Neighborhood Families

How Do I Express Interest in Admissions?

Our lottery window opens August 15, 2025 and will stay open until October 31, 2025 for the 2026-27 school year. Submitting the inquiry form is the first step in our admissions process.

If you have any questions, please contact our school's Enrollment Office at admissions@theschool.columbia.edu.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Applicant families must live in New York City Public School District 3 or 5. Families drawn from the lottery must verify that the primary residence of the student and a custodial parent is within the catchment area via lease or mortgage statement. This must be the same address used for federal tax submissions. Verification of primary residence is an annual process after enrollment. Any questions can be directed to our office admissions@theschool.columbia.edu.
Members of Columbia University bargaining units can apply through the neighborhood lottery process if they reside in New York City Public School District 3 or 5.
Adjunct professors, students, and certain post docs are ineligible to apply even if they live in District 3 or 5. However, please see the bullet above if you are a member of a Columbia bargaining unit who falls into any of these groups. Visiting officers may be eligible to apply in certain circumstances; please contact us for more information.
Kindergarten applicants to The School should turn five by August 31 of the year they will be enrolled in Kindergarten. This is based on The School’s experience of what has allowed most children to be most successful and ready for Kindergarten. If your child has a fall birthday and you wish to discuss their Kindergarten application eligibility at The School in the year they will turn five, please reach out to Mónica Amaro, Director of Enrollment. If an application is released, The School will then make a determination about kindergarten readiness through the admissions process.
The School does not require any educational testing (ERB, etc.) for admission.
The School does not have an application fee.

How Are Acceptances Determined?

All inquiries submitted between August 15, 2025 and October 31, 2025 are entered into the neighborhood lottery. Applications are sent via email in early November to eligible families where space is available. Please note Kindergarten is our main entry point and the release of applications above Kindergarten (Grades 1-8) will depend on space availability. Offers are made by lottery number to families who complete every step of the admissions process and are dependent on available space in a given grade.

Admissions Timeline

Online inquiry opens on August 15, 2025 and closes on October 31, 2025. Families may complete an online form.
All inquiries submitted are entered into the neighborhood lottery. Applications for Grade 1 through Grade 8 are sent via email in early November to families drawn from the lottery IF space is available in the given grade. Application receipt does not guarantee admission. Not all grades have spaces available in any given year.
Application deadline for the 2026-27 school year is noon on December 1, 2025. School reports are due by Friday, December 12, 2025.
For all applicants, the process includes a child visit and an internal assessment by The School.
Notifications are sent in early February 2026.
Signed contracts and deposits are due by mid-February 2026. We have a limited number of openings at each grade level. Since there are more students in our lottery than we have spaces, children may be placed on our waitlist. They may be offered admission if additional spaces become available. The waitlist stays active only until the start of the school year and does not automatically carry over to the next year. Families must reapply if they wish to be in the next school year’s application cycle.

The School at Columbia University

556 West 110th Street
New York, NY 10025
212-851-4215
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