Voluntary Transfer Program

The District's Voluntary Transfer Program affords parents and students the opportunity to apply for admission to schools outside of their neighborhood.

All students K-11, including English language learners and children with disabilities, can utilize the Voluntary Transfer Program to apply to Special Admission, Citywide Admission and other neighborhood schools within the School District of Philadelphia.

The Voluntary Transfer Program also allows students to apply to Special Admission Middle Schools like:

The deadline for students and their families to submit Voluntary Transfer Program applications has been EXTENDED until Friday, November 30, 2012.

See the the following documents:

Elementary/Middle School Transfers

School District of Philadelphia Students

All students in grades Kindergarten through 7th, including English language learners and children with disabilities, may apply to:

Neighborhood elementary/middle schools outside of their neighborhood attendance area
Citywide elementary/middle schools
Special Admission middle schools

To apply for an elementary/middle school transfer:

Decide which school(s) you want to apply for transfer. List up to five (5) schools in preference order on the Elementary/Middle School Admissions Application
Submit the Elementary/Middle Admission Application form to you school counselor by November 30, 2012.

Note: Students applying to special admission middle schools are REQUIRED to submit a Student Data Transcript form directly to each special admission school listed on the admissions application. Transcript information should include but is not limited to: most recent final report card grades, most recent standardized test score results and their percentages, attendance and behavior report. Under no circumstances should report cards, test scores, attendance or behavior reports be forwarded to the Office of Student Placement. Special Admission schools need that information so they can include all qualified candidates in their review process. Any student transcripts forwarded to the Office of Student Placement and not to the schools on the admissions application may result in your child not being able to participate in that schools review process. Transcripts are to be completed by the current school counselor and signed by the school principal. Your school counselor will help you with the process and submit all necessary forms and transcripts.

Non-School District of Philadelphia Students

All students in grades Kindergarten through 7th, including English language learners and children with disabilities, may apply to:

Neighborhood elementary/middle schools outside of their neighborhood attendance area
Citywide elementary/middle schools
Special Admission middle schools

To apply for an elementary/middle school transfer:

Decide which school(s) you want to apply for transfer. List up to five (5) schools in preference order on the Elementary/Middle School Admissions Application.
Submit the Elementary/Middle School Admission Application to Office of Student Enrollment and Placement at:

          440 N. Broad Street
          Room 111
          Philadelphia, PA, 19130

All applications mailed to the Office of Student Enrollment and Placement MUST be postmarked by November 30, 2012. Applications received via mail by the Office of Student Enrollment and Placement AFTER this postmark date will not be accepted!

High School Transfers

School District of Philadelphia Students

All students in grades 8 through 11, including English language learners and children with disabilities, may apply to:

Neighborhood high schools outside of their neighborhood attendance area (including Renaissance Charter High Schools - Universal Audenried, Mastery at Gratz and ASPIRA Olney)
Citywide Admission high schools
Special Admission high schools

To apply for a high school transfer:

Decide which school(s) you want to apply for transfer. List up to five schools in preference order on the High School Admissions Application.
Submit the High School Admissions Application to your school counselor by November 30, 2012 and they will help you with the process and submit all necessary forms and transcripts.

Note: If the student is in 8th grade and applying to one of these schools for the 9th grade, they will participate in the District Online Transfer process where a Student Transcript Application will be generated electronically and automatically sent to the schools listed on the admissions application. If the student is in grades 9 through 11, the High School Admissions Application must be filled out and forwarded to the Office of Student Placement for processing prior to the application deadline. In addition, a Student Data Transcript MUST be completed by the current school counselor, signed by the principal and forwarded to each special admission (SA) or citywide admission (CW) school listed on the admissions application. Under no circumstances should report cards, test scores, attendance or behavior reports be forwarded to the Office of Student Placement. Any student transcripts forwarded to the Office of Student Placement and not to the schools on the admissions application may result in your child not being able to participate in that schools review process.

Non-School District of Philadelphia Students

All students in grades 8 through 11, including English language learners and children with disabilities, may apply to:

Neighborhood high schools outside of their neighborhood attendance area (including Renaissance Charter High Schools - Universal Audenried, Mastery at Gratz and ASPIRA Olney)
Citywide Admission high schools
Special Admission high schools

To apply for a high school transfer:

Decide which school(s) you want to apply for transfer. List up to five schools in preference order on the High School Admissions Application.
Submit the High School Admissions Application to Office of Student Enrollment and Placement at:

          440 N. Broad Street
          Room 111
          Philadelphia, PA, 19130

Note: Students applying to special admission or city wide high schools are REQUIRED to submit a Student Data Transcript form directly to each special admission or city wide high school listed on the admissions application. Transcript information should include but is not limited to: most recent final report card grades, most recent standardized test score results and their percentages, attendance and behavior report. Under no circumstances should report cards, test scores, attendance or behavior reports be forwarded to the Office of Student Placement. Special Admission and City Wide schools need that information so they can include all qualified candidates in their review process. Any student transcripts forwarded to the Office of Student Placement and not to the schools on the admissions application may result in your child not being able to participate in that schools review process.

Things to Consider

To learn more about the transfer process you may download the Voluntary Transfer Program Brochure

Admission is not guaranteed:

Admission is based upon the student's ability to meet the school's admissions criteria, space availability, and in some cases selection by a computerized lottery.

Audition & Interview Schedule:

Some schools require applicants to audition based on artistic or musical talent while other schools require an interest interview. These schools are shown in the 2013 Audition & Interview Schedule along with their dates, times, requirements and even contact information. Should you have any questions, be sure to reach out to whomever is indicated as the contact person at that school.

Letters of Notification:

Transfer status letters will be mailed to students' homes in the spring of 2013.

If you need more information on not only voluntary transfers or the high school application process, but also extenuating circumstances transfers and/or persistently dangerous schools transfers, call the Office of Student Placement at 215-400-4290.

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