GDE Admission 2025 - All You Need To Know

The Gauteng Department of Education is responsible for admitting learners into public schools in the Gauteng Province. The GDE ensures that learners are given the best school that is closer to them. Every year, they open registration for parents and guardians to apply.

Parents are required to create an account on the GDE official website to apply for these schools for their children. By this, they will go through the admission process to ensure that their children are admitted. In this guide, we will take you through the GDE admission for 2025. Let’s get started right away.

What Is GDE Admission?

GDE Admission refers to the process managed by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) for enrolling students in public schools across the Gauteng province of South Africa. This process involves the registration and placement of students in Grade 1 and Grade 8, as well as other grades where applicable.

The key aspects include but not limited to;

The registration process
Application process
School Placement
Confirmation and followup

Objectives Of GDE Admissions

The GDE is in place for various reasons. Their objectives include;

They ensure a fair distribution of schools to learners
They ensure that schools are allocated well based on the availability of space and the needs of students
They also offer assistance to parents and learners

Documents Needed To Apply For GDE Admission (Grade 1 And Grade 8)

During the application process, there are some specified documents that parents and guardians need to make available. These documents will be uploaded during the application process. Whether your child is in grade 2 or grade 4, these are the documents that will be required of you;

A valid or certified birth certificate of the learner
Proof of residence. This includes water, electricity, or municipal bills showing the parent or guardian’s name and address. Alternatively, a lease agreement or an official letter confirming residence from a property owner
The parent’s South African ID card or passport. For non-South Africans, will be required to provide their work permit, study permit, asylum document, refugee permit or passport
Latest school report of the child
Immunization document of the child
When applicable, the parent or guardian will have to provide proof of employment

Additional Documents (if applicable)

In a case where the child you are applying for has a sibling in the school you are applying to, you need to provide the sibling’s birth certificate
If applicable, a court order stating guardianship or custody arrangements.
If the child you are applying for is a special needs child, provide documents that confirm that when applying
If the child is a foster care child, make sure to include documents to that effect

Documents Needed From International Students

When applying as an international student, that is if your child is not a South African native, you will have to make these documents available;

The certified copy of the child’s passport which should include a picture of the permit or visa page
A certified copy of the parent’s passport as well which should include a copy of the Visa or permit page
A copy of the child’s study permit which is typically issued by the home affairs
Proof of residence which includes the utility bill lease agreement or documents
Immunisation documents
Last but not least, the latest school report of the child

Additional Documents, where applicable

In a case where the child you are applying for has a sibling in the school you are applying to, you need to provide the sibling’s birth certificate
If applicable, a court order stating guardianship or custody arrangements.
If the child you are applying for is a special needs child, provide documents that confirm that when applying
If the child is a foster care child, make sure to include documents to that effect

Simple Steps For An Effective GDE Admission

For an effective GDE admission, the parent or guardian must adequately prepare. Here is what you need to do;

1. The first thing is to prepare your documents. There are;

Child’s Birth Certificate
Proof of Residence
Parent/Guardian ID
Latest School Report (for Grade 8 applicants)
Immunization Records (for Grade 1 applicants)
Additional Documents for International Students
Passport and study permit for the child
Passport and visa for the parent/guardian

2. The next step is creating your profile on the GDE website

For this, visit the official GDE website and click on register
If you already have an account, login right away and if you don’t, proceed to create an account using your email address and create a unique password

3. The next thing is to complete the application form

Choose the grade you are applying for— it is between grades 1-8
Fill in the required information accurately, including personal details, residential address, and contact information

4. Choose and rank the schools

Here, you have to choose your preferred schools from the lot
Then go ahead and rank your selection in order of preference

5. Uploading documents

Make sure that all documents are scanned and they are in the right format, ready to be uploaded
Make sure the documents, all documents are uploaded before submitting your application

6. Review and submit the application

Go through your documents at least three times to ensure accuracy
Make sure to apply before the deadline

7. Track your application status

This can be done by regularly checking the GDE online portal for admission updates
Alternatively, emails and SMS can be sent so you should be on the alert to respond to any should they come your way

8. Confirmation of Placement

Placement offers will be sent to you, once you receive them and you are happy with them, you should follow the procedure to accept it
If required, complete any further registration steps or attend orientation sessions.

Tips for a Smooth Application Process

Make sure you apply early. It will interest you to start your application process the moment the admissions are opened for parents and guardians to apply
Make sure to save copies of all documents that you used for the application
Should you encounter any sort of challenges at all, do well to reach out for assistance and clarification

Visting GDE Website

Visiting the GDE official website would be said to be the first step in the application process. Here is where the parent or guardian will create their profile to start the admission process for their child. The website user user-friendly and can be used by almost anyone at all. Here is a link to the website https://www.gdeadmissions.gov.za

Creating Account

Once you have visited the website, then the next viable step is for you to create an account. This can be done in a few simple steps.
On the website, click on register
You will be asked if you are registering as a parent or guardian— choose what best describes your role in the learner’s life and proceed
The next thing is to fill in your details, which include your name, email address and residential address.
You will be asked to create a username and a unique password
When you are done creating that, you can proceed to log in with those details to start the application process

Select Grade

This stage is where you select the grade of the child you are applying for. The grades that are applied for at GDE are typically from Grades 1 through 8. This means that you should only apply for your child when they fall between these grade ranges.

Provide Personal And Educational Information

You will be asked to provide personal and educational information of the learner you are applying for. These include;

The name of the child and all other names
Date of birth of the child
Residential address
Proof of residence
Their last school report
Schools Attended
Age
Gender

Applying To A School

There is a section where the parent or guardian will be at liberty to apply to a school for the child. The schools should be chosen in order of preference. The schools they so much wish to attend should come first. Parents must make sure they choose schools that are within their feeder zone. This is why it is essential to enter the correct residential and work address.

Upload Supporting Documents

The application process comes with documents. This means that parents will have to prepare some required documents which will be uploaded during the process. Here is the list of documents to be uploaded;

Passport or ID card
Certified birth certificate
Immunisation documentents
Proof of residence
Last school report
Special needs documents if applicable
Adoption or foster care documents if applicable

Click Submit

Once you have done all of these, the next big step is to submit your application. Before the submission, you to make sure that you have everything to check accuracy first. You can go ahead and submit if there are no mistakes.

When Is The GDE Admissions 2025 Application

GDE admissions are opened every year, mostly mid-year, to allow parents and guardians to apply for schools for their children and learners. The application window is vast enough for everyone who wants to enrol their child in a public school to do so. For the 2025 application, the GDE opened it in July and will be closed in August.

Dates For GDE 2025 Application

Applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the 2025 academic year opened on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 08:00 and will close on Monday, August 12, 2024, at midnight. Parents can apply online and upload documents immediately. Any documents not uploaded can be hand-delivered to schools. All documents must be uploaded or submitted within 7 days of applying. Please note that each parent can apply to a maximum of five schools per learner.

When To Apply For Grade 8 2025 In Gauteng?

Applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the 2025 academic year opened on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 08:00 and will close on Monday, August 12, 2024, at midnight. If you are looking to apply for your child, you still have a few days to do so.

What Is The GDE Application Fee

There is no application fee to be paid here. When you apply through the GDE, all you have to do is to fill out your forms correctly, thus follow the application process well and once you are done submit and wait for your child to be admitted to the school of choice.

GDE FAQS

When Does The Application Process For Grade 8 in 2025 Commence?

How Can Parents Register For The GDE Admissions For 2025

Yes, you will have to first visit the GDE website, register with your details and start the application process.

What is the Deadline For GDE Admissions Registration For the 2025 Academic year?

The 2025 academic year opened on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 08:00 and will close on Monday, August 12, 2024, at midnight. If you are looking to apply for your child, you still have a few days to do so.

When Can One Download the GDE Admission Information For 2025?

This information can be downloaded from the official GDE website the moment applications are opened.

I Do Not Have Any Documents Can I Still Apply?

Yes, even without the required documents, you can still apply. This does not mean that you will not need to submit those documents though. You will be given up to the time the application closes to prepare and submit all documents. When applying without those documents, you have to select that option on the application form.

What Is The Maximum Number Of Schools One Person Is Allowed To Apply to?

Each parent or guardian can select up to five schools for their ward or learner. This means that you cannot go above the five so there is a need to think carefully about the selection of the school in order of rank and preference. Choose the most suitable school for the child.

Can I Apply To Schools In Another Province?

Yes, you will be able to apply to schools in another province. The GDE can be accessed locally and internationally.

Can I Apply For A Neighbour Child?

Yes. You may apply for your neighbour’s child. However, your neighbour will have to give your permission and all the required information that proves that it is their child. You should not use your profile to apply for anyone besides your child.

Can You Do a Walk-In Application?

Yes, you are allowed to do a walk-in application. All you have to do is download the forms from the GDE official website. Fill in all the sections and add your documents including the supporting documents. Then walk into any GDE office and submit your application.

Is There an age limit to Grade 8?

There is no age limit to grade 8 for learners who are currently in grade 7 and moving on to grade 8. However, if a learner is 15 years and above, they may be directed to an institution that better suits them.

Will applicants who apply first be placed?

No, there is no link between applying first and placing you first. Applicants who live closer to the schools they applied to and applicants within the feeder zones will be placed first.

What if my child is not placed in any school?

Placement offers will be sent to every child. GDE has stated clearly that, offers will be made to parents until every child is placed in a school.

GDE Admission 2025 – All You Need To Know