Thank you for your interest in a magnet program with Pittsburgh Public Schools. The application deadline for the 2025-26 school year, for students to be included in the magnet lottery, and considered for first-round auditions at Pittsburgh CAPA, was 5 pm Friday, January 17, 2025. 

The magnet office is reviewing and processing applications that were submitted by the deadline, in preparation for running the lottery and communicating results to families in late February.

The magnet application for the 2025-26 school year will reopen in March, for our post-lottery period. During this time, applications will be considered on a first come, first served basis for students to enroll in to programs with remaining vacancies, or for students to be added to waiting lists.

If your student does not currently attend a Pittsburgh Public School, or will be entering Kindergarten in the fall, you can begin the enrollment process so that you can apply to magnet programs during our post-lottery application period, beginning in March. Visit https://www.pghschools.org/about/enrollment/home and complete the 2025-26 enrollment.

If your student does currently attend a Pittsburgh Public School, you do not need to enroll. You can obtain your HAC information via your student's school.

 Click here to learn how to access the application in Home Access Center (HAC) once it reopens in March.

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Magnet schools and programs allow students to pursue special interests, talents or career goals. Magnet schools are not neighborhood specific, so students who reside anywhere in the Pittsburgh Public School District can apply to attend. City residents receive priority for enrollment at magnet schools, however non-city residents can be admitted if there is available space. Tuition is charged for non-resident students who do not qualify for a tuition waiver. Tuition waivers are only granted to children of Pittsburgh Public Schools employees, in accordance with Board Policy 202 Eligibility of Nonresident Students.

The application period for the 2024-25 school year closed in September.

The Magnet Lottery Application period for the 2025-26 school year was open from Monday, December 9, through Friday, January 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Beginning in March, post-lottery applications will be accepted.

As Pittsburgh Public Schools engages in the process of facilities utilization planning to foster equity, excellence, and efficiency across the District, it has been decided that there will be no school changes recommended for the 2025-2026 school year. This decision allows us the necessary time to conduct a thorough review of recent recommendations provided by Education Resource Strategies (ERS), who have proposed a range of ideas around facility use, grade configurations, school consolidations, and program enhancements.

As leadership continues to review feasibility and phased implementation, the District cannot guarantee that students enrolled or accepted into a magnet school will be able to remain beyond the 2025-2026 school year.