Application Deadlines

District

To apply to a school outside of your assigned neighborhood school, you must submit an application through the School Selection Process. You can select up to five options, so choose carefully where to apply. The application is due November 4 by 5:00pm.

You should receive your results by email in January. Some schools receive more applications that they have space and may not be able to offer a spot. If you are accepted into any school other than your neighborhood school, you must confirm that you want to attend the school within a week of notification.

Registration for your neighborhood catchment school for grades 1-8 are rolling. Find more information here. Kindergarten registration typically opens in January of the year your child will begin school and ends in May. Seats are limited at your neighborhood school, so register early. See more information here.

Charter

Families can easily apply to most charter schools in Philadelphia through Apply Philly Charter. The application opens on September 24, 2021. Submit your application by January 23, 2023. Families will be notified of their application outcomes on February 10, 2023 by e-mail and through their Apply Philly Charter accounts. Seat offers made on February 10th must be accepted by February 24, 2023.

Deadlines vary for select charter schools with individual applications.

If your neighborhood catchment school is a Renaissance charter school, you need to submit an application. The school will then contact you with instructions to register.

Private

Private schools each have their own admissions timeline and process, and specific deadlines vary from school to school. In general, families apply to private independent schools in the fall, and to private religious schools in the spring. Check with specific schools for their deadlines and requirements, but here is a general timeline of the annual process for private schools.

If you need help affording private school and are interested in a 4-year partial scholarship from Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia, the priority deadline to apply is November 15. Applications will be accepted through March 1, but apply by November 15 for your best chance at being selected.