Apply to school pilot

Click here to apply for a 2027/28 first-year place in any of the participating post-primary schools

APPLY TO SCHOOL

Applytoschool.ie is a pilot project designed to test a new online system for parents and guardians who want to apply for a place in first-year of post-primary school for the 2027/28 school year.

The system is being tested in a limited number of areas; namely Athenry, Celbridge, Clonakilty, Greystones, Kilbeggan, Kilcoole, Maynooth, Oranmore, Rosscarbery, and Tullamore/Killina.

A full list of post-primary schools which are participating in the pilot, across each of the ten areas, can be found in the next section, or by clicking here

Before you begin your application for any of the participating schools, you will be required to have a list of required documents to complete your application. This will make the process quicker and easier. Please ensure that you have the following documents ready to upload onto the system.

• A copy of the child’s birth certificate
• Up to two proofs of address (e.g. utility bills, bank statements)
• Any relevant documents to support an application for a Special Class place. Please refer to “Applying for a Special Class” below for further details

The applytoschool.ie application system is being piloted in the following areas and schools:

Under the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools have admissions policies. This policy is approved by the school’s patron. Schools must publish their admissions policy on their website. The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 states that all admissions policies must be fair and transparent.

If a school has more applications than places (is oversubscribed), it must follow the rules in its admissions policy to decide who gets a place. These rules must:

• Comply with existing legislation
• Be transparent, fair, and equitable to all applicants
• Be non-discriminatory

Schools must clearly outline their selection criteria in their admissions policy. Each school decides its own criteria and the order of priority. Selection criteria are a matter for schools to determine when drafting their admissions policies and the Department has no role in this regard. For further information on individual school policies, including the admission policy, please refer to the school’s website.

The applytoschool.ie pilot follows a set timeline. The online form for submitting applications will open on 1 October 2026, and the deadline for submissions is 22 October 2026.

This timeline is designed to give parents/guardians and schools clarity on the status of each submitted application.

Full details of the timeline can be found in the accompanying information leaflet and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Most schools participating in the Pilot have special classes for students with additional needs, such as Autism/Autism Spectrum. Schools use their individual admission criteria to decide who can be offered a specific place.

Parents/Guardians will need to provide supporting documents, such as a professional report and an NCSE letter of eligibility when applying.

The applytoschool.ie online application means parents can apply for both mainstream places and special classes through the same form. Schools, however, will make all admission decisions for special classes based on their published criteria and the documents received.

Please refer to the NCSE’s website for more information on Special Classes by clicking here.

If you are applying for a special class, or both a mainstream and a special class, you need:

• Professional reports outlining diagnosis (psychologist, psychiatrist, multi-disciplinary report)

and

• A demonstration of the understanding of complexity of the child’s overall level of need/s evidenced in the professional reports

and

• Given the severity or complexity of the child’s support needs, a clear professional recommendation as to what educational placement type would be most appropriate to best meet the child’s needs, along with the rationale for same

and

• A letter of eligibility from the NCSE confirming that the child is known to them and that the child has the required diagnosis and a letter of eligibility for the 2027/2028 school year for a special class.

Click here to apply for a 2027/28 first-year place in any of the participating post-primary schools

If you are using a computer or laptop, you can upload the file from your saved files. These files can be in the form of JPG, JPEG, PDF, PNG, TIFF, TIF and BMP files.

If you are using a mobile device, you also have the option to take a photo or screenshot of the document directly for upload.

Please ensure that all information in the image is visible and clear. If the images are unclear, or there is missing information, you may be asked to resubmit the document.

To help schools process your application quickly, please take note of the following tips:

• For single-page documents, take a clear photo of the document and upload it onto the system
• For multi-page documents, please combine all pages into one file before uploading it onto the system
• Ensure that the documents are in portrait (a vertical orientation) format
• Please make sure you upload the relevant document into the corresponding “Drop file here” upload box. The maximum file size for any document is 10MB

A user guide for parents can be found here

Click here to apply for a 2027/28 first-year place in any of the participating post-primary schools

If a school receives more applications than available places, the school is deemed to be oversubscribed. Where schools are oversubscribed, they must use their published oversubscription criteria, as outlined in their admissions policy, to determine the order in which offers are made.

If your child doesn’t get a place because the school is oversubscribed, their name will be placed on a waiting list. This list is used to fill places that become available during that school year. A waiting list does not guarantee a placement therefore a parent should consider other definite offers.

In the event that there are two or more students tied for a place, or places, in any of the selection criteria categories, the schools’ admissions policies will outline how places are allocated.

You can find the admissions policies on the websites of each school.

Schools will issue offers for first-year places on 12 November 2026.

If you have applied to multiple schools, you may receive more than one offer.

You will be required to respond to the offer between 12 November 2026 and 20 November 2026.

Once an offer is accepted, the school may require additional information for administrative purposes. Please ensure that you check the school's website or contact the school if in doubt and provide any additional information requested.

Parents/Guardians are advised to accept only their preferred offer.

As indicated in the “Oversubscription of Schools” section, if your child is not offered a place, they will be placed on a waiting list which will be managed by each school individually in accordance with their Admissions Policy.

The Department of Education and Youth will engage with schools, patrons and management bodies if enrolment pressures arise in an area.

If you experience any technical issues, please contact the Department of Education and Youth at the following email address:

helpdesk_applytoschool@education.gov.ie

The following documents and videos are available to you:

• Applytoschool.ie video for parents
• User guide for parents
• Frequently Asked Questions for Parents