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Gauteng Dept of Education (GDE) Admission

Online Application, Schools

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) is located in Johannesburg in Gauteng. They are obligated to provide basic education to all learners, regardless of disability. 

GDE Admission & Application

All admissions to any of the schools that form part of the GDE are made online. No applications will be accepted in person. GDE Admissions open from 22 July and end on 19 August, including Saturdays and Sundays. Applications for admission are made through GDE | Home

, and there are steps that guide you through the process. The online system only accepts applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the following year, so if a learner is in Grade R or Grade 7, you will need to apply online for admission to Grade 1 or Grade 8. Priority for admission is given to learners that live within the feeder zone of the school. The system allows you to apply to a maximum of five schools per child, and you can apply for a maximum of three learners. 

There are five different application options: 

  1. Home: the learner stays within the school’s feeder zone.
  2. Sibling: the learner has a sibling at the school.
  3. Work: the learner’s parent’s place of employment is within the feeder zone.
  4. 30kms within the school: the learner stays within 30km from the school.
  5. Beyond 30kms from the school: the learner stays further than 30kms away from the school.

How to Apply for GDE School Admission

You can apply using your phone or computer. Follow these steps:

1. Visit the GDE Admissions Portal

Go to www.gdeadmissions.gov.za. During the application window—24 July at 08:00 until 29 August at midnight—you can access the system to register and apply for Grade 1 or Grade 8 learners

2. Parent/Guardian Registration

  • Click Login (or Register if you’re a new user)
  • Fill in your personal details
  • Enter your ID number—Home Affairs will verify your name and surname
  • Your username will be your ID number
  • Choose a strong password: at least 8 characters, with uppercase and lowercase letters, a digit, and a special character
  • Accept the Terms & Conditions and the POPI disclaimer by clicking Continue (SA News)

3. Enter Addresses

  • Input your home address—a search box will help you select it
  • If your home address doesn’t appear, click the option to search further
  • Optionally, provide your work address (useful for feeder-zone eligibility) (CMBinary)

4. Register the Learner

  • Proceed to Learner Application step
  • You’ll see your registered address and a checklist of required documents
  • Click Register Learner, complete the learner’s details, and submit
  • You’ll return to the dashboard showing learner info and application options

5. Apply to Schools

  • Under Learner Details, click Apply
  • Choose up to five schools using the feeder-zone, sibling, or work address criteria
  • Select at least three to maximize placement chances
  • Submit your application
  • You’ll receive a reference number via SMS, along with a list of required documents

6. Upload or Submit Documents

You must upload or deliver certified copies within seven school days of submitting the application

  • Parent ID or passport
  • Child’s birth certificate or passport
  • Immunisation/clinic card (Grade 1 only)
  • Proof of home address (municipal bill, lease agreement, etc.)
  • Proof of work address (if used)
  • For Grade 8: latest Grade 7 report
  • Other Home Affairs documents if not a South African citizen (CMBinary, Department of Basic Education)
    After uploading, you’ll get an SMS confirmation. If submitting at schools, you’ll receive a stamped slip.

Timeline & Reminders

  • Application period: 24 July–29 August
  • Confirmation SMSes follow each step to ensure everything is completed.
  • Incomplete applications (missing steps or documents) won’t be considered.
  • The system allows a maximum of five school choices; selecting fewer may limit your placement options

After Submission

  • Placements begin: mid‑October onward—watch for SMS notification of placement offers
  • If you don’t secure a spot initially, the system continues placing learners until all are placed
  • Schools of specialisation may require placement tests; apply to regular schools too

Final Tips

  • Create a new profile each year—old credentials won’t work
  • Use a valid cellphone number
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    for all SMS verifications
  • Beware of scams—GDE does not charge fees for online support or applications
  • If you have no internet, visit one of the 81 free GDE walk-in centres

If you want to apply using the Sibling option, you will be required to enter the sibling’s details. Once you have completed the sibling’s information, click on Apply. You will receive a reference number and an SMS like before.

When applying with the Work address option, it will bring up school’s that are near to your work. Choose the school, and click Apply. You will receive a reference number and an SMS with further information.

Applying with the Home Address within 30km option will bring up a list of schools within 30km of your home address. You apply as before, and you will receive a reference number and an SMS with further information.

If you choose the home address further than 30km option, you will be able to apply for schools that are 30km and more away from you. Once again, you will receive a reference number and an SMS with more information.

The final option is for specialized schools/focus schools, such as technical schools and academies.

Once you have applied to the school/s of your choice, you will have seven days to upload the required documents. On the main page, on the right-hand side of My Profile, you will see a section that says Documents, and it lists which documents are needed. 

The documents that are required are:

  • ID or passport
  • Refugee permit
  • Asylum permit
  • Permanent residence permit
  • South African Birth Certificate
  • Proof of residential address
  • Proof of work address
  • Latest school report
  • Clinic/vaccination card

Click on Upload, and the next screen will have various blocks that list which document needs to be uploaded. Upload your documents, but make sure that they are valid. If they aren’t, then you will need to take hard copies to the school.

Once you have completed the above steps, your application to GDE is complete, and you can expect to receive offers from October. If you receive an offer, login and click Accept. You can accept the first offer that you receive, even if you are waiting for other schools to respond. If you accept an offer at another school, you will lose your spot at the first school. Once your final offer has been accepted, your child will officially be accepted at that school. If you prefer visual, then the GDE has a great PowerPoint presentation on the GDE Intake, and it can be downloaded here: