This Thursday, August 27, is the deadline for the main application period for the School Admission System (SAE) 2027, the Chilean platform created so that students can be enrolled in public schools (those managed by municipalities or by the Local Public Education Services, SLEP) or in private schools that receive state subsidies. This is the first milestone of a process that continues with the publication of results and the student’s final enrollment in the chosen institution. There is also a complementary application period for those who have not participated in this phase, as well as a waiting list for those hoping for a vacancy to be freed up in their preferred school.
The SAE was created in 2016 within the framework of the Inclusion Law promoted by the second government of socialist president Michelle Bachelet, which sought to eliminate discriminatory elements in student selection in schools through the implementation of a unique and random system for filling vacancies. The current right-wing administration of José Antonio Kast intends to modify this methodology through a bill that aims to return to educational institutions the ability to select students when there are no vacancies. The initiative has already been approved by the Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies and has been sent to the floor to be discussed by all members of the lower house of Chilean Congress.
When is the deadline to apply to the SAE
The deadline for parents and guardians to register in the School Admission System is this Thursday, August 27 at 2:00 p.m. (Chile time). Once this stage is completed, the results will be delivered, the waiting list will be established, and the complementary period will open.
Who should apply
The platform is intended for those entering a public or state-subsidized private school for the first time, those wishing to change schools, or those whose schools do not offer continuity for the next level (primary schools that do not have secondary courses). Children enrolled in a nursery or daycare of the National Board of Kindergartens (JUNJI), Integra, or preschool schools do not need to enter this system to obtain one of the vacancies.
Where to access the system
One of the first steps for guardians is to create or reactivate an account on the official website of the School Admission System, in a process that began last week. In this activation, data and documents such as identity card, email, and phone number must be provided. Those who do not have a Chilean RUN can request a Provisional Guardian Identifier (IPA).
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How to apply to schools
After creating an account and a user, the applicant must enter the School Showcase, where complete information about each school can be accessed such as location, schedule, dependency, educational project, quality indicators (Simce), infrastructure, extracurricular activities, reference vacancies, among others. There is no limit to the number of schools chosen, although it is recommended to choose at least six schools.
How vacancies are assigned in schools
The system distributes vacancies according to the preferences marked in the application. If a school placed as 1st preference has enough vacancies relative to its applicants, the assignment will be made there directly; if the 1st preference school does not have enough vacancies for all its applicants, assignments will be made considering student priority criteria and ties will be broken randomly; if not assigned to the 1st preference, the system will try to assign to the 2nd preference, and if this school also does not have enough vacancies, it will try to assign to the 3rd preference. And so on with the rest of your preferences. If not assigned to any preference, the student will remain in their original school. Those not assigned to any preference and who do not have continuity in an original school will automatically go to a waiting list. The system considers four priority criteria: having a sibling enrolled in the institution; the incorporation of 15% priority students; being a child of a staff member of the institution; and being a former student of the institution (provided they have not been expelled).
What’s next: publication of results and the complementary period
The SAE calendar continues with the publication of the main period results; scheduled for October 15 to 21. Between October 28 and 29, the publication of waiting list results will be finalized. Between November 10 and 17, the complementary application period will take place. On December 1, the results of the complementary period will be published. The enrollment stage in institutions extends from December 9 to 22, with an extension to December 29 in the regions of Aysén and Magallanes.
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