Applications to the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) for the 2027-28 school year opened on September 11, 2026, and close at 11:59 p.m. on December 30. The next Preview Day is Saturday, November 7, with registration opening in early October after the October 3 event. The Santa Ana public charter arts school admits students by lottery, and Irvine families may apply.
Who is affected
Students seeking to enter OCSA’s middle school or high school program for 2027-28. OCSA offers 17 arts conservatories, and each applicant may apply to a maximum of two. Applicants may not apply to repeat their current grade level or to skip a grade.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| November 7, 2026 | Preview Day, 9:20 a.m. to 1 p.m.; advance registration required |
| Early November 2026 | Scheduling begins for in-person placement activities |
| December 30, 2026, 11:59 p.m. | Application deadline; digital placement materials are due with the application |
| January 2027 | In-person conservatory placement activities |
| February 10, 2027 | Applicants notified of below-minimum proficiency status |
| February 11–15, 2027 | Admission lottery ticket placement |
| March 2, 2027, noon | Public admission lottery |
| March 3, 2027 | Applicants notified of admission status by email |
| March 8, 2027, 5 p.m. | Deadline to accept offers of admission |
Admission has three steps: submit the application; complete the Conservatory Placement Activity for each conservatory, receiving a scored rubric and proficiency level; and, after meeting a conservatory’s minimum proficiency level, enter its lottery. Each applicant receives two lottery entries, which may both go to one conservatory or be split between two, and selections cannot be changed after submission on February 15. The Arts & Enterprise Conservatory has no minimum proficiency requirement.
The lottery follows a preference order: students returning from an approved leave, children of OCSA staff, siblings of current students or graduates, students in the attendance area of the elementary school where OCSA is located, and residents of the Santa Ana Unified School District come first, followed by all other applicants. Irvine residents do not fall under either of the two residence-based preferences.
What to do now
Register for the November 7 Preview Day. Families may attend up to four presentations, including the school and admissions overview and individual conservatory overviews, which helps in choosing the two conservatories to apply to.
Prepare placement materials for each conservatory. Each conservatory has its own placement activity requirements, and materials that do not match the guidelines affect the score. Conservatories that require digital submissions expect them with the application by December 30.
Plan academics at the same time. OCSA’s daily arts schedule is long, so academic and AP course planning should start early; see the Orange County School of the Arts College Planning Guide, and for comparisons with other public high schools in the county, see Orange County Top 10 Public High Schools.
Sources
- Orange County School of the Arts: Admissions Overview (accessed October 4, 2026)
- Orange County School of the Arts: Preview Day (accessed October 4, 2026)
- Irvine Valley College Fall College Fair Nov. 3The Irvine Valley College Transfer Center set its fall college fair for November 3 and scheduled October UC and CSU workshops ahead of the November 30 deadline.
- UChicago 2026-27 Essays, Early Due November 2UChicago released its 2026-27 supplemental essays: a required Why UChicago question and a choice of six extended prompts. ED I and Early Action close November 2.
- SSAT November 14 Late Fee Begins October 25For the November 14 paper SSAT, a $59 late fee starts October 25 and a $100 rush fee November 1. Dates, levels, and registration steps for Irvine families.
- Stanford REA With Arts Portfolio Due October 15Stanford's standard Restrictive Early Action deadline is November 1, but applicants adding an Optional Arts Portfolio must submit the Common App by October 15.
