The school application process varies drastically for private and public high schools in South Africa, and it can be a real challenge to navigate the system.
As a parent of a Grade 7 learner, we’re certain you’ve been deep in online research for “high schools near me”, “high school application processes”, and “high school application timelines”. With each new search, you’ll be introduced to an application system that differs between provinces and school types.
But the team at UCT Online High School is committed to providing the best possible access to education for all children in South Africa. And that includes providing clear information around the high school application processes: for brick-and-mortar public and private high schools, and online high schools.
With so many differences, parents and guardians need to be prepared. So, we scoured the available documentation to bring you this timeline of placements for high schools in South Africa as part of our guide on applying to high schools for 2025.
TL;DR
- Timeline for applying to high schools in South Africa
- Private high school admissions
- Online high school admissions
- Your rights during high school admissions
- When must I apply to get my child into high school?
Timeline for applying to high schools in South Africa
The timeline for high school applications is messy. Application dates differ across provinces for public schools – ranging from March to September.
Three provinces (Gauteng, Northern Cape and the Western Cape) manage the application process through a centralised, online system.
For the rest of South Africa’s nine provinces, high school applications need to be made to individual schools, often on a first come, first served basis, either online, or via a hard copy application. This differs for each school.
Private high school admissions
Things are similarly disjointed for private school applications. While parents are usually able to make applications on an ongoing basis, it’s best to put your name down early to secure a place, or get on a waiting list for the next available slot.
As a general rule of thumb, we recommend you don’t apply later than the January of the year prior. Some schools even advise you to start the process as soon as 18 months before the year of study you’re applying for.
But there are late admissions periods and processes for both private and public brick-and-mortar schools. Where you’re not clear on next steps, get in touch with an individual school’s admissions or enrolment offices, or your local District Office, as the case may be.
Online high school admissions
Then there’s the newer addition of online high schools, where UCT Online High School fits in. While online high schools are often lumped together with private schooling, they are generally significantly less expensive than brick-and-mortar high schools, and their waiting lists aren’t as long. However, these schools still have limited space, so don’t wait until the last minute to apply for online high school.
Your rights during high school admissions
As you start the application process, know that no school is legally allowed to discriminate against your child, for any reason. This includes intolerance based on race, gender, sexual orientation, parent’s marital status, ethnicity, disability, health status, religion, language, nationality or immigration status.
Similarly, no public school is allowed to exclude your child, withhold a report, or prevent their enrolment because of outstanding school fees.
When must I apply to get my child into high school?
- The application period for public schools in the Western Cape opened on 14 March and will close on 15 April 2024.
- Applications for Northern Cape public schools will open on 15 April (and close on 15 May 2024).
- Application windows have not yet been announced for public schools in Gauteng or any of the other nine provinces.
Where dates have not been announced for the 2025 academic year, our timeline indicates this, and pulls from historical data.
If you live in one of these provinces, keep your eye on the news and the social media pages for your province's education department. Announcements are often made there.
Get ready to apply
If you’ve missed the application window for your chosen school, don’t stress. With late application periods still coming up – and viable alternatives like online high school – you have options.
You can take a look at our blog on what to do if you don’t get placed in your high school of choice or or contact us to learn more about online high school.
