How and When to Register for School

There is no single registration or application process for all 200+ schools in Boston. Here are the steps to apply for all types of schools in Boston and when you need to complete these steps during the year for the following September.

From November - January, explore your options.

• Review the types of schools in Boston (and beyond) available to your family.
• Create a list of schools you will register or apply for. We suggest you consider every type of school, as you are not guaranteed placement in any one specific school.
  • Learn more about each school on your list by using our Boston School Finder Tool to view detailed School Profile pages for each school on your list OR
    • Get your list of your available BPS school options from DiscoverBPS.org .
    • Explore your Boston Charter Public School options at www.applybostoncharters.com .
    • Explore private religious-affiliated options at the Catholic Schools Office website.
    • Explore private independent options at the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE) website.
    • Explore the 30+ participating districts in the METCO program , which is assigned by lottery, and apply online during one of METCO's four lottery application windows

    In January, February and March, register for and apply to the schools from your list.

    You can apply to as many different types of schools as you like, but there is no single way to apply to every school; each type of school has different processes.

    Remember: you can always turn down any seat that you’ve registered or applied for that you receive—but you can’t turn down a seat you didn’t get because you didn’t register or apply for it.

    • To register for Boston Public Schools, go to DiscoverBPS.org and contact Welcome Services during your priority registration round. For more detailed information about registering for BPS schools, please visit our How to Register for BPS Resource Guide .
    • To apply to the Boston Charter Public Schools lottery, complete your application online at www.applybostoncharters.org .
      • The charter school lottery application opens in October and closes on February 28.
      • For more detailed information about registering for BPS schools, please visit our How to Register for Charter Schools Resource Guide .
      • To apply to private religious-affiliated and private independent schools, please refer to individual school websites for applications and specific deadlines.

      In March, April, and May, review your school assignments and make your decision.

      • Review your school assignments. You’ll receive placement notifications at different times in the spring, depending on the types of schools you applied to.
      • As your student’s school assignments, lottery results, school acceptances, waitlist notifications, and financial aid determinations become available, consider the priorities that matter most to your family and student. Carefully review any deadlines for indicating your acceptance (if applicable). Our How to Make Your Final School Decision Guide can help you stay organized as you make your final decision.
      • Finally, choose your right-fit school and enroll your student.