The Gauteng Department of Education has announced that applications for admission to Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the 2027 academic year will officially open at on Wednesday the 5th August 2026, and close at midnight on Friday the 4th of September 2026. Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile says during this period, all parents and legal guardians seeking placement for learners entering Grade 1 or Grade 8 at a public school in Gauteng must submit their applications exclusively through the Gauteng Online Admissions System. Maile says parents must register using new login credentials, as previous usernames and passwords will not be valid.