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Early education for three-year-olds

3-K | NYC Public Schools

Apply for 3-K

How it works

3-K offers free, full-day early childhood education for three-year-olds.

Apply from January 14, 2026 to February 27, 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year.

When can my child start? Children can apply to 3-K in the calendar year they turn three.

How do I find programs? Use MySchools to search for and learn about 3-K options. Your child gets priority for programs in your home district.

What seat types are available? Programs offer Full Day, Extended Day and Year, and Head Start seats.

Where are programs located? 3-K programs are available across all five boroughs. Settings include public schools, NYCDOE-run centers, and community-based organizations. All programs use the same high-quality, play-based DOE curriculum.


Eligibility requirements

All New York City families with children born in 2023 can apply for the upcoming school year. This includes children with disabilities or new English speakers.

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


Required documents

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 14, 2026 to February 27, 2026. 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

Call 718-935-2009 to apply between January 14, 2026 to February 27, 2026. Interpretation services are available in more than 200 languages.

Get help

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”


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Last Updated January 23, 2026

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