The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that the 2026 online admissions placement process is ongoing, with offers being issued daily.

The department said that the placement period commenced on October 16, with the gradual sending out of placement offers to parents and guardians via SMS and through the online admissions system.

The department also stated that every applicant with a complete application will receive a placement offer, with no technical delays.

GDE asked the parents whose applications are still being processed to be patient and wait for their placement offers. Those who have received offers are encouraged to accept them as final.

“If a parent receives an SMS indicating that their child has been placed in Grade 1 or Grade 8 at a specific school, this will be regarded as a successful placement. There is no need to log into the system to accept such an offer,” said the department.

The education department also said that parents who applied to more than one school may accept offers while awaiting others. If no further offers are received within 7 days of receiving/accepting an offer, it means that all other schools applied to might have reached capacity.

The department added that the learner will then be placed at the school where the last accepted offer was made.

Placement offers are determined according to the following criteria, applied in order of priority (not on a first-come, first-served basis):
• Home address within the school’s feeder zone
• Sibling(s) or previous school
• Work address within the school’s feeder zone
• Home address within a 30km radius
• Home address beyond a 30km radius

The department emphasised that the placement is also subject to school capacity and the availability of space in schools.

GDE expressed that the applicants who cannot be accommodated at any of the schools they applied to due to capacity constraints will receive transfer offers to the next closest school with available space.

The department said, “These transfer offers are only made after confirming that none of the originally applied schools can accommodate the learner. Parents who receive such offers may accept or decline them.”

To ensure fairness and transparency, the department shared that parents may lodge an objection if they wish to contest a placement outcome:
• To submit an objection, the parent must decline the placement offer and complete the electronic objection form online.
• Objections must be submitted within 7 days of receiving the placement offer.
• Objections are reviewed on merit, and outcomes are communicated within 14 days.
• Parents who are dissatisfied with the objection outcome may appeal online within 7 days.
• Appeals are finalised within 14–21 days, and the outcome is final.

The department said the parents should note that no objection or appeal may be lodged when a placement offer is made at one of the schools originally applied to.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said that the department continues to work tirelessly to place all learners for the 2026 academic year.

He added that parents and guardians are once again reminded to refrain from engaging with any individual who claims to offer placement assistance in exchange for money.

“All communication from the GDE regarding placement is officially sent to applicants via SMS and the Online Admissions System. Parents are urged to remain patient and vigilant as we finalise the placement of every learner,” said MEC Chiloane.