Skip to main content

Early education for three-year-olds

3-K | NYC Public Schools

Apply for 3-K

How it Works

3-K provides free, full-day, high-quality early childhood education for three-year-olds.

  • Apply to 3-K from January 15, 2025 to February 28, 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year.
  • In New York City, you can apply to 3-K in the calendar year that your child turns three.
  • 3-K programs are offered throughout NYC.
    • Use MySchools to search for and learn about 3-K options.
    • Your child has priority to attend 3-K programs in the district where you live.
  • Children can enroll in Full Day, Extended Day and Year, and Head Start seat types. Learn more.
  • 3-K programs are offered throughout the five boroughs in different settings. Each setting offers a consistent DOE high-quality, play-based curriculum.

Determine your eligibility

All New York City families with children born in 2022 can enroll for the 2025-2026 school year. This includes children with disabilities or who are learning English.

Children do not need to be toilet trained to attend 3-K.


What you need to include

View the pre-registration checklist to learn more about the documents you need to pre-register your child and accept their 3-K offer.


How to apply

Apply online

Apply on MySchools from January 15, 2025 to February 28, 2025. You can apply in English, Arabic, Bengali/Bangla, Chinese, Haitian Creole, French, Korean, Russian, Spanish, or Urdu.

After you apply, you can make changes to your application before the deadline.

Apply for 3-K

Apply by phone

Enroll over the phone by calling 718-935-2009.

  • Apply between January 15, 2025 to February 28, 2025.
  • Interpretation services are available in more than 200 languages.

More information

Visit the website

Visit the 3-K website to find out more information.

Email 3-K admissions

Email 3-K admissions at [email protected] if you have questions.

Call 311

Ask about “3-K”


Come back to it later.
We can send you a link to this page to help you get back to it when you’re ready.


Last Updated January 13, 2025