“We are early this time because we want parents to start preparing early. We urge them to take this process quite seriously and with urgency.”
This is the reason given by the Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane on why online applications will commence from 24 July 2025 until 29 August 2025.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has been running online applications for admission to Grade 1 and 8 since 2015 in response to the challenges that parents and guardians face when applying manually at public schools. These challenges, especially in high pressured areas, would see applicants camping outside of schools and being in long queues to secure placement for their children.
According to the GDE, their online application system has seen a 98% placement rate of completed applications for 10 consecutive years, including in the 2025 academic year when close to 400 000 learners were placed.
MEC Chiloane said that if this system did not exist, all those applicants would have been standing in long lines to get their children placed at the different schools. He added that some schools receive about 2000 applications per school, so it would be an administrative challenge to help all the parents that are coming physically to the school to apply.
When applying, parents and guardians must first register on www.gdeadmissions.gov.za which will go live on Thursday, 24 July 2025 at 08:00am and close on Friday, 29 August 2025. No one will be able to access the system before it goes live on the mentioned date and time and only applicants seeking placement in Gauteng for Grade 1 and 8 will be able to register. No new applications will be accepted once the application period has closed.
Applicants need to complete the following 5 step application process:
- Register Parent/Guardian Details
- Register Home Address Details
- Register Learner Details
- Apply to a Maximum of Five (5) Schools
- Uploading Documents to System or Submitting Documents at Schools (Within 7 school days of applying.)
Applicants need to submit certified copies of one type of identification document and these documents:
- Parent/guardian’s South African ID or passport and child’s birth certificate or passport; or refugee permit for or asylum seeker permit; or permanent residence permit; or study permit;
- Proof of home address;
- Proof of work address
- Latest Grade 7 school report (Grade 8 applicants only);
- Clinic card/immunisation report (Grade 1 applicants only)
There are 81 Decentralized Walk-In-Centres that have been prepared by the GDE, and they are located across Gauteng to assist parents with registration and applications if there is a need.
For more information and assistance:
Call on 0800 000 789
WhatsApp on 060 891 0361
Email to gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za
Visit the website: www.education.gauteng.gov.za; or
Go on the GDE social media pages:
Facebook: The Gauteng Department of Education
X: @EducationGP1Instagram: @gautengdepartmentofeducation