Preferred · age 14
Grade 9 — diploma year one
The counted U.S. High School Diploma starts here, and college counseling starts here. Hong Kong F.3 / Canada Grade 9 / UK Year 10. Four years on campus, then Common App.
CATS Global Schools · United States
An American high school in the academic heart of the U.S.
CATS Academy Boston is a boarding high school in Braintree, Massachusetts — Grades 8 to 12 plus a postgraduate year. College counseling from Grade 9. AP Honor Roll in 2024 and 2025. Head of School Dr Michael Lehan.
2,400+
University acceptances since 2020
85
Of the U.S. Top 100 national universities
$11.7M
In scholarships since 2020
10:1
Student–teacher ratio
When to arrive
Preferred: Grade 9. Earliest: Grade 8.
Earliest · age 13
Grade 8 — a settling year
A genuine entry. Time to settle, English to catch up, CATS Extra if needed. The diploma still starts in Grade 9. Hong Kong F.2 / Canada Grade 8 / UK Year 9.
The Boston advantage
Thirty-five minutes from the academic heart of the U.S.
Braintree, not downtown
About 35 minutes from central Boston. Historic town of two U.S. presidents, Sheriff’s office next door, free weekend shuttles to the Braintree T. Boston is QS Best Student City in the U.S. and 15th in the world (2026).
Purpose-built campus
Over 400 ensuite bedrooms, 40 classrooms, an innovation lab, science laboratories, professional arts studios, a competition soccer pitch, gymnasium, weight room, and an on-site medical centre.
A diploma that U.S. universities read
U.S. High School Diploma, Grades 9–12. Average class size 14. 22 hours a week. September or January start (Grade 12 is September only). College Prep, Honors, and AP — 228 AP exams taken in 2024–25, with a 4.3 average across selected papers.
Counseling from Grade 9
Personalized college counseling from the first high-school year, 150+ university visits on campus each year, Common App support in Grade 12. Karolina (Ukraine) progressed to Brown; Dima (Ukraine) to UPenn; Yam (Hong Kong) to NYU.
The programmes
A U.S. High School Diploma is the core. Around it: a postgraduate year, CATS Extra English, Ivy Plus counseling, the Scholars Program, and a STEAM lab that awards its own certificate.
High School Diploma
Grades 9–12 · Sept / Jan · class of 14 · 22 hrs/week
Four years of English and maths; science, history (including U.S. History), world languages, and a year of art or technology. Electives from AP Calculus BC to fashion design, robotics, and marine biology.
Postgraduate year
Age 17+ · September · 1 year · after a High School Diploma
A strengthening year for students who have already graduated high school: maths and English plus at least two electives, independent living with dorm-parent support, and a college-counselor-led application.
CATS Extra
Grades 8–10 · 22 hrs/week · 1 year · Sept / Jan
For international students not yet ready for mainstream classes. Dedicated ESL teachers; students who progress fast can join the diploma stream after one semester.
Ivy Plus
Grades 9–12 · application + interview · October–May
An exclusive counseling track for students aiming at Ivy League and other highly selective U.S. universities: academic roadmaps, passion projects, essay and interview coaching, a strategic college list.
Scholars Program
By invitation · visits to MIT, Harvard, Brown, BU
Academic enrichment for high-achieving students: lectures and campus tours at Boston’s research universities, plus museum, theatre and concert trips. Yam from Hong Kong progressed to NYU.
STEAM + Innovation Lab
Science, technology, engineering, arts, maths · STEAM Award
A lab with a suite of Macs, robotics, 3D making and art-science crossover. Completing a tailored set of STEAM courses and events leads to the CATS Academy Boston STEAM Award.
Boarding
Five residences. Ensuite. Live-in dorm parents.
Five residences, 449 rooms
Emerson and Kennedy (boys, singles), Wheatley and Gardner (girls, singles), Attucks (twins). All ensuite. Live-in dorm parents. A short walk across the courtyard from class.
What is in the room
Bed, storage, a desk, ensuite bathroom, air-conditioning and heating. Cleaning every two weeks. Free laundry. Secure access-card entry. Wi-Fi throughout.
Meals and care
Three meals a day on school days, a culturally mixed menu, vegetarian and vegan accommodated. On-site health centre. Weekly dorm activities.
CSVPA
CSVPA Arts Academy at Boston
A one-year (minimum) track in Grade 10, 11 or 12. Fashion, fine art, music or theatre — a capstone project, a public event, and on successful completion a guaranteed place on a CSVPA undergraduate degree in Cambridge.
Arts destinations include
- Berklee College of Music
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Parsons School of Design
- Pratt Institute
- SCAD
- The New School
- University of the Arts London
Where students go on
2,400+ university and college acceptances since 2020, including 85 of the U.S. Top 100 national universities, and $11.7 million in scholarships. College Board AP School Honor Roll, 2024 and 2025.
Ivy League & MIT
- MIT
- University of Pennsylvania
- Cornell
- Brown
National universities
- UC Berkeley
- UCLA
- University of Michigan
- NYU
- Georgetown
- Boston University
- Northeastern
Art & music
- Berklee
- RISD
- Parsons
- Pratt
- SCAD
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- UAL
College credit while still at school
Full Sail University
Guest lectures and projects in entertainment, media, arts and technology, plus campus visits.
Quincy College
Online dual-enrollment college-credit courses at reduced tuition, with new courses added each year.
SCAD
Up to five dual-enrollment courses in Grades 11–12 (15 credits) and a path to a half-tuition SCAD scholarship. Credits can transfer elsewhere.
Athletics beside the diploma
Competitive sport sits beside the diploma, not instead of it. A CATS Boston student-athlete was named Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Basketball Player of the Year in both 2024 and 2025.
Basketball
A serious academy programme with a competition-grade gymnasium. Two consecutive Gatorade state players of the year.
The wider offer
Soccer on a competition pitch, hockey academies, fitness and team leadership as one of five Global Citizen Pathways.
Life on the Braintree campus
Dining hall, the gym, FIRST robotics — the ordinary week beside the diploma.
Two weeks before term
College Counseling Prep
Compulsory for Grade 12 transfers. Two weeks before orientation: college list, essays, interviews, Boston trips.
High School Preparation
Age 14+, class of 12, two weeks before term. Campus, study skills, English, a research project, and the city.
Ānanda Academy advises. CATS Academy Boston is the school. Applications go through the school; we make sure the year, the programme and the timing are right before you send them.
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