Friday, October 17, 2025
Important Dates for the 2025–26 GoCPS Application
The GoCPS application for the 2025–26 school year closes at 5 p.m. on November 14, 2025. You can access the application and all related information at https://www.cps.edu/gocps/.
For elementary students, families can apply for Early Entrance to kindergarten or first grade programs through November 14, 2025. Applications for Single-Subject and Whole Grade Acceleration will remain open until December 12, 2025.
For high school students, the same November 14 deadline applies. Students currently enrolled in CPS schools will take the High School Admissions Test (HSAT) in October, with different testing days for charter and non-CPS students. These tests help determine eligibility for selective enrollment and other choice programs.
If you have not yet started your application for the 2025-26 school year, we recommend that you submit it as soon as possible. Early applications help increase your chance of receiving your first-choice school placement. Visit the GoCPS portal to set up an account and explore your options.
Students in Temporary Living Situations (STLS): What Families Should Know
For families who are in temporary or unstable housing, the GoCPS process can feel especially challenging. But it’s important to know that students experiencing homelessness have full and equal access to every CPS program, including selective enrollment and magnet schools.
Under the Students in Temporary Living Situations (STLS) program, students who lack a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence are guaranteed educational stability and support. This includes children and youth who are staying in shelters or motels, doubled up with others due to loss of housing or hardship, living in cars, parks, or other temporary spaces, and unaccompanied youth who are not living with a parent or guardian.
If your student qualifies for STLS, you should still complete the GoCPS application as early as possible. You have the right to immediate enrollment, even without documents like proof of address or immunization records. Students also have the right to stay in their school of origin (the school a child attended when they were last permanently housed, or the school where they were last enrolled, which can include preschool), receive transportation, and access tutoring or other supports to help them stay on track.
When completing your GoCPS application, be sure to indicate your student’s STLS status so that CPS can apply the correct supports and protections.
Completing the GoCPS Application
To begin your application, visit https://www.cps.edu/gocps/ and create an account. This will allow you to select schools, track your application, and receive updates from CPS.
When filling out your application, choose your preferred schools and rank them in order, indicate your student’s STLS status if applicable, and submit the application before 5 p.m. on November 14, 2025.
In the spring, CPS will release school offers. Families can then accept an offer or remain on waitlists for other schools. If all of your preferred programs are full and you don’t receive an offer, you may appeal or apply for other programs still accepting students.
CCH is here to support students and families experiencing housing instability. Please contact Alyssa Phillips, Senior Education Attorney, at 872.588.6800 or aphillips@chicagohomeless.org with any questions or concerns.
The post Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Application 2025–26: Deadlines, Rights, and Support for Students Experiencing Homelessness appeared first on Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness.