Applying to Lab
Charlotte Lab School is a tuition free public charter school which admits students through an open lottery system.
Applications for the 2024-25 school year lottery are NOW OPEN!
Applications will close March 15, 2024 at 2:00 pm.
We will hold our lottery March 19, 2024 at 11:00am.
Applications received after 2pm on March 15, 2024 will be held in the order they were received and added to the bottom of the waitlist created by the lottery.
*** Please note you must be a NC resident, and your student must have turned 5 or or before August 31, 2024 to be eligible to apply. ***
If you need help to complete your application please reach out to Niya Menefee [email protected] or call 704-464-3830.
Applications
Socioeconomic Diversity (SED) Preference Applicants
Families who qualify for, and wish to be considered for, our Socioeconomic Diversity (SED) Preference must complete an additional application form. A link to the SED Preference Application Form is included in your General Lottery application confirmation email from Lotterease. To apply, follow these steps:
- Lottery applications will open 10:00 am December 5, 2023 and will close 2:00 pm March 15, 2024.
- All applications received after the lottery close date will be added to our waitlist in the order they were received.
- We will hold our lottery on March 19, 2024 at 11:00am.The live lottery will be held at 2045 Suttle Ave., Charlotte, NC 28208. Registration is required. To register to attend, please click here.
- All lottery applicants will receive an email notification of their status (seat offer or waitlisted) no later than 4:00pm Friday, March 22, 2024.
- For a Step-by-Step Guide to the application process click here.
- If you need help to complete your application please reach out to [email protected] or call 704-464-3830.
- To check your application status click here for the Lotterease Parent Portal.
Socioeconomic Diversity (SED) Preference Applicants
Families who qualify for, and wish to be considered for, our Socioeconomic Diversity (SED) Preference must complete an additional application form. A link to the SED Preference Application Form is included in your General Lottery application confirmation email from Lotterease. To apply, follow these steps:
- Apply through the General lottery
- Receive application confirmation email
- Click on the emailed SED Preference Application link, complete, and submit.
- Contact [email protected] for more assistance.
General Lottery Information for 2024-2025 School Year
- Children who turn 5 years old on or before August 31, 2024 who live in NC, are eligible to apply to 2024-2025 lottery.
- Our application period for the 2023-2024 General Lottery will open December 6, 2022 at 10:00am, and close March 23, 2023 at 4:00pm.
- Online applications are available at Charlotte Lab School website under Applying to Lab.
- All lottery applicants will receive an email notification of their status (seat offer or waitlisted) no later than close of school March 31, 2023.
- All applications received after the application period has closed will be added to the bottom of the waitlist in the order they were received.
- Waitlists do not carry over from one year to the next. Each year, we start fresh with new applications and new lotteries. Parents need to (re)apply each year they wish to be considered in the lottery.
- Only one (1) application per student per year is allowed. Multiple application submissions may result in exclusion from the lottery process.
- For more information, or for help in completing an application, please contact Niya Menefee, Director of Admissions: [email protected] or call 704-464-3830.
Admissions and Enrollment Priorities
Sibling, Employee and Board Member (SEBM) Preference
- Charlotte Lab School offers a priority in our admissions process to children of full-time employees and to children of past and present Board Members, and to siblings of current Lab students.
- SEBM applicants will indicate their desire to be considered for the SEBM Preference on the general application form.
- SEBM applicants will receive first preference to available Lab seats during the enrollment process.
Socioeconomic Diversity (SED) Preference Lottery
- Charlotte Lab School is committed to being an economically diverse community and will allot a percentage of the total number of seats available at Lab for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who qualify for the National School Lunch Program based on their families’ current income levels - link to guidelines
- Families interested in receiving this preference will indicate their desire on the general application, and will be required to complete an additional SED Application Form.
- SED Applicants will fill available SED seats through the general lottery process. SED applicants not placed through the SED Preference will be included as part of the general applicant pool to fill remaining general seats.
- For more information please see our Admissions and Enrollment Policies
Open House Information
- Please click here for link to 2023-24 Open House Schedule
- PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to accommodate any requests for tours outside of our scheduled Open House events. Each spring, we will host tours during the school day for families admitted through the school lottery.
You may direct specific questions about student enrollment and admissions to our Admissions Office by calling 704-464-3830 or emailing [email protected].
Charlotte Lab School admits students of any race, color, gender, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion and ability to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Charlotte Lab School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion or disability in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and other school programs.