The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced the 2026 online admissions for grades one and eight will open on at 08:00 on July 24 and close at midnight on August 29.
All parents and guardians in Gauteng with children going to Grade One or Grade Eight in the 2026 academic year must apply online to be admitted to a Gauteng public school.
All applications for these learners will be processed through the GDE Online Admissions System only. Parents must apply within the application period because schools become full and will not be available for late applications.
Parents with children that are currently in Grade R must also apply online for their children to be admitted to Grade One (there’s no automatic progression to Grade One).
All Grade One applications will be processed and qualified in line with the admissions regulations. Parents are reminded that the GDE Online Admissions System currently only services applications to Grade One and Grade Eight.
Applications to other grades must be made directly at the school(s) of choice.
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To apply, parents and guardians must first register on www.gdeadmissions.gov.za, which will go live at 08:00 on July 24 for applications.
Parents will not be able to access the system before it goes live. All parents are expected to register, as previous login details will not work.
Only parents with children going to grades one and eight seeking space at a public school in Gauteng for the 2026 academic year will be able to register and apply online.
Applications will then close at midnight on August 29. No new applications will be accepted once the application period has closed.
After registering on www.gdeadmissions.gov.za, the system will prompt parents to create login credentials (username and password) which they will use to access the online admissions system to view and manage their application details.
Once applicants have gained access to the system, they must begin with the application process and ensure that they complete the five-step application process.
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The five steps are:
1. Register parent/guardian details
2. Register home address details
3. Register learner details
4. Apply to a maximum of five schools
5. Uploading documents to system or submitting documents at schools (within seven school days of applying)
Applicants must ensure that they complete the full five-step application process. Applicants who have registered their details without applying to any school will not be considered for placement.
As such, it is important to register one reliable and active cellphone number to receive SMS notifications reminding you to complete your application.
Incomplete applications are those submitted without the parent choosing a school or without the required documents, a parent creating a profile with no application submitted, or application with proof of residence that cannot be confirmed/verified or is different from the physical address used to apply.
In an effort to make resources accessible, 81 decentralised walk-in centres have been prepared by the GDE, and they are set up across Gauteng to assist parents with registration and applications.
Parents are encouraged to ensure that their information is correctly captured on the registered profile when being assisted with registration and applications at these centres to avoid errors.
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Assistance and applications at any one of the decentralised walk-in centres is free. Bogus businesses are scamming parents and falsely promising them a guaranteed placement if they pay a certain fee.
The GDE does not charge parents a fee when assisting them to apply. Every step of the application process will be confirmed via SMS for security and verification purposes.
During the application process, there will be weekly pop-up messages on the system and SMS notifications sent to registered applicants as reminders to complete their application.
SMS notifications will also be sent to parents to acknowledge submission and verification of documents. Parents are encouraged to use the home address within school feeder zone application option to see schools with feeder zones that cover their home address.
To increase the chances of placement closer to the parent’s home address, parents should select schools with feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address.
When applying, parents are urged to select a minimum of three schools and a maximum of five schools. Parents who select one or two schools when applying could miss an opportunity of the child being placed at selected schools when the first or second schools reach full capacity before their child is placed.
Electing more schools increases the chances of being placed. Parents cannot make more than one application for one learner to the same school. Placement will be based on the placement criteria and availability of spaces according to each school’s capacity.
Parents must submit certified copies of one type of identification document and all of the following other documents:
• SA parent ID or passport and child’s birth certificate or passport, refugee permit, asylum seeker permit, permanent residence permit or study permit
• Proof of home address
• Proof of work address
• Latest Grade Seven school report (Grade Eight applicants only)
• Clinic card/immunisation report (Grade One applicants only)
All required documents must either be uploaded online onto the online admissions system or must be submitted to all schools selected by applicants.
When submitting physically, ensure all documents are certified and accurate. Proof of home address is the most important document when applying. Parents are urged to submit additional information relating to proof address as requested by schools.
Certified copies of the following documents are accepted as proof of home address:
• Homeowners: Municipal account not older than three months in the name of the applicant parent bearing the full residential address
• Tenants/renters: Municipal account not older than three months in the name of the landlord (homeowner) bearing the full physical residential address, and the lease agreement signed by landlord and tenant, not older than three months bearing the full physical residential address, and rental payment slip with full physical residential address not older than three months, and statement of any account in the name of the applicant parent bearing the full physical residential address
SMSes with placement offers will be sent to parents from October 16.
Applicants who may not have access to internet or resources required to apply can visit any one of the walk-in centres located across 15 education districts where officials will safely assist with applications.
The GDE head office and all 15 district offices and schools will serve as walk-in centres.
For more information, call 0800 000 789, WhatsApp 060 891 0361, email gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za or visit www.education.gauteng.gov.za
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