Guide to help you apply for the 2025-26 school year

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The application deadline for applying to SFUSD schools is approaching — Jan. 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. If your child is entering Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Middle School, or High School next year, they will need to apply for a new school. With only one application deadline, followed by running waitlists for the 2025-26 school year, it is very important that families apply by the Jan. 31st deadline. 

The deadline to apply for 9th grade at Lowell High School or Ruth Asawa School of the Arts is Dec. 13, 2024! 

If you have already applied for the 2025-26 school year, thank you. If you have not applied yet, here is a brief guide to help you choose and apply to schools: 

1) Choose the right schools for your child:

If you need help finding schools that would be a good fit for your child, we have put together this list of resources:

  • Tips on choosing schools: wondering where to start? These 5 tips help you think through what is important to your family.
  • SFUSD School Finder: our online search tool uses your address plus filters like grades and programs to find schools that fit your needs.
  • SFUSD Enrollment Guide: provides more detailed information about each of our schools, as well as information about other key aspects of our school district (i.e. Special Education, Language Programs, etc.). Enrollment Guides are available for download in 7 different languages
  • SFUSD School Videos and Tours: once you have your initial list of schools you want to apply to, get to know them better by watching their videos or attending a school tour.

TIP: Select at least 5 schools you want to apply to and rank them in order of your true preference.

2) Apply (online or with a paper application)

Whether applying online or by turning in a paper application in-person, if your student is new to SFUSD you will need to gather your required documents: student’s proof of birth, proof of home address, and parent/guardian’s picture ID.  View a list of acceptable proofs of birth, address, and identification.

Apply online at sfusd.edu/ola. That web page also has instructions to help you apply online in English, Spanish, and Cantonese.

If you prefer to submit a paper application, you can download and complete a PDF application and drop it off at one of our offices by Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 or email it to enrollinschool@sfusd.edu (office closes at 4:30 PM). You can also pick up a paper application in our offices. View our office locations.

3) Get help on the phone or in-person:

If you need additional help to apply for schools, call the Enrollment Center at 415-241-6085. You can also visit our office at Civic Center (555 Franklin Street) or in the Bayview (1520 Oakdale Avenue). We have staff who speak English, Spanish, and Chinese, and we are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Bayview office is only open on Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

For more information about how to apply, visit sfusd.edu/apply.