Timeline
Transfer to post primary education is a significant milestone in your child’s life and deciding on where to seek a school place will be one of the most important decisions that you will make as a parent. This section provides key information on the Post Primary Admissions process and signposts you to further information and guidance.
Key Dates
|
Activity
|
Date and Time
|
| Admissions Criteria Published |
Wednesday 10 December 2025 |
| Applications Open |
12 noon Tuesday 27 January 2026 |
| Applications Close |
12 noon Thursday 19 February 2026 |
| Notification of the outcome |
Saturday 9 May 2026 |
School Age
If you wish to change the school your child currently attends, or if you have recently moved to Northern Ireland you will need to apply for a school place. You can find more information on our Transfer between schools page.
Applying for Year 8 starting September 2026
If your child was born between 2 July 2014 and 1 July 2015 you will need to apply for their Year 8 Post Primary school place for September 2026. For details on how to apply, please read the information below.
How do I apply?
Applications will open at 12 noon Tuesday 27 January 2026
Applications will close at 12 noon Thursday 19 February 2026.
It is important that you:
Places are NOT allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Schools WILL NOT consider applications until after the closing date.
Applications received AFTER 12 noon Thursday 19 February but BEFORE 4pm on Tuesday 24 February 2026 will be marked as “Late”. Please read carefully the admissions criteria for your preferred schools as most schools give priority to punctual applications.
Having a late application could reduce your child’s likelihood of gaining a place in your preferred school i.e. some schools will have filled all available places with punctual applications.
Applications received AFTER 4pm on Tuesday 24 February 2026 will not be processed until after Open Enrolment closes on Saturday 9 May 2026. At this stage the Education Authority will not process applications to schools that have already filled all available places.
EA Connect - Login
Find a School
Use the ‘Find a School’ tool below to search for Post Primary schools in your area and read or download their admissions criteria.
Other sources of information which may be useful to you include:
Find a School
Read the Admissions Criteria
All schools have admissions criteria. If they receive more applications than they have places available, they use these criteria to decide who to offer places to. Places will be allocated to those who best meet the admissions criteria for each school.
Before starting to complete your child’s application you should read carefully the published admissions criteria for each school that you wish to nominate as a preference.
You should complete your application providing all the relevant details/preference reasons about how your child meets the schools’ admissions criteria.
When making an application it is recommended that you list at least four schools in the order of your preference, including at least one non-grammar, as there is no guarantee your child will be accepted into the first preference.
Any queries on the content of a school’s published admissions criteria should be directed to the school.
Search Admissions Criteria
School Preferences
Parents have the right to express preferences for the schools they would like their child to attend, but no child can be guaranteed a place in any school or any particular type of school (secondary, integrated, grammar, single sex etc).
You should list at least four schools in order of your preference. You may need to nominate more schools if the schools you have chosen are normally oversubscribed. You should include at least one non grammar school.
The first school you list will consider your application, if they are unable to offer a place the application will then go on to your second preference school and so on until a school is able to offer a place or the list is exhausted.
You can list up to 12 schools on the online application. You cannot list the same school more than once, unless the school you are applying to has a Boarding Department or Irish Medium Unit in which case you may list either or both options.
Carefully select those schools that you wish to nominate as some schools have similar names e.g. St Patrick’s College, Banbridge, St Patrick’s College, Dungannon etc.
Some schools give priority to applicants who have listed their school as first preference, therefore, applicants who list the school at a lower preference may have less chance of obtaining a place at the school.
Consider whether transport assistance will be available from the EA. Your school choices can affect eligibility for transport assistance. Check Transport Eligibility.
Supporting Documents
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Birth Certificate
All schools will require the birth certificate to verify a child’s name and date of birth. Either a full (long) or short birth certificate may be used or an amended birth certificate or an adoption certificate, where appropriate, is acceptable. If a birth certificate is not available you can contact the school to determine what alternatives may be acceptable e.g. a biometric card, passport, medical card etc.
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Other Supporting Documents
Check the admissions criteria for each of the schools you have listed as some schools ask for additional documentation such as proof of address and/or proof of eldest child. This documentation may be requested at the time of application, during the process or at the notification of placement. If verifying documents are being requested at the time of application you will need to upload the information on EA Connect for all school choices.
If you do not supply the documents requested this could lead to the inability of a school to offer a place to your child or the withdrawal of an offer of a place.
If a school has asked for documents which you do not have, or if it is unclear what type of documents are needed, you should email or phone the school directly to find out what they will accept as it can vary from school to school.
Entrance Assessment – Special Provisions and Special Circumstances
Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) have provided an Entrance Assessment which some schools will use to select pupils for admission. The EA is not involved in these tests, nor does it have information on the scores/grades.
Information on Entrance Assessments is referred to in the admissions criteria published by schools. Any specific queries regarding scores/grades, arrangements for special circumstances and special provision etc should be raised directly with the school(s) to which you are applying.
Most schools which use Entrance Assessments will consider medical or other problems which may have affected performance in the test(s) and which are supported by independent documentary evidence of a medical or other appropriate nature. These medical or other problems are commonly referred to as special circumstances.
Special provisions refer mainly to pupils transferring from schools outside Northern Ireland or pupils who have received more than half of their primary education outside NI. Special provisions may also include cases where a child was unable to sit any entrance assessments.
If you are making a claim for consideration of special circumstances or special provisions you should read very carefully the requirements set out in the admissions criteria of each school, to determine if and how they may apply to your child. This can differ from school to school.
