Enrolment in an ACT public school is determined by a child or young person’s place of residence. The ACT is divided into Priority Enrolment Areas (PEAs) which are defined geographical areas. Every child residing within a school’s PEA is guaranteed a place at that school (kindergarten to year 12). If a school has capacity available after accepting students from its PEA, it may enrol ACT students who live outside the PEA, subject to the enrolment criteria.
Use the ACT Schools Map to search by home address or by school name to confirm your local school.
Alternatively, you can check the PEA by suburb or school level in the below documents. Please note that some suburbs are split across more than one PEA.
Some suburbs are zoned to more than one school. Where your residential address is in a Shared Zone, the ACT Schools Map will show multiple schools.
If you live in a Shared Zone, you are guaranteed a place for your child in one of the schools in the Shared Zone, but not necessarily your first preference school. Principals of Shared Zone schools work collaboratively in line with the Kindergarten to Year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan to balance enrolments within a Shared Zone, to ensure all schools can meet the needs of their students. This means your application may be referred to the other Shared Zone schools.
College PEA Impacts
*In line with the Kindergarten to Year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan
The following changes only apply to year 7 in 2024, and years 7-8 in 2025, as other year levels are not currently offered at Shirley Smith High School:
The following changes apply to year 7 only in 2025, as other year levels are not currently offered at Aunty Agnes Shea High School:
The following changes only apply to year 7 only in 2025, as other year levels are not currently offered at Aunty Agnes Shea High School:
Residents of Taylor will continue to be in the PEA Gold Creek School (7-10) for years 8-10 in 2025, until these year levels are offered at Aunty Agnes Shea High School. PEA applications made to Aunty Agnes Shea High School for these year levels will be forwarded to Gold Creek School.
* In line with the Kindergarten to Year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan.
Once you reside in the ACT or the immediate surrounding NSW region, you can submit an online enrolment form . To find your local school use the ACT Schools Map.
Applications from overseas or interstate (outside the immediate NSW region) cannot be processed.
If you have moved to the ACT and have a temporary residential address, you are eligible to enrol at the local school for that address. If you subsequently move, you can choose to continue to stay at the current school or enrol in your new local school.
Some suburbs are zoned to more than one school. If you live in a ‘shared zone’, you are guaranteed a place for your child in one of the designated schools, but not necessarily your preferred school.
The principals of the local school can provide more information about which school may have capacity available to accept your application.
Some suburbs are zoned to more than one school. PEAs are detailed above, including where One-Way Shared Zone arrangements where applicable.
In a One-Way Shared Zone, you are guaranteed a place for your child at a school in their PEA, and also have the option to apply to enrol at the one-way Shared Zone school. This arrangement is not reciprocated as a One-Way Shared Zone does not go both ways. For example, residents of Majura Primary School can enrol at either Majura Primary or Ainslie Primary through the one-way Shared Zone, however residents of Ainslie Primary PEA are not offered enrolment at Majura Primary.
You are guaranteed enrolment if you live in a school's Priority Enrolment Area and your residential address within the PEA can be confirmed by the school.
If you are applying to enrol outside of your Priority Enrolment Area, the school needs to confirm ACT or NSW residency to determine which enrolment criteria apply.
The Directorate has implemented a points-based verification process for Proof of Residential Address at all schools in the ACT. Find out more at Accepting my offer?
If you require further information about your PEA contact the Education Directorate on (02) 6205 5429 or email education.enrolment@act.gov.au.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.