Enroll a Child in Pre-K

To participate in Georgia's Pre-K Program, children must be four years old on or before September 1 of the school year they plan to attend. Children who turn four after September 1 are not eligible for that school year and must wait until the following year to enroll. If a child isn't served as a four-year-old, they may be eligible to attend as a five-year-old.

Please note, some programs may choose not to enroll children who are already age-eligible for kindergarten, which is five years old by September 1. Parents should review enrollment policies with their local Pre-K Program before applying. If a five-year-old child is enrolled, parents must sign a parent acknowledgement form confirming the child hasn't previously attended Georgia's Pre-K Program for more than 30 days.

• Proof of eligibility, such as age and residency. Read more about Pre-K eligibility requirements.
  • Acceptable proof of age includes a birth certificate, passport, hospital record of live birth, legal document, or an official document from another country. 
  • Acceptable proof of residency includes a current lease, property tax notice, homeowner’s insurance bill, mortgage statement, current vehicle registration form, any utility bill listing your residence as the service address, a letter from a shelter, or a letter from your employer, if your employer provides housing.
• A completed Pre-K program application. Many Pre-K programs accept applications online. If you need to print out application forms, download them from the DECAL website.
• If your application is selected, you will need to provide additional information to formalize your child’s enrollment. This includes hearing, vision, dental, and nutrition examination certificates as well as immunization records. These completed forms can be provided by a county public health department and your healthcare provider. If you need to print out these forms, download them from the DECAL website.

Find a Pre-K program using the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s search tool. Pre-K programs are offered by local school systems and child care learning centers.

Each provider has a different application process. Contact the local school system or the child care learning center for application instructions.

You must complete and submit one application per child by the deadline.

Applying does not guarantee admittance into a Pre-K program.

If your application is selected, you will receive notification from the local school system or childcare learning center by email, phone, or mail. Please follow the program’s instructions to confirm your registration.

If your application is not selected, it will be placed on a waiting list. You do not have to reapply to move off the waiting list; if another child drops out of the class, your application may be offered a spot.

Once your application is selected, you will need to complete the enrollment process as instructed by the local school system or childcare learning center. If you miss the deadline, your spot will be forfeited.

Last updated May 2026