About Campus Schools

The curriculum exceeds New York State mandated guidelines issued by the Board of Regents. Hunter schools pursue innovative approaches to curriculum and instruction as laboratory schools for the gifted. The schools offer programs that are both rich in breadth and in-depth to the extent that complex academic work is pursued at each grade level.

Contact information:
High School Main Office: 212-860-1267
High School Admissions: 212-860-1261
Elementary School Main Office: 212-860-1292
Elementary School Admissions: 212-860-1401

The Hunter College Campus Schools consist of an elementary school (kindergarten to sixth grade) and a high school (seventh to twelfth grades) with enrollments of 336 and 1200 students, respectively. The schools are publicly funded, chartered by the board of Trustees of the City University of New York, and administered by Hunter College. They are coeducational laboratory schools for students who exhibit superior cognitive ability and are organized as research and demonstration centers.

The schools are committed to serving a gifted student body and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin or disability.   Please see the admissions pages for current information, including residency requirements.

The schools recognize that gifted students need an atmosphere of freedom in order to meet their own challenges and those presented to them, and a curriculum that emphasizes critical and creative thinking and mastery of the spectrum of the arts and sciences. They also require the vital stimulation of a strong program in physical education, and support for sound emotional development.

The schools aspire to be a community in which students come to respect and to appreciate diversity in an environment that fosters social responsibility, ethical behavior, civility, and sensitivity toward others.

Hunter students, as gifted and talented youngsters, tend to be mature for their age, self-motivated, independent, and inventive. They often have artistic and creative talents in addition to their strengths in academic areas. Critical thinking is also a common characteristic.

The Hunter College Campus Schools are made up of Hunter College Elementary School (K-6) and Hunter College High School (7-12). We are publicly funded, selective admission schools for intellectually talented and gifted students. We aim to be a model for gifted education.

Our schools strive to reflect the city they serve by admitting and educating a population of students who are culturally, socio-economically, and ethnically diverse. We seek to serve as a model for combining excellence and equity, serving as a catalyst for change in New York City and the nation.

We serve students who demonstrate advanced cognitive ability, and we assist in the development of creative, intellectually curious, and original thinkers who are passionate about learning. We prepare our students to be life-long learners and leaders. Our schools use the principles of gifted education, including depth, complexity, challenge, enrichment, and acceleration of the curriculum, to meet the needs of intellectually advanced students. Our schools support an experienced faculty who aim to stay current in their fields and who employ developmentally appropriate pedagogy with their students.

As a community, we are committed to the social and emotional well being of all our students. We seek to develop the individual potential of each student in a collaborative atmosphere that values intellectual freedom and inspiration. We value families as partners in this work, and as partners in creating the schools’ unique environment. As a community we foster respect for and appreciation of individual and cultural differences; emphasize social responsibility and leadership, community service and good citizenship; and value civility and ethical behavior.