To apply to a specialized high school other than LaGuardia High School, you must take the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). 

Students currently in the 8th grade and first time 9th grade students are eligible to register. Students who are in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades are not eligible to take the exam.

NYC public school students who want to take the fall exam must register with their guidance counselor. After registering, your school counselor will give you an SHSAT Test Ticket with the specific date, time, and location for your test.

Students attending non-public schools should speak to their schools directly about registering for the SHSAT.

Key Dates

Registration is now open for the SHSAT. The deadline to register is November 15, 2021.

All registered students will take the SHSAT in December 2021:

• Registered 8th grade students who attend a public DOE middle school will test at their current school during the school day on Thursday, December 2.
• Registered 8th grade students who attend charter, private, parochial, or independent schools, or who are homeschooled will test at a central DOE location on Sunday, December 5, or Saturday, December 11. 
• All registered 9th grade students will test at a central DOE location on Saturday, December 11, or Sunday, December 12.

You can sign up to receive emails with the latest updates on specialized high school admissions, including deadlines and events.

Summer SHSAT

For eligible students who did not participate in the Fall Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT), a summer SHSAT is offered in August. You can register for the summer SHSAT in July and August at a Family Welcome Center.

Learn More

You can get more information and assistance online and by phone. Information about testing locations is also available.

Online

Learn more about the specialized high school admissions test (SHSAT).

By Phone

Admission to LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts is based in part on a competitive audition. The SHSAT is not considered for admission to LaGuardia High School.

Students can register for an audition to LaGuardia High School through their school counselor. The deadline to register was March 1, 2021.

After registering, your school counselor will give you an Audition Ticket with the specific date, time, and location for your test. All auditions are held at LaGuardia High School.

You can sign up to receive emails with the latest updates on specialized high school admissions, including deadlines and events.

The DREAM program helps eligible students get ready for the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT). There are two DREAM programs.

The Specialized High Schools Institute (DREAM-SHSI) is an extracurricular program of rigorous coursework. To be accepted into the Institute, the student must commit to participating for the full program, which spans 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade.

The Summer/Fall Intensive test-prep program runs during the summer and fall before students plan to take the SHSAT.

If your child is eligible, an invitation letter and a pre-populated application will be delivered to your child’s school.

You can get more information about DREAM online or by email.

Online

Get information about preparing for the SHSAT through the DREAM program.

By Email

SHSI@schools.nyc.gov

At High School Admissions Fairs, you can speak with representatives from all of the City's public high schools, including specialized schools, and participate in workshops related to the high school admissions process.

You can also get copies of publications, including the Directory of the New York City Public High Schools.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dates and locations for the high school fairs as listed in the 2021 NYC High School and Specialized High Schools Admissions Guide will change.

You can sign up to receive emails with the latest updates on high school admissions, including events.

This fall and winter, DOE will be hosting virtual information sessions about high school and Specialized High Schools admissions in New York City.

All current 8th and first-time 9th grade students and families may attend both events.

Each event will be hosted live on Zoom. A captioned recording will also be posted on the DOE website two weeks after the first event.

After the presentation, staff will respond to your questions about these topics.

Dates, times, and language access information for these sessions are available online.

Get more information about DOE virtual information sessions, including Zoom links and recordings.