Applying for High School

Students currently residing in New York City and attending grade 8 or grade 9 for the first time can submit an application for High School, including Specialized High Schools. Applications are available from October 11, 2023 through December 1, 2023.

If you have dual residency, you can apply for high school, but the student must be living full-time in New York City. If your child attends school outside of New York City, the current school must have a New York City address on file as the home address to be eligible.

Submitting an Application

When applications are available, an application can be submitted any of the following ways:

Applications are not first come-first served. All applications submitted will be reviewed after the deadline to apply.

Before starting an application, please review the High School Directory to learn about programs available. Information that can be found in the directory includes:

For step-by-step assistance with completing the High School application online, click here.

New School Application

Beginning March 18, families can submit an application to Bard Brooklyn Early College High School. Applications can be submitted through April 19.

This application will not impact any offer from the High School Application, the Specialized High School Application, and any waitlist your child is on currently.

Applications are not first come-first served. All applications submitted will be reviewed after the deadline to apply.

For step-by-step assistance with completing the High School application online, click here.

Specialized High Schools

Families can complete a separate applications to apply for the nine Specialized High Schools. A High School application is not required to complete an application for the Specialized High Schools. Students can register for the Specialized High Schools Admission Test (SHSAT) to apply for the following eight programs:

Families interested in applying for Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School are able to audition for any program of interest. Auditions are completed virtually with all materials uploaded. The deadline to submit materials is December 1, 2023.

For step-by-step assistance with registering for the Specialized High Schools online, click here.

Offers and Waitlists

Offers will be available in Spring 2024. All students attending an NYC DOE public school will receive an offer for high school, even if an application was not submitted. Your child may receive up to three different offers based on the applications submitted. Students may get an offer through the High School application, Specialized High School Admission Test results, and LaGuardia auditions.

All families will get an offer letter through the mail. To view your offer, please do any of the following:

There are four admissions factor used when determining if a student will receive an offer:

If your child did not receive their first choice, they will be placed on the school's waitlist. This process is completed for all programs listed higher on the application than the program offered to your child. There is no appeals process for High School admissions.

For more information on waitlists, please review our Waitlist page.