Grade 1 and Grade 8 Applications by Province
Choose your province for Grade R, Grade 1, Grade 8 and transfer applications. Confirmed dates stay separate from earlier intakes.
Western Cape has published 2028 intake dates. The other province guides say what is still unannounced and show confirmed 2027 reference dates where we have them.
Gauteng
2028 dates not announced yet
GDE admissions site. Previous 2027 intake dates are in the guide.
Read the Gauteng guide →Western Cape
2028: 10 March 2027 to 14 April 2027
WCED admissions site. Previous 2027 intake dates are in the guide.
Read the Western Cape guide →KwaZulu-Natal
2028 dates not announced yet
Read KZN’s admissions circular. Previous 2027 intake dates are in the guide.
Read the KwaZulu-Natal guide →Eastern Cape
2028 dates not announced yet
Contact ECDoE about admissions. 2027 reference dates are also unconfirmed here.
Read the Eastern Cape guide →Free State
2028 dates not announced yet
Free State admissions contacts. 2027 reference dates are also unconfirmed here.
Read the Free State guide →Limpopo
2028 dates not announced yet
Limpopo admissions site. Previous 2027 intake dates are in the guide.
Read the Limpopo guide →Mpumalanga
2028 dates not announced yet
Mpumalanga education site. 2027 reference dates are also unconfirmed here.
Read the Mpumalanga guide →North West
2028 dates not announced yet
North West admissions guidance. Previous 2027 intake dates are in the guide.
Read the North West guide →Northern Cape
2028 dates not announced yet
NCDoE admissions site. Previous 2027 intake dates are in the guide.
Read the Northern Cape guide →Check the Grade R and Grade 1 age rules and the grade calculator before choosing an intake year.
Department sources last checked on 21 October 2026. Exact sources are listed in each province guide.
How it works
Each guide uses its provincial education department’s own pages, circulars or notices. A date for the 2027 intake is not moved forward to create a 2028 date.
Use the department’s official site for the current form and instructions. We collect no personal details on these guides.
Questions
When do public school applications for 2028 open?
WCED’s published planning calendar sets 10 March 2027 to 14 April 2027 for Grade R, 1 and 8. Other provinces’ 2028 windows have not been confirmed in the department sources checked here. Open your province guide for the latest verified details.
Can I use 2027 intake dates to plan a 2028 application?
Use them as background only. Application windows can change, and the previous intake’s dates are not a prediction. The province guides label earlier dates clearly and leave unannounced dates blank.
Where do I check Grade R and Grade 1 ages?
Use the age-rules guide and grade calculator linked below. Then confirm the current admissions instructions with your provincial department.
Do all provinces ask for the same documents?
Use the checklist in your province’s guide. We include only documents confirmed in that department’s published guidance and flag any checklist we could not confirm.
What if my child is changing province or school?
Read the transfer information in the province you are moving to. Ask its department or school which route applies to your child’s grade.