School and kindergarten in Buenos Aires for a foreign child: how to enroll

Checked: October 6, 2026

A child is enrolled in a state school or kindergarten in Buenos Aires (CABA) online, through the City's Inscripción Escolar system with a miBA account; for the 2027 school year, enrollment runs from 5 October to 6 November 2026. Not having a DNI or residency does not stop a child from studying: under the migration law, a foreign child cannot be refused admission to school because of their migration status. Private schools enroll directly, under their own rules and deadlines. This is information, not legal advice.

How is the school system organised in Buenos Aires?

Kindergarten (nivel inicial): jardín maternal for the youngest children, jardín de infantes from age 3 to 5. Compulsory education starts at age 4 (law no. 27.045: "la obligatoriedad escolar en todo el país se extiende desde la edad de cuatro (4) años").
Primary school (primaria): in CABA it has 7 grades (grados), roughly from age 6 to 12.
Secondary school (secundaria): 5 years (2 years of basic cycle + 3 years of specialised cycle); 6 years in technical schools.
State education is free. Private schools charge fees, many with a state subsidy and lower fees; some are bilingual.

When and how do I enroll in a state school?

Enrollment for the 2027 school year in CABA (Período Único de Inscripción, per the City page buenosaires.gob.ar/educacion/estudiantes/inscripcionescolar):

submitting applications (preinscripción): 5 October – 6 November 2026
document check: 5 October – 17 November 2026
public lottery (sorteo): 21 October 2026
results: online from 4 December 2026, in person from 9 December 2026. You need to apply if you are starting kindergarten, 1st grade of primary or 1st year of secondary for the first time, and also if you are transferring from a private school, another province or abroad. The application is submitted in the system at iel.buenosaires.gob.ar, signing in with a miBA account (by CUIL or by e-mail). According to the City's FAQ, submitting is "absolutamente gratuita" — completely free. An application does not guarantee a place: allocation follows the school rules (address and siblings at the same school are taken into account, but even that is no guarantee). If online doesn't work, the City has in-person help and document-check points by prior appointment (turno).

How do I enrol a child in school if we arrived mid-year?

Outside the enrollment window, a place is only given at schools that still have vacancies: this is stated explicitly for enrollments after 1 April (Resolución 3326/2023 of the CABA Ministry of Education).

Do I need a DNI to enrol a child in school?

No. Law 25.871, art. 7 (as amended by DNU 366/2025, in force since 29.05.2025): foreigners, "aun cuando su condición migratoria fuera irregular", have the right to be admitted to kindergarten, primary and secondary school, state or private, and migration status cannot be grounds for discrimination; the school must advise on how to regularise the status. (The previous wording also mentioned universities; DNU 366/2025 left only kindergarten and school in the article.) The enrollment system's FAQ names the child's document as "DNI, partida de nacimiento, pasaporte, etc." — a passport is fine. A miBA account can be created with an e-mail, without a CUIL.

What documents should I prepare to enrol in school?

According to the City's FAQ:

the child's document (DNI, birth certificate or passport) and the parent's document
proof of address (acreditación de domicilio) — the address is taken into account in allocation
a work certificate or sworn statement from the parent (certificado laboral or declaración jurada)
for a transfer from a foreign school, a certificate of studies (which grades have been completed)
the exact list is given by the school after admission; confirm it with the school or via the 147 line.

How will studies in Russia or the CIS be recognised?

Primary school and kindergarten: the child is placed in a grade by age.
Secondary school: to transfer from a foreign school to a state secundaria in CABA there is a "movilidad" procedure (formerly equivalencias). Documents are sent electronically to [email protected]: a certificate of years completed, the curriculum and subjects. Documents not in Spanish (except Brazilian ones) are translated by an Argentine traductor público. The procedure's official page states that students from countries where primary school lasts 6 years (Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay) must have completed at least the 1st year of secondary school to enter a secundaria in CABA. The procedure is free. Phone of the Articulación de Estudios office of the CABA Ministry of Education: (011) 6076-6000, ext. 9030.
The school-leaving certificate (for university) is recognised by Argentina's Ministry of Education; for countries without an agreement there is a separate procedure, "Reconocer título secundario de países sin convenio".

What about language? Teaching in state schools is in Spanish. Private bilingual schools are an option if the child speaks English.

Frequently asked questions

Can I enroll a child without a DNI?

Yes. Under law 25.871 (art. 7), migration status cannot be a reason for refusal. Enrollment is done with the passport.

When is enrollment in CABA state schools for 2027?

From 5 October to 6 November 2026, online via the Inscripción Escolar system with a miBA account. Results are online from 4 December and in person from 9 December.

How do I transfer a child from a Russian school to secondary school?

Through the "movilidad" procedure of the CABA Ministry of Education, with the documents translated by an Argentine traductor público.

What if we arrived in the middle of the year?

A place is given only at a school that has vacancies (Res. 3326/2023); check the procedure via the 147 line or the district education office.