What to do if you don't get the school you wanted

Terms used

• Reclamación — A reclamación is a claim you file against the provisional list to correct your points or missing proof.
• Lista de espera — The lista de espera is the ranked waiting list for a school, used to fill vacancies in order.
• Comisión de escolarización — The comisión de escolarización is the local admissions commission that assigns school places and vacancies.
• Recurso de alzada — The recurso de alzada is an administrative appeal to the education authority against a definitive admission decision.
• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded.

Key rules

• Claim: A claim against the provisional list is your cheapest and fastest fix, and the window is short.
• Waiting list: You generally stay on the waiting list for higher-ranked schools unless you renounce.
• Assigned school: Enrol in the assigned school even while you wait for a better place.
• Silence: No reply from the authority to your appeal counts as a rejection.

Act fast: the deadlines are short

If the result is not what you wanted, you have several options. They can be used together, and the time limits are strict. Start with the provisional list, because that is where mistakes are easiest to fix.

Claim against the provisional list

Check your points and any proof the authority says is missing. You usually have 3 to 5 working days to file a claim (reclamación) or correct missing proof. The exact number of days depends on your region and year, so look at the admissions calendar.

File the claim at the school or on the regional platform. It is answered when the definitive list is published.

Use the waiting list

After the definitive list, you stay on a waiting list (lista de espera) for each school you ranked higher than the one you were given. The list uses the same points scale and the same lottery tie-break as the main allocation. In general you are added automatically and stay on until you renounce. Check with the admissions commission (comisión de escolarización) that you appear on each list.

Vacancies that open before the school year, or in its first weeks, are filled from the list in order. Duration varies by region, and some lists expire at the start of the school year or on a set date. Ask your admissions commission when yours expires.

If you applied outside the normal period, ask the admissions commission or the school. They assign any remaining vacancies.

If you got none of your choices

If none of your chosen schools had a place, the admissions commission or the education inspection service assigns you a school with vacancies. This usually happens after the main allocation. The place is generally the nearest one to your home or work address within the school zone. Siblings and special needs are taken into account. Some regions let you state extra preferences, so ask.

Enrol in the assigned school within your enrolment window. You can still move up from a waiting list later.

Changing schools later

Changing school during the year is only allowed for a justified reason, such as a change of address, health or violence. The admissions commission or the education inspection decides. Ordinary changes without a reason are generally not allowed. Requests often have set periods, such as the end of the school year. Confirm the procedure with your admissions commission before you act.

Appeal a definitive decision

If you disagree with the definitive decision, you can file an appeal (recurso de alzada) to the education authority within one month. Your decision notice says which body receives it. For publicly funded private (concertada) schools, the appeal also goes to the education administration within one month. Some regions allow an optional recurso de reposición instead, so read your notice.

If the authority does not answer within three months, treat the silence as a rejection.

Go to court

The last step is the contentious-administrative court (recurso contencioso-administrativo). You have two months from the decision or from the presumed rejection. Most families will want a lawyer for this step.

The timeline and checklist below put these steps in order.

Timeline and deadlines

• File a claim (reclamación) against the provisional list, at your school or on the regional platform: within 3 to 5 working days of the provisional list

• Wait for your claim to be resolved with the definitive list: when the definitive lists are published

• If the authority does not answer, treat the silence as a rejection: after three months without an answer

Checklist

• Check the provisional list for your points and any missing proof, then file a claim within 3 to 5 working days.

• Submit the claim to the school or on the regional platform.

• Ask your admissions commission when the waiting list expires in your region.

• Enrol in the assigned school within your enrolment window, even while you wait for a better place.

• Read your decision notice to find which body takes the appeal, and appeal within one month if you disagree.

• Ask the admissions commission whether you have a justified reason to request a change, such as a move, health or violence.

What to watch out for

• Missing the appeal deadline: If you let the one-month appeal period pass, you can lose the right to challenge the decision, and the court route has its own limit of two months. Note the date on your decision notice and file the appeal within one month.

• Treating silence as an answer: If the authority does not reply, silence counts as a rejection after three months, and the court deadline starts from then. Count the three months from your appeal and decide on the court route before the two months end.

• Refusing the assigned school: If you got none of your choices, you must enrol in the school the commission assigns. Not enrolling can leave your child without a place. Enrol in the assigned school and stay on the waiting lists for the schools you prefer.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to sign up for the waiting list myself?

No, in most regions you are put on the waiting list automatically for the schools you ranked higher than the one you were given. You stay on it unless you renounce. If your application was outside the normal period, you apply to the admissions commission or the school instead.

What happens if I was given no school at all from my choices?

The admissions commission assigns you a school that still has vacancies, usually the nearest to your home or work address. You must enrol there unless a better place comes through a waiting list. Some regions let you add extra preferences.

Is there an alternative to the appeal to the education authority?

Yes, some regions let you file a recurso de reposición instead of the appeal. Your decision notice names the body and the route that apply to you.