Appeal an enrolment decision
Find out how to request an appeal of an enrolment decision if you are not satisfied with your offer.
Why schools decline applications
A school may decline your application to enrol if you applied:
- to a school outside your Priority Enrolment Area (PEA) or NSW pathway zone (NSW residents) and your application did not meet the requirements for enrolling in a school outside your area.
- to a preschool that did not have enough places for everyone who applied.
If you applied for a school outside your PEA or NSW pathway zone, the school considers the reasons why you:
- do not want your child to attend a school in your PEA or NSW pathway school
- want your child to attend their school.
If you apply under the legal or wellbeing criteria and would like to provide documentation in support of your application, you can upload it with your enrolment application. Alternately, you can email your documentation to education.enrolment@act.gov.au with your application reference number in the subject line.
The principal will make a decision guided by these points. They will also consider any evidence you provide as part of your application.
Check if you can request an appeal
You can request an appeal if you:
- have completed an out of area application under legal considerations or individual circumstances based on student wellbeing criteria and the application was declined
- are not satisfied with the decision.
Enrolment decisions for applications submitted under the sibling, high demand or curriculum criteria are final and cannot be appealed. You are welcome to submit a new application under a different criterion if you wish.
How to request an appeal
You can request an appeal using the Appeal Request Form.
The Appeals Panel will consider your appeal based on the enrolment criteria. The panel includes a representative from clinical practice, an Executive Education Leader and a principal that was not involved in the enrolment decision.
If possible provide any further information that supports your application. This is in addition to any information or documents you provided with your application form.
If you don't have any other information, the Appeals Panel will consider the documents you provided with the application form.
After you request an appeal
The Appeals Panel aims to provide a decision within 6 weeks. It may take longer during peak times, or if the request is submitted during school holidays.
If the Appeals Panel has changed the enrolment decision, your preferred school will send you a Letter of Offer.
If the Appeals Panel has not changed the enrolment decision, you can complete your enrolment at the school you were originally offered or apply to another school.
The Enrolment Appeal is the final stage of the ACT public school enrolment process.