NYC gifted and talented test: is there one? How G&T admission works

If you are searching for the NYC gifted and talented test, the surprise is that there is not one anymore. This guide explains what replaced it, how a child becomes eligible for a gifted and talented (G&T) seat today, and what a parent can do. Details are from the NYC Public Schools G&T page, checked on 13 November 2026. The city has changed this process before, so confirm dates on that page before you act.

What happened to the test

Until 2021, a tester gave each four-year-old a one-to-one test with verbal and nonverbal questions, and about 15,000 children took it each year. In January 2021 the city announced it would phase out the entrance exam, with the spring 2021 kindergarten test as the last one. The city said the replacement would not be a single test. If you find OLSAT or NNAT practice material that says it is "for the NYC G&T test", it describes the old process.

How kindergarten eligibility works now

• Children in a public pre-K, pre-K center, community-based organization or charter school are evaluated by their pre-K teachers.
• Children in a private or parochial program, or not yet in school, are contacted by the Division of Early Childhood Education for an interview, and early childhood experts then nominate eligible children.
• Teachers use a nomination form with three sections: Curiosity, Approaches to Learning, and Social Perception and Self-Direction.
• You list G&T programs on your kindergarten application, and eligibility is decided after you apply.

There is nothing to practice for in the way you would for a test. What the form looks at is how a child learns day to day, such as asking questions, sticking with a hard task and working with others.

How grades 1 to 4 work

Eligibility is based on the most recent report card. A child needs a 3 or 4 in math, reading and writing, and no grade of 1 in any marking period in math, reading, writing, social studies or science in the current school year. Once a child is eligible, the city does not rank eligible children by differences in grades. Children in charter, private or parochial schools email their grades to the city, which converts them to a 4-point scale, and homeschooled children send a spring report.

Dates for fall 2027

Current citywide G&T students do not need to reapply to stay in their program. Current district G&T students can apply only to citywide programs. You can appeal an eligibility decision by email or letter, and the city's page lists the deadlines.

Could this change?

The mayor said during the 2025 campaign that he wanted to phase out kindergarten G&T. In February 2026 a city spokesperson said families should not expect changes to the process that year, and that the city was talking with the community. We did not find a confirmed decision or date for later years. Check the NYC Public Schools G&T page for the current rule before you plan.

What a parent can do

• Put G&T programs on the kindergarten application by January 22, 2027. Eligibility is decided after you apply.
• Talk to your child's pre-K teacher in the fall about how your child learns, since the nomination comes from them.
• For grades 1 to 4, look at the report card. Make sure you know where your child stands in math, reading and writing.
• Keep learning playful at home. Puzzles, questions, counting and pattern games build curiosity and reasoning without any test pressure. Our puzzle activities are a place to start.

Where GiftedCub fits

GiftedCub practices the reasoning tests that most other districts use, such as the CogAT, NNAT, OLSAT and Naglieri tests. NYC public G&T does not use any of them, so it is not something we can prepare your child for. If you plan to apply to a district elsewhere, a private school that tests, or a program that uses one of these tests, see which gifted test your child will take.

CogAT® is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. NNAT® is a trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. OLSAT® is a registered trademark and Naglieri General Ability Tests™ a trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS). These owners are not affiliated with and do not endorse GiftedCub. Test names are used only to describe the formats our original practice material is designed to resemble.