NYC High School Applications Now Open

EDITOR’S NOTE (2/9): This post has been updated to reflect the DOE’s new submission deadline for the 2021 NYC High School Application. Families now have until Monday, March 1, 2021, to submit their high school applications.

Planning to apply to New York City’s high schools for fall 2021?

Between now and Monday, March 1, 2021, NYC families with students in eighth grade can apply for admission to the City’s high schools for the 2021–22 school year. Current ninth grade students who are not repeating ninth grade can also apply to schools with available tenth grade seats.

Through MySchools, you and your child can explore schools and programs across the City, and you can complete and submit a high school application with up to 12 programs listed in your order of preference, starting with your first choice at #1.

Want to watch the rest of the videos in our High School Admissions Video Series? Visit our High School webpage.

Getting Started with Your 2021 High School Application

All current NYC residents who are currently in eighth grade or in ninth grade for the first time can apply to the City’s public high schools.

Here is how to get started and apply:

• Log into your MySchools Account

Once logged in, you will be able to access your personalized high school application and view more information about programs in a directory customized for your child. Don’t have a MySchools account? Get started by watching our “How to Create a MySchools Account” video!

• Attend Virtual Admissions events

In early January, we held Virtual Admissions Information Sessions for families applying to high school. You can now view a recording of the presentation from one of our High School Virtual Information Sessions on the DOE’s official Vimeo page.

Interested in applying to audition programs? Come to our Virtual Arts High School Fairs! These online events will teach you all you need to know about audition requirements, the virtual audition process for this year, and how to use MySchools and submit your audition online. There’s even a chance to meet representatives from NYC’s audition schools, including Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts! Register for any of this winter’s Virtual Arts High School Fairs on our registration page.

• Submit your application by Monday, March 1

Be sure to apply to 12 programs—no fewer!—and list programs on your application in your true order of preference. Learn how to build a balanced application and how to know your chances of getting offers to specific programs in our newly updated digital High School Admissions Guide.

You can submit your application in one of three ways:

• • • Online through MySchools;

• • • Your child’s current school counselor; or

• • • Through your local Family Welcome Center.

Don’t hesitate to click “Submit,” either—you can update your application choices and your preference order any time before the application closes.

Considering NYC’s Specialized High Schools?

New York City’s nine specialized high schools are one way that the DOE supports the educational needs of students who excel academically and/or artistically, including English/Multilingual Language Learners and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP) or 504 Plans. While these schools have a separate admissions process from other City high schools, every student who is eligible to participate in the 2021 High School Admissions process can also apply to each of the nine specialized high schools.

To learn more about specialized high schools admissions, including the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) and auditions at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, check out our previous coverage on The Morning Bell as well as our official Specialized High Schools webpage. But hurry, late SHSAT registration ends on January 28!

For more details about the NYC high school application process, visit our official High School webpage.

Have questions? You can:

• Call us at (718) 935-2009 (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sat/Sun, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.);
• Speak with your child’s school counselor;
• Contact or visit your local Family Welcome Center; or
• Email us at HSEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov.

On behalf of the NYC Department of Education, we wish all of this year’s high school applicants a smooth admissions process!

Banner photo by Andrea Piacquadio. Used under Creative Commons license. Original can be found on Pexels.