New York City's Specialized High Schools are selective public schools for students who excel artistically and academically. These nine schools have a separate admissions process from the general High School Admissions process. 

You don’t “apply” to these schools in the sense of submitting an application with your grades and interests. If you want to attend one of these prestigious high schools, you must take the Specialized High Schools Admission Test (SHSAT) . For 8 out of 9 schools, your SHSAT scores are the only admission factor.

Full List of Specialized High Schools

Neighborhood2025 Lowest Qualifying SHSAT ScoreKnown for

Van Cortlandt Village 518 A rigorous STEM curriculum

East Williamsburg 496 A liberal arts curriculum with an emphasis on the classics and Latin language instruction.

Fort Greene 505 STEM-based curriculum with university-level labs and tech classrooms. Students take courses in one of 19 different “majors.”

Manhattanville 526 Academic focus on mathematics, science, and engineering with an emphasis on civic responsibility

Van Cortlandt Village 504 Part of the curriculum is a three-year chronological study of American History. Students have access to library, athletic facilities, and classes at Lehman College

Jamaica 518 Curriculum is in collaboration with York College/CUNY and emphasizes mathematics and the sciences

New Dorp 527 Emphasis is placed on mathematics, science, engineering, humanities, health, fitness and the performing arts.  All students take 3 years of Russian

Lower Manhattan 556 Liberal arts high school that is historically strong in mathematics, science and technology

Lincoln Square No SHSAT - admissions happens through an audition process and academic records review. Dedication to the arts. Students receive conservatory-style training in art, dance, music, and theater, along with rigorous college prep.

How to Apply to a Specialized High School

Feel confident this high school admissions season by knowing what to expect. Here’s an overview of the Specialized High School admission process. (View all important SHSAT dates and deadlines here).

Admission Timeline
Summer before 8th Grade
  • Learn more about each Specialized High School using NYC's .
  • Prep for the SHSAT . You won’t register with your high school counselor until September, but summer break is a prime time to study.
September
  • Register for the SHSAT through your high school counselor your
  • Research academics, language programs, AP offerings and student organizations at each of your prospective schools.
  • Attend high school fairs.
October
  • Attend Specialized High School open houses.
  • Receive your SHSAT admission ticket (or audition ticket for LaGuardia High School) from your high school counselor.
  • Rank up to 8 Specialized High Schools in priority order and list on your admission ticket.* On test day, you’ll copy this list onto your SHSAT answer sheet.
  • Double-check that all the info on your admission ticket is accurate! Sign the ticket and ask your parent or guardian to sign as well.
  • Take the school day SHSAT and/or complete your LaGuardia High School audition
November
  • Take the 8th grade weekend testing SHSAT and/or complete your LaGuardia High School audition
December
  • Take the 9th grade weekend testing SHSAT.
March
  • Receive your SHSAT results. You’ll get a letter letting you know whether or not you received an offer to a Specialized High School.

*You don’t have to apply to all eight Specialized High Schools, but some students choose to rank more schools to increase their chances of being offered a seat.