There are more than 1500 public schools in New York City, many of which have very specific admissions criteria. The application process depends on the school and the grade level. In the past, enrolling in most elementary and middle schools was as simple as signing up at your neighborhood school. Now the school application process  at all levels is mostly handled centrally by the Department of Education's Office of Student Enrollment Planning and Operations (OSEPO.) OSEPO handled all pre-Kindergarten registration for the 2008-09 school year and announced they planned to do the same for kindergarten registration for the 2009-10 school year. However, to date elementary and middle school students still enroll at their zoned school, if they have one.

Although many elementary and middle school students attend their zoned schools, there are other options. These include unzoned schools which are open to students from outside of the neighborhood, charter schools, dual language programs, gifted and talented programs, and arts schools which require an audition, among others. High school students may apply to schools throughout the city; only a few boroughs still have zoned high schools.

You should start your school search at least one year ahead of applying so that you have time to explore all options and don't miss out on specific application deadlines.

For information about who may attend NYC public schools, the types of schools available, and how to apply and enroll, click on the links below.