What are the lottery application deadlines?
The lottery application deadlines for school year 2025-26 are:
- February 3, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET for Grades 9-12, and
- March 3, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET for PK3 – Grade 8.
If I submit my lottery application early, will my child have a better chance of being admitted?
No, there is no advantage to applying early but you must submit your application by the deadline. All applications submitted by the deadline are treated equally in the lottery and for placement on waitlists.
Can I edit my application or change the order of my schools?
Yes, you can edit your application any time before the deadline without penalty. This includes adding schools, deleting schools, or changing your school rankings. After editing, you must re-submit the application before the deadline to ensure your application is considered in the lottery.
Note: All lottery applicants are able to change the ranking order of their schools if they so choose until March 14 at 5 p.m. They can do so by logging into their family account and clicking on the "Edit Ranking" icon. Applicants will NOT, however, be able to adjust any other information on their application, including adding or deleting schools after the deadline(s). If your contact information changes after the deadline, please contact the My School DC hotline immediately at (202) 888-6336 or at [email protected] to make note of the change.
What if I miss the lottery application deadlines?
You can submit a post-lottery application. Note: The best chance of getting into the schools you want is to participate in the lottery.
What do I need to apply?
Visit the What you need to apply page to learn what is needed to apply.
How can I find schools near me, including my DCPS in-boundary schools?
Enter your address in the School Finder to find schools near you, including your DCPS in-boundary schools. Visit the DCPS website to learn more about school boundaries. Note: public charter schools are citywide schools with no school boundaries. A My School DC lottery application is required for all new students at participating public charter schools (PK3 – grade 12).
If I have more than one child, do I need to create a separate application for each child?
Yes, you must submit a separate application for each child applying to attend a new school. However, all siblings must be under one family account. This is the only way the application can identify your children as siblings and award sibling offered preference.
Can I apply to schools directly?
No. Students who want to apply to DCPS schools or participating public charter schools must use the My School DC application.The only exceptions are for admission to your DCPS in-boundary schools (Grades K-12) and any charter schools that elect not to participate in the lottery. You may directly enroll in your DCPS in-boundary school or apply to non-participating public charter schools without submitting a My School DC application.
Can I get a paper copy of the application?
The application is an online application only; however, you can download and print a PDF copy of your application once it has been submitted for your records.
What if I do not have access to a computer?
Families who do not have access to a computer have several options for completing their applications:
- Call the My School DC Hotline at (202) 888-6336 to complete your application over the phone. The Hotline is staffed with bilingual staff and equipped with telephonic interpreters to assist families who are not able to communicate in English.
- Complete the application on your smartphone, at a DC public library, or at any participating DCPS or public charter school.
- Attend one of our Lottery 101 and application support events where staff and computers will be on-hand to help users complete their application(s). View the Calendar page to find upcoming events.
Can I apply if I am not a DC resident?
If you are planning or considering moving into DC, you may submit a My School DC application without a DC address. However, you will not receive in-boundary or proximity preference at DCPS schools.
If you are matched with a school through the lottery, you must enroll at the school by the enrollment deadline or you will lose your space at your matched school. Accepting your space requires submitting required enrollment forms and proving DC residency.
Only residents of the District of Columbia are eligible to receive a free public education in the District and all parents and guardians are required to verify residency each year. This process is regulated by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).
Families who move to the District after the lottery can apply to individual schools during the post-lottery application period using the My School DC application.
Families currently living outside of the United States will need to apply using a U.S. address. For more information, please call the My School DC Hotline at (202) 888-6336 or email [email protected].
If you do not plan to move to DC, you can still apply to DC schools, however, all DC (or prospective DC) residents will be prioritized. If you are a non-DC resident and do receive a match or waitlist offer, you must enter into a tuition agreement with OSSE and make an initial tuition payment before the student is eligible to attend class. Only DC residents are eligible to receive feeder rights. Non-DC residents will need to reapply to continue within a feeder pattern after the terminal grade of their current school.
My contact information has changed, including my email address. How do I change that information in my family account?
Prior to the application deadline you are able to edit and resubmit your application yourself. After the application deadline has passed, please contact the My School DC Hotline at (202) 888-6336 or at [email protected], and we will update your account. We also recommend that you call the schools where you are enrolled or waitlisted to ensure they update their internal records.
Note: You are not able to change the username of your account. However, you are able to change the email address within the application that My School DC uses to contact you.
I am a teacher, guidance counselor, or social worker helping a parent or guardian with an application. Should I create my own family account?
No, you should not create your own account. All information in the account should be family information only. If you are helping multiple families, you must create a separate family account for each family and then, within that family account, a separate application for each child in that family who is applying to attend a new school. The application will prompt you to provide the contact information for a parent or guardian. However, you can list yourself as the additional contact on as many applications as you and the family would like. My School DC will provide information about the application or allow changes from contacts listed on the application with the permission of the family. Please remember to provide the username and password used for each account to each family you assist so they may be able to access their account at any time.
To obtain materials to assist families, email us at [email protected], call the My School DC Hotline at (202) 888-6336, or visit the Resources for Families and Schools page.