Those highly anticipated SMS notifications from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) will start flowing in to parents/guardians of learners who applied online for attending Grade 1 and 8 in the 2026 academic year.
According to the GDE, the online admissions applications period ran well from 24 July and closed on 29 August 2025 with a total of 820 350 applications submitted.
Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, said parents/guardians must log on to www.gdeadmissions.gov.za using their credentials to either accept a placement offer as final or accept while awaiting other offers, within seven days.
“It must be noted that when a parent accepts an offer from a school as final, the learner is then placed at that school. Placement offers that are accepted as final, cannot be reversed,” said Chiloane.
The SMS notifications will be sent on a continued basis starting from Thursday, the 16th of October, however, not everyone will receive theirs on the same day. Alternatively, applicants may log on the GDE application platform to view their status on the profile which they have created
Applicants with incomplete applications will not receive placement offers. Schools with available space will be opened for parents to select for placement from the 11th of December 2025.
The GDE has warned that applicants who do not accept placement offers within seven school days, will be auto-placed at the school that made an offer of placement.
“It is important to note that placement is prioritised for applicants with verifiable home addresses within the school feeder zone and closest to the school and where space is available. When schools reach full capacity, applicants will be offered placement offers from schools with available space,” Chiloane added.