Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3
All Hong Kong children born on or before December 31, 2020, are eligible to join the Primary One Admission (POA) System for admission to Primary One (P1) in September 2026 provided they have not attended any primary schools and have never been allocated a P1 place.
In line with the Smart Government strategy, the Education Bureau (EDB) has fully digitalised POA. Parents who have registered as POA e-platform (ePOA) users and bound their accounts to “iAM Smart+” may submit applications and check the results for discretionary places admission and Central Allocation online via ePOA. The EDB encourages parents to register with “iAM Smart+” (www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg.html(1) At the Discretionary Places Admission stage, parents can submit an application to any government or aided primary school, and the school choice is not restricted to the school net in which the child resides.
(2) Irrespective of whether the application is submitted via ePOA or in paper form, parents should submit only one application for their child. If parents have applied to more than one government or aided primary school, their application for a POA discretionary place will be rendered void. In addition, parents should not submit duplicate applications via ePOA and in paper form for the same child.
(3) When completing the POA Application Form, parents should fill in the actual residential address of their child. If a false address is given by parents to secure a P1 place for their child under the POA System, the application will be rendered void and the P1 place allocated will be withdrawn. If a false instrument has been used or a false statutory declaration has been made in the application, the offender is liable on conviction to imprisonment for 14 years or imprisonment for two years and to a fine respectively under the Crimes Ordinance.
(4) Parents who are unable to submit the application form in person may authorise in writing a representative to bring along the supporting documents to the school on their behalf.
(5) Children who have accepted the offer of P1 places in Direct Subsidy Scheme primary schools will not be allocated P1 places in government or aided primary schools through the POA System. Even if places have been allocated through POA, those school places will be withdrawn.
(6) Parents could check results for discretionary place admission via ePOA from 10 a.m. on November 24, 2025. Schools will also release the discretionary places admission results on the same day. For applicant children who are not allocated with discretionary places, they will join the Central Allocation. The Schools Choice making dates for Central Allocation will be from January 19 to 25, 2026. Details will be announced later.In addition, suspected cases of using a false address for POA applications may be reported to the School Places Allocation Section by calling its hotline at 2832 7700.