Fall is School Selection in Philadelphia

The application for scholarships provided by the Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP) opens. Find the scholarship application, and contact CSFP with questions about eligibility, renewal, and 160+ partner schools.

Apply to public District schools for admission in September 2025 through the school district’s School Selection process. Students in K-12 can choose to apply to neighborhood schools and the criteria based city-wide and special admission schools. 

Application window opens to apply to most Philadelphia charter schools admissions’ lotteries for the 2025-2026 School Year with Apply Philly Charter.

The deadline to submit an application to School District of Philadelphia schools for admission in September 2025. 

To increase your chances of being selected, apply before this deadline for consideration in CSFP’s December and March lottery. Find CSFP scholarship applications.

The School District of Philadelphia’s preliminary eligibility is released to applicants.

Students who would like to submit an appeal may do so between November 27 at 5pm – December 6 at 5pm.

Applicants with an ineligible status have an opportunity to appeal that decision when there is evidence of a verifiable barrier to a fully complete application and you have received an ineligible status due to a(n):

• Language barrier that prevented the applicant or parent/guardian from fully completing the submitted application; or
• Disability that prevented the parent/guardian/representative from fully completing the submitted application; or
• Existing custody order that prevented the applicant or parent/guardian from accessing the necessary records required to complete their application

More information at the School District Website.

Deadline for financial aid applications for most Private and Parochial Schools. It’s also best to complete the admissions applications for archdiocese schools by December 31.

• The Individualized Review expands upon the process that was previously known as the Impartial Review or LeGare Review.
• Occurs when applying to the first year of a criteria-based middle or high school program.
• The Individualized Review is the appeal process.
• An individualized review does not guarantee eligibility.
• Find more information on Individualized Review here.

Final eligibility for students will be released, offers will be made, and acceptances will begin.

The deadline for submitting an Apply Philly Charter application to be included in schools lotteries held in February. You can apply after the deadline. If a school has space available, applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For schools that do not have space available, applicants will be placed on a waitlist.

Pre-K Registration: PHLpreK is available to 3 and 4 year old children who reside in the City of Philadelphia. School-based PreK, Pre-K Counts, Bright Futures, and Head Start are also free preschool programs in the city of Philadelphia open to eligible families. Read Early Childhood Education: Types & Quality Providers for more information and to apply.

Kindergarten Registration: Students who are 5 on or before September 1st, are eligible to register for Kindergarten at their neighborhood school. To apply, you can now complete the process entirely online. For information about registration in your neighborhood school visit Thrive at Five. Learn more about your kindergarten options and registration.

Renaissance Charter School Applications: Register at your neighborhood Renaissance charter school for enrollment. Submit an application through applyphillycharter.org and the school will contact you with details to register and enroll.

To find a school near you, check out our Find a School tool.