TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO APPLY: GDE ONLINE MISSIONS CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has reminded parents and guardians that today is the final day to apply for Grade 1 and Grade 8 admissions for the 2026 academic year.

The online application system will officially close at midnight tonight (00:00, 30 August 2025).

Parents who have not yet applied are urged to do so immediately by visiting 👉 www.gdeadmissions.gov.za.

📊 Applications So Far

As of Thursday evening, 28 August 2025 at 19:15, the system had recorded a total of 800,530 online applications, broken down as follows:
• 📘 Grade 1: 345,493 applications
• 📗 Grade 8: 455,037 applications

However, the department has raised concerns about 52,929 incomplete applications, where parents either failed to finalise school selections or did not submit the required supporting documents.

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📌 Document Submission Deadline

Parents are reminded that certified copies of all required documents must be submitted to schools or uploaded online by 12:00 PM on 9 September 2025.

The Proof of Home Address is a critical requirement, as placements are prioritised based on feeder zones. Applications without this document will be considered incomplete and will not qualify for placement.

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🚦 Placement Process & Criteria

The GDE stressed that placements are not based on a first-come, first-served basis, but on the following criteria (in order of priority):

1. Home address within the school’s feeder zone, closest to the school
2. Sibling/previous school relationship
3. Parent’s work address within the school’s feeder zone
4. Home address within a 30km radius of the school
5. Home address beyond 30km radius

The official Placement Period will run from 16 October 2025 until all learners are placed. Only learners with complete applications and verified documents will receive offers.

For more updates, visit: education.gauteng.gov.za
Follow GDE on all platforms: linktr.ee/gautengeducation