Process of matriculation

It is the process of applying in order to obtain a place in a publicly funded school.

Once the official application has been made, the schools classify the applications according to the points system laid down by the regulations and inform about the allocation of places. The allocation of the place is confirmed during the process of enrolment.

There are two very important points about the process of application and enrolment:

1.  The whole process is totally free of charge.
The application has to be made in the school chosen as your first option, or in the Council Education Office.

2. The duplication of applications, that is the handing in of application forms in different schools, leads to a losing of priority rights under the points system. It is recommended that you apply for the maximum number of schools, both state schools and subsidised private ones, on your application form.

• All pupils who have to start either infant and primary school (from 3 to 12 years) or compulsory secondary school (ESO) (from 12 to 16 years).
• All pupils who wish or need to change their school.
• All infants and small children who wish to be admitted to the council nursery schools.
• All young persons who have to start non-compulsory secondary or high school,  further education, or plastic arts and design.

The time period for official applications and enrolment to publicly funded schools and  the general criteria for the admission of pupils are published in the regulations of the Education Department of the Generality of Catalonia.

Once the regulations have been published, all families will receive in their homes the specific information about the official application and enrolment process, as well as the criteria for admission and the documents which it is necessary to present.

The application for school places is based on the right of families to choose the school.
To guarantee that families living in a particular school district have the same rights to a place in one of the schools near to their home, the Education Department of the Generality of Catalonia has divided the map of the city town into three school districts (A, B and C) and sub-districts. This is a factor that needs to be taken into account when choosing the future public or subsidised private school.

For example:

• If your first choice of school is one within the sub-district where you live, then you will be more likely to be awarded a place because you will have more points. If, on the other hand, your first choice is a school outside the sub-district you will have less points and so less chance of getting the place. Indeed, having less points may mean you are not allocated other schools that you indicated, even if they are within the sub-district.

To make choosing a school easier for you, this guide contains a map of the town divided up into the school districts and the sub-districts and show exactly where the different schools are. When you fill in the official application form, you should use this map to help you in your choice of school. You can also find out in which sub-district  you live by telephoning the Council Education Office (OME) or by consulting the website. 

To ensure the continuity and coordination between the different stages of compulsory schooling, there is a link between public infant and primary schools and the secondary school in each district (A, B and C) so that applications for secondary are given preference when the pupil has attended primary in the same district. In subsidised private schools it is normally possible to pass directly from primary to secondary.

Nevertheless, official applications can be presented for any publicly funded school, provided that the places have not been taken up by pupils with preference (those from primary schools in the sub-district). 

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