Start with the questions that change the plan

Applicants must live in San Francisco with a parent or legal guardian when they apply and must keep living in San Francisco while attending Lowell. For Grade 9 entry the applicant must be an 8th grade student. SFUSD and non-SFUSD 8th graders may both apply. Interdistrict permits are not allowed for admission to Lowell.

Lowell admits students on merit for 2027-28, using the three-band system. Older guides that describe a lottery are out of date. The SFUSD Band Summary says its band data comes from merit-based admission. There are three bands, or qualification methods. About 70 percent of admitted students come through Band 1, about 15 percent through Band 2 and about 15 percent through Band 3. Every student is assessed for all three bands.

Lowell uses the SFUSD Winter Interim Assessment (Star Reading and Star Math) as its admissions test. Current SFUSD students take it at their own school in late January. Non-SFUSD applicants and SFUSD charter students take the test at Lowell on January 20 at 6 pm or January 23 at 8:30 am. The SFUSD page gives no year, which in context is 2027; applicants choose a date on the Lowell application.

There are three bands, or qualification methods. About 70 percent of admitted students come through Band 1, about 15 percent through Band 2 and about 15 percent through Band 3. Every student is assessed for all three bands. For 2026-27 the Band 1 cut-off was 82.5 points and the Band 2 cut-off was 83 points. SFUSD says these may change for 2027-28 and has not published 2027-28 cut-offs.

There is no waitlist or appeal process for Lowell, no sibling tiebreaker, and the regular high school tiebreakers do not apply. All students must meet the admissions criteria to enroll.

Applicants are notified of their 2027-28 assignment on ParentVUE on March 15, 2027. The last day to apply to Lowell for Grade 9 is December 11, 2026: 5pm online, or close of business at the Enrollment Center for paper applications. SFUSD says it will not be possible to apply after that date.

Students may apply to transfer into Lowell in Grades 10 to 12 for 2027-28 between May 10 and June 28, 2027, using the Lowell Transfer Application. SFUSD says between 25 and 50 transfer assignments can be made overall, most in Grade 10, with no waitlist, appeal or sibling priority.

No. LowellPrep by EduAvenues is an independent service, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Lowell High School. Check every requirement and date on the school's own website before you apply.

The admissions facts on this site were last checked against the school's published pages on November 5, 2026. Schools can change requirements and dates at any time.