Published : 11 Nov 2026, 07:51 PM
Updated : 11 Nov 2026, 07:51 PM
Private schools will admit students to Class 1 through a lottery, while applicants for Classes 2 to 9 will have to sit written admission tests under the new policy for the 2027 academic year.
The Secondary and Higher Education Division of the education ministry issued the policy on Tuesday. It covers private schools, school-and-college institutions and their attached primary sections.
Children seeking admission to Class 1 must be at least six and no older than seven on Jan 1, 2027.
Those born between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2020, will be eligible. Children with special needs may receive an age concession of up to five years.
Schools will prepare a waiting list containing an equal number of candidates to fill any vacancies left after the lottery. Applicants for Classes 2 to 9 will be ranked according to their performance in written tests.
Candidates seeking admission to Class 9 must have passed Class 8 or an equivalent examination.
The admission test for Classes 2 and 3 will carry 50 marks, with 15 each for Bangla and English and 20 for mathematics. The test will last one hour.
For Classes 4 to 9, the examination will carry 100 marks, divided into 30 each for Bangla and English and 40 for mathematics, with two hours allowed.
Private schools in Dhaka metropolitan areas must reserve 40 percent of their seats for students living within their designated catchment areas. The remaining seats will be open to applicants from elsewhere.
Application fees will be capped at Tk 110 for Class 1 and Tk 250 for Classes 2 to 9.
Admission fees, including session charges, will vary by location, with limits ranging from Tk 500 in rural areas to Tk 3,000 in metropolitan areas outside Dhaka.
For MPO-listed schools in Dhaka, admission fees cannot exceed Tk 5,000.
The combined tuition, session and development fees at partially MPO-listed and non-MPO institutions will be capped at Tk 8,000 for Bangla-medium students and Tk 10,000 for English-version students. Development fees cannot exceed Tk 3,000.
Schools will not be allowed to charge a re-admission fee when students move to the next class after their annual examinations, although session fees may be collected.
