EDITOR’S NOTE (2/9): This post has been updated to reflect the DOE’s new submission deadline for the 2021 NYC Middle School Application. Families now have until Tuesday, February 23, 2021, to submit their middle school applications.
Planning on applying to New York City’s middle schools for fall 2021?
Between now and Tuesday, February 23, 2021, NYC families with children in fifth grade in a K–5 school or in sixth grade in a K–6 school can apply for admission to the City’s middle schools (grades 6–8) for the 2021–22 school year.
Through MySchools, you and your child can explore schools and programs that your child is eligible to attend, and you can complete and submit your middle 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 NYC Middle School Admissions Video Series? Visit our Middle School webpage.
Changes to the 2021 Middle School Admissions Process
This year, we are pausing the use of all screens during the middle school admissions process. NYC public middle schools that used to screen their applicants in previous years will no longer use academic records, auditions, or other screens or assessments to evaluate or admit students applying to middle schools for entrance in fall 2021.
If any middle school program has more applicants than available seats, offers will be determined through the use of admissions priorities (i.e. zone, district, presence of a sibling, etc.) and lotteries. This is how most City middle school programs already admitted students in prior school years.
Getting Started with Your 2021 Middle School Application
All current NYC residents who are in their last year of elementary school (grade 5, or grade 6 in a K–6 school), including students who temporarily moved out of the City during the COVID-19 pandemic, are guaranteed seats in NYC public middle schools.
To apply for fall 2021 middle school admissions, you need to:
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Log into your MySchools account
Once logged in, you will be able to access your child’s personalized online middle school application. Don’t have a MySchools account? Get started by watching our “How to Create a MySchools Account” video!
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Explore schools and programs
Through MySchools, you can discover and learn more about every middle school program that your child is eligible to apply for this year. You’ll also be able to identify which school district and zone you reside in—alternatively, you can determine your district and school zone by using our Find a School tool.
This year, schools are being encouraged to create virtual resources for their applicants—check out each school’s MySchools page for links to calendars, information about virtual open houses, and even video tours.
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Rank your middle school choices
Once you’ve determined the middle schools you are eligible and interested in applying to, you can select up to 12 middle school programs for your child’s application. Rank them in your order of preference, starting with your first choice at the top of your list.
When ranking your selections, consider adding the programs where your child has an admissions priority or guarantee—you do not have to place any of these programs as your first choice to keep your priority. We also suggest you speak with your child’s school counselor regarding your application choices, as they will be able to help with your ranking order.
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Submit your application by Tuesday, February 23
For more details about the NYC middle school application process, visit our official Middle Schools 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 MSEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov
On behalf of the NYC Department of Education, we wish all of this year’s middle school applicants a smooth admissions process!
Banner Photo by Julia M. Cameron. Used under Creative Commons license. Original can be found on Pexels.
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