Boston's universal pre-K is Boston Pre-K, the city program formerly called UPK: free, full-school-day pre-K for three- and four-year-olds at Boston Public Schools and community sites, per Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston. Families apply through Great Starts. A free seat replaces private preschool that commonly runs $1,800 to $2,700 per month in 2026.
This guide explains how Boston Pre-K works, who qualifies, how the Great Starts application and the two-application structure run, the length of the school day, and what private preschool costs if you miss a match. It sits alongside our daycare cost pillar and our statewide Massachusetts pre-K explainer.
Yes. Boston Pre-K, the city's universal pre-K program formerly called UPK, is free to Boston families with three- and four-year-olds, per Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston. It is a mixed-delivery program offered at Boston Public Schools and at community-based organizations, independent schools, and family child care providers, all at no cost to families.
Boston runs roughly 3,000 pre-K seats inside Boston Public Schools and about 1,500 more across community settings, per Boston Public Schools. The mixed-delivery design gives families a choice of formats, but the most-requested programs still fill, so timing and listing several options matter.
Children who are three or four years old and live in the City of Boston qualify, per Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston. The program is free regardless of family income. Seats exist both inside Boston Public Schools and across community settings, so families can choose the format and location that fits them best.
Boston Pre-K runs a 6.5-hour school day for 180 days per year, per the City of Boston. The table below lays out the main options Boston families weigh, including the wraparound gap a school-day program leaves.
| Program / option | Ages | Cost | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Pre-K (BPS sites) | 3–4, Boston residents | Free, all incomes | 6.5-hr day, 180 days |
| Boston Pre-K (community sites) | 3–4, Boston residents | Free, all incomes | 6.5-hr day; some offer extended care |
| Head Start (income-eligible) | 3–5 | Free if eligible | Part or full day |
| Private preschool | Roughly 2–5 | $1,800–$2,700 / month | Varies |
The Boston Pre-K seat types and day length are from Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston, and Head Start eligibility follows the federal Office of Head Start. The private cost range is drawn from Child Care Aware of America and the U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices for the Boston area, and is discussed below.
Families apply through Great Starts at apply.avela.org/boston, per Boston Public Schools. For the 2026-2027 year, registration opened January 5, 2026. To be considered for both options, families submit two separate applications, one for Boston Public Schools seats and one for community-based seats; you can apply to one or both.
Apply early and use both applications if you want the widest choice, listing programs near home and near work. Community sites sometimes offer extended-day hours that BPS classrooms do not, which can matter for working families.
Full-time private preschool in Boston commonly runs about $1,800 to $2,700 per month in 2026, per Child Care Aware of America and the U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices. Massachusetts is among the most expensive states for child care, and tuition tends to fall as children age out of the higher infant and toddler ratios.
A Dorchester family paying for full-time private preschool for a four-year-old can spend roughly $1,900 to $2,500 per month, or about $22,800 to $30,000 per year, per Child Care Aware of America data for the Boston area.
If the same child takes a free Boston Pre-K seat, the core school-day cost drops to $0, with the family paying only for any wraparound hours beyond the 6.5-hour day.
A Dependent Care FSA and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit can further offset wraparound or summer care; see our tax-credit explainer below.
The honest tradeoff. Boston Pre-K is genuinely free and offers real choice across school and community sites, but "universal" does not guarantee your first pick: popular programs fill, you may need two separate applications to see every option, and the 6.5-hour day is shorter than a work day. A missed match drops you back into one of the country's most expensive private markets. Apply early and use both applications.
Is pre-K free in Boston?
Yes. Boston Pre-K, the city's universal pre-K program formerly called UPK, is free to Boston families with three- and four-year-olds, per Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston. It is a mixed-delivery program offered at Boston Public Schools and at community-based organizations, independent schools, and family child care providers, all at no cost to families.
Who qualifies for Boston Pre-K?
Children who are three or four years old and live in the City of Boston qualify, per Boston Public Schools and the City of Boston. The program is free regardless of family income. Seats exist both inside Boston Public Schools and across community settings, so families can choose the format and location that fits them best.
How do I apply for Boston Pre-K?
Families apply through Great Starts at apply.avela.org/boston, per Boston Public Schools. For the 2026-2027 year, registration opened January 5, 2026. To be considered for both options, families submit two separate applications, one for Boston Public Schools seats and one for community-based seats; you can apply to one or both.
How long is the Boston Pre-K day?
Boston Pre-K runs a 6.5-hour school day for 180 days per year, per the City of Boston. That covers the school day but not a full work day, so families who need longer hours or summer coverage generally arrange wraparound care in addition to the free seat.
What does private preschool cost in Boston?
Full-time private preschool in Boston commonly runs about $1,800 to $2,700 per month in 2026, per Child Care Aware of America and the U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices. Massachusetts is among the most expensive states for child care, so a free Boston Pre-K seat is one of the largest savings available to a Boston family.
If you are weighing options, walk through our comparison checklist and tour questions list, and model your year with the cost calculator. For more, see the Boston daycare guide, the statewide Massachusetts pre-K explainer, and the DaycareSquare cost pillar.
Neighborhood-level costs, waitlist reality, and how to find care across Boston.
Read → StatewideHow the state's UPK grant program works across Massachusetts, not just Boston.
Read → ToolModel your Boston year with a free Boston Pre-K seat factored in.
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