Charter Schools

Overview

Charter schools are free, independently operated public schools. They cannot have academic or behavioral requirements for admission, and there is no admission fee. You can apply to as many charter schools as you’d like.

Types of Charter Schools

There are two types of charter schools: citywide schools and neighborhood “Renaissance” schools.

Citywide charter schools enroll students from any part of the city, with a lottery to offer admission.

Neighborhood “Reinaissance” charter schools enroll students within their neighborhood “catchment” boundaries. If they have additional open seats, students from outside of their neighborhood are selected through a lottery system.

Search by school name or filter your options to find all charter schools in Philadelphia. Visit each school’s profile for more information.

How to Apply

All charter schools require an application and many hold a lottery to fill their available spaces. If you are offered a spot, the school will contact you with steps to enroll. If you are not selected, you will be placed on the waitlist and must reapply for the following year if you are not offered a seat from the waitlist.

Many accept applications through Apply Philly Charter (applyphillycharter.org), due by January 23, 2023. Other charter schools have their own applications and deadlines. Visit greatphillyschools.org to find all charter application deadlines.