisdom, guided by great minds who have gone before us in the journey and who have grappled with the deep, timeless questions of our existence through the arts, sciences, and letters. You can learn more about our curriculum by downloading our Educational Plan and viewing our Curriculum Map.
Courses are all taught using the seminar method, where the goal is not simply to “deliver” curriculum but cultivate deep habits of thinking and knowledge in the students. In the seminar, students discuss texts, works of art, historical events, music, and scientific experiments under the careful guidance of their teachers in order to come to know and deepen their understanding in communion with their friends.
All students also take Latin, music, physical education, fine art studio, and art history to assist them in becoming both fully cultivated men and women and to receive the great inheritance of their tradition.
Where are you located?
We currently have one campus in the Brookland area of Washington, DC, and we are excited to announce the opening of a new campus in the Fall of 2026 at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in West Falls Church, Virginia. We hope to begin by offering 9th and 10th grade classes in our new location’s first year. You can schedule a tour of our DC campus here.
Are you a Catholic school?
The St. Jerome Institute is an independent high school. The Catholic faith is the cornerstone of our curriculum, culture, and ethos. Indeed, the curriculum and culture make no sense without the incarnation of Christ and the foundation of His Church. In our view, all of history and creation are fulfilled in Him and through Him. This truth is reflected in every moment of the school day. Our teachers, board members, and staff are all Catholic and committed to the teachings of the magisterium.
In terms of official recognition, the Diocese of Arlington requires a five-year process in order to obtain designation as an independent Catholic school. We have begun that process and have a very collaborative relationship with the diocese and local parishes.
How do you care for the liturgical and sacramental life of students?
The great educator and mystic, St. John Bosco, often would say there can be no education without the sacraments. Christ is the logos–the reason–behind everything in creation; He is the goal and purpose of our lives. An education without the sacramental life will always fail to achieve its true end. We, therefore, fill the culture of the school with the liturgical life of the Church. Students pray Lauds every morning, say the Angelus at lunch, and have frequent opportunities for confession. We are very hopeful, as well, that we will be able to acquire a parish location that allows for daily attendance at Mass.
On top of these commitments, our school calendar is driven by the liturgical cycle. For major feast days, the students, faculty, and staff all engage in true feasting with games, Mass, music, performances, and plays. We want our students to not only read about the beauty of a Catholic culture, but to live it in joy! Feasting has always been a significant part of that culture and is a necessary part of living the faith.
What other student life opportunities does SJI offer?
SJI offers students the chance to actively participate in building the community and culture of the school through our four leadership guilds. Each guild is led by two student leaders or “Guild Masters” who collaborate with SJI faculty and staff, as well as their fellow students, to plan and organize different aspects of school life: Liturgy, Academics, Chorus, Activities.
Our clubs include but are not limited to: The Genesian Players (Drama), Select Choir (audition-only), International Club, Pro-Life club, Mock Trial, Basketball, Kickboxing, Volleyball, and Ballroom Dance.
What is SJI’s approach to technology?
One of the aims of an SJI education is to cultivate deep friendships rooted in the love of Christ. Students engage in serious conversations about texts and ideas as part of that friendship. We also want to cultivate students who are capable of giving themselves in attentive care to the world around them. A great deal of modern technology is an obstacle to these goals. Students are required to check in their smart phones (if they have them) at the beginning of the day. We also limit the use of screens and technology in the classroom by teachers to moments when it is strictly necessary.
Our parent community has also worked hard to cultivate a community in which students do not experience peer pressure to join social media or use smart phones.
Does SJI offer athletics?
Yes. We consider physical education, and sports in particular, as both good in themselves as well as critical for the development of virtue. Our DC location currently offers the following Varsity sports: men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, cross country, and flag football. In Northern Virginia, we hope to provide the following sports opportunities for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Fall: Boys Soccer, Girls’ Volleyball, Co-ed Cross Country
Winter: Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Basketball, Co-ed Swimming
Spring: Boys’ Baseball, Girls’ Soccer, Co-ed Track & Field
How much is tuition?
Tuition for 2026-2027 will be $19,450. That tuition reflects our actual cost to educate students. We are committed to offering an affordable education while also providing our faculty and staff with livable wages. We offer significant scholarship opportunities as well as financial aid to families who demonstrate need. For more information on the financial assistance we offer, please visit our admissions page, email admissions@stjeromeinstitute.org, or call the office at 703-576-2405.
How do I apply?
You can apply first by setting up a shadow day at our DC campus here. Please review our admissions page for details on the application process. If you have any remaining questions about our school culture or the admissions process, please feel free to contact admissions@stjeromeinstitute.org or schedule a visit online.