Group of students engaged in activity with clay and chisels. Newspaper protects the tabletop.

Admissions 2024

Introducing PS 456, a new school opening in September 2024 with a strong partnership with BNS. Read more…


Open House Information

Brooklyn New School will host in person open houses and a virtual tour this fall / winter. These events are geared towards parents and will last an hour. We walk through the building, which is not an accessible space. Please let us know if you’d like accommodations. Open houses start in the auditorium.

In Person Open Houses, no registration necessary:

  • Friday, November 10, 2023 at 9:00 am

  • Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 9:00 am

  • Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 9:00 am

  • Friday, February 2, 2024 at 9:00 am

Virtual Open House

  • Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 5:30 pm



General Admissions Information

Brooklyn New School is in year nine of the Diversity in Admissions (DIA) plan. There are now over 90 schools participating in the DIA plan, designed to help foster diversity within each school. The DOE prioritizes students who identify as low income for all our open seats after siblings each year. You can indicate on your application if your child meets this criteria. This year, you’ll be asked to give the DOE permission to view your income status. If you do not give the DOE permission, you will not receive this priority.

Children are admitted to BNS by lottery. Pre-K and Kindergarten children are admitted through Myschools, and 1st-5th grade children are admitted by independent lottery conducted by BNS.  

There is no entrance test and no pre-admission interview.  BNS is not a zoned school; children who live in Brooklyn are eligible to apply.  Low income families who live in Districts 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17 have priority for all open seats after siblings are admitted.   

Families should re-apply every year; applications do not carry over from year to year.

We encourage all families to join an Open House before they apply. The Brooklyn New School will host in person and virtual Open House events so prospective families can visit the school and learn about our approach and our community.

Check the DOE website for general information about elementary school enrollment. You can email ES_Enrollment@schools.nyc.gov with questions.


Grade Level Information

Pre-K: Pre-K children are admitted through Myschools

  • Wednesday, January 10, 2024: Pre-K Applications Open 

  • Friday, March 1, 2024: Pre-K Applications Close 

  • Tuesday, May 14, 2024: Pre-K Offer Release 

Kindergarten: Kindergarten children are admitted through Myschools

  • Tuesday, December 5, 2023: Kindergarten Application Opens 

  • Friday, January 19, 2024: Kindergarten Application Closes 

  • Wednesday, March 27, 2024: Kindergarten Offer Release

Grades 1-5Application for grades 1-5. We’ll start admitting children in 1st-5th grade in the summer and continue as seats open.

  • BNS does an independent lottery for open seats in grades 1-5.

  • The application for September 2024 will be available until the end of October, when we stop admitting new children.

  • Please fill out one application for each child. If you applied in 2023, please fill out a new application; paperwork does not carry over.