Elementary School
Admissions

Procedures

Kindergarten Admissions for Entry in Fall 2024

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  • Procedure Intro Text

    The Hunter College Elementary School admissions application for kindergarten entry in fall 2024 will open on at 10:00am on Friday, September 1, 2023. Families interested in applying should note the following:

    • The application system will close on Friday, November 3, 2023 at 4:00pm.
    • All information in the "The Kindergarten Application Process" section below should be read before starting an application. 
    • Notifications about advancement to Round 2 will be sent on a rolling basis, beginning early December 2023.
    • Round 2 is scheduled to occur over the course of two weeks, from Monday, December 4 through Friday, December 15, 2023. Participants will be invited to one weekday session during that period. Only those advancing to Round 2 will receive additional information about the process.
    • Final admissions notifications will be released on or before February 9, 2024.
    • HCCS and HCCS-approved testers will not share Round 1 scores or feedback on Round 1 performance with parents/guardians or any third parties.

    Families may contact the Admissions Office at admissions@hunterschools.org or 212-860-1401 with additional questions.

The Kindergarten Application Process

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  • Age Requirement

    Applicants for the September 2024 kindergarten class must have been born during 2019: January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.

  • Residency Requirement

    Only NYC* residents may apply and enroll into HCES.

    Parents/guardians must be able to document their primary home address in NYC as of the date of application and must remain residents of NYC as long as the child attends HCES. Any family whose child advances to Round 2 (of the application process) will be required to submit a copy of the parents'/guardians' 2022 IT-201 New York State income tax form to prove NYC residency, as of the date of application.

    Addresses that contain a P.O. Box, a business name, “in care of” a third party, or addresses outside of NYC will not be accepted.

    Proof of residency cannot be proved with utility bills, vehicle registration, bank statements or insurance cards.

    You are encouraged to contact the office directly with residency questions at admissions@hunterschools.org, or at 212-860-1401.

    *NYC is defined as the five boroughs and does not include Westchester, Nassau, or Suffolk counties.

  • Sibling, Twin, and Legacy Policy

    In an effort to make the opportunity to attend Hunter College Elementary School (HCES) available to all families,  preference is not granted to siblings of current students or Hunter College Campus Schools (HCCS) alumni. Every applicant is evaluated on their individual merits. The admissions decision for one sibling has no bearing on the admissions decision for another.

  • The Application Process: Step-by-Step

    The application system for entry in fall 2024 will open on Friday, September 1, 2023.

    The deadline to apply will be Friday, November 3, 2023 at 4:00pm. All applications must be submitted and paid by this date/time. Previously saved applications may not be submitted after.

    Families are encouraged to read all information in this section before attempting to create, edit or submit an application. Failure to do so may result in confusion or disqualification.

    STEP I: Ensure your eligibility
    Make certain your child and your family meet age and residency requirements before moving forward. Do not submit an application unless your current, primary residence is New York City. (NYC is defined as the five boroughs and does not include Westchester, Nassau, or Suffolk counties.)
     
    STEP II: Create an Account
    After indicating “Kindergarten” on the main application page, click the “Get Application ID” button. When a new account is created, an application ID code is emailed to the parent who created the account (primary parent), along with instructions for editing and submitting the application.  

    NOTE: If applying for twins, a separate application must be submitted for each child. Parents must create the applications with different, unique email addresses.
     
    STEP III: Create & submit an Application
    Follow the instructions in the email received and create the Hunter College Elementary School application. (Keep in mind that your child must be available for testing within three weeks of submitting the application.) The non-refundable application fee is $50.00, payable via credit/debit card using our secure system. An application is complete when payment is received. (Financial assistance for the application fee is available. Please visit the "Reduced Fee" section of this website for detailed information, or contact the Admissions Office directly at 212-860-1401.)
     
    Once parents/guardians have submitted and paid for the application, they will receive two confirmation emails from the Admissions Office:
    1. One acknowledging the receipt of the payment, and
    2. One with instructions for Round 1 testing*, which includes:
      1. All information needed to schedule the Round 1 appointment, including cancellation policies;
      2. A list of HCES-approved testers. Parents may contact only one tester.
      3. The child’s ID number
      4. The deadline by when the child MUST be tested (3 weeks of application submission).
    • The child will be disqualified if you contact more than one tester.
    • The child will be disqualified if deadline dates for Round 1 testing are not met.  
    If parents/guardians do not receive either of these confirmation emails, they must check to ensure that the application has been properly submitted in the system.
    * A mask requirement may be in place at some testing locations, including restroom and waiting areas. Parents, guardians and children must follow all health and safety guidelines.
     
    STEP IV: COMPLETE ROUND 1
    Round 1 (R1) is the first of two rounds of assessment within the HCES admissions process. In R1, the parent/guardian brings the child to the office of an HCES-approved tester so that an assessment of intellectual reasoning and cognitive abilities can be administered to the child. The fee for this test is $375.00, payable to the tester. (Financial assistance for the Round 1 fee may be available. Please visit the "Reduced Fee" section of this website for detailed information, or contact the Admissions Office directly at 212-860-1401.)
     
    Please review the information in the “Testing” section of this website for more information.

    STEP V: COMPLETE ROUND 2
    Only those selected to advance to Round 2 will be notified of dates and additional requirements.
     
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    OPEN HOUSE
    In-person open house events are suspended in fall 2023.

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  • Apply to HCES

    Hunter College Elementary School (HCES) accepts application for Kindergarten entry only.

    Families should review the website in advance for all relevant information and updated procedures. Families should not rely on policies and guidelines from prior years.

    To apply for HCES for Kindergarten entry in Fall 2024, please CLICK HERE.

  • Visiting HCES

    Information regarding visiting Hunter College Elementary School (HCES) will be determined at a later date, including virtual visits to learn more about our school. Please continue to check our website for updates.

    Traditionally, parents/guardians of children who are offered admission or placement on the wait list have been invited to visit HCES. At that time, those families are able to visit classrooms, and meet the principal, faculty, and other staff prior to submitting enrollment paperwork for their child.
     
    Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate all families interested in visiting HCES in person as they go through their application process.

    NOTE: Far more children seek admission to the Hunter College Elementary School than can be accommodated. Our process is solely for selecting children for admission to our small school. 
Hunter College Campus Schools
71 East 94th Street 
New York, NY 10128
Elementary School: 212-860-1292
High School: 212-860-1267
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