Brampton families can apply for Peel’s specialized high school programs, such as IB, Advanced Placement, SciTech and Arts, from November 3 to November 24, 2026, for the 2027-28 school year. The Peel District School Board calls them Regional Learning Choices Programs, and information nights at Brampton schools start on October 21.
At a glance
- Who can apply: Grade 8 students (Grade 9 entry, all programs); Grade 9 students (Grade 10 entry, Arts); Grade 10 students (Grade 11 entry, IB and Regional Skilled Trades)
- Application window: November 3, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. to November 24, 2026 at 11 p.m.
- Information nights: October 21 to November 5, 2026
- Programs at Brampton schools: Advanced Placement, IB, International Business and Technology, Regional Skilled Trades, SciTech, Strings, Transportation, Engineering and Technology
- Selection: marks and program tasks first, then random selection
- First offers for Grade 9 entry: February 2, 2027
- Fees: a non-refundable application fee plus an annual program fee
Table of Contents
What are Peel specialized high school programs?
Regional Learning Choices Programs are specialized Peel District School Board high school programs that students apply to, instead of attending only their local school’s regular program. Each program has its own focus, like university-level courses, science and technology, the arts or the skilled trades, and every one still teaches the Ontario curriculum.
You apply to the program location that serves your home address, not any school you choose. The board says to check your boundary with the Advanced Search in its School Finder before you apply.
Which programs are offered in Brampton?
Seven Brampton high schools host Peel regional programs for 2027-28, and the Arts program for students north of Highway 401 is at Mayfield Secondary School in Caledon. The table lists each program, the school offering it, and its information night date and time from the board’s program page.
| Program | School | Information night | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | Harold M. Brathwaite SS | Wednesday, October 21 | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | Turner Fenton SS | Wednesday, October 21 | 7 to 8 p.m. |
| Advanced Placement (AP) | Central Peel SS | Thursday, October 22 | 5 to 6 p.m. or 7 to 8 p.m. |
| Strings | Central Peel SS | Thursday, October 22 | 5 to 6 p.m. or 7 to 8 p.m. |
| SciTech | Chinguacousy SS | Thursday, October 22 | 6 to 7 p.m. or 7 to 8 p.m. |
| Arts (north of the 401) | Mayfield SS, Caledon | Tuesday, October 27 | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| International Business and Technology | North Park SS | Wednesday, October 28 | 6 to 8 p.m. (presentation at 6 or 7) |
| Regional Skilled Trades | Judith Nyman SS | Thursday, October 29 | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Transportation, Engineering and Technology | Bramalea SS | Thursday, November 5 | 7 to 8 p.m. |
The same programs also run at other Peel schools: Erindale and Glenforest (IB), John Fraser (AP), Port Credit (SciTech and Strings), Meadowvale (IBT), Cawthra Park (Arts, south of the 401) and West Credit (Regional Skilled Trades). The board says information nights run in person and virtually, with recordings available afterward. Check each school’s page for its format before you go.
How do you apply for a Peel specialized program?
You apply online through the board’s application website between November 3 at 8:30 a.m. and November 24, 2026 at 11 p.m., and you pay the application fee through School Cash Online. The board lists four steps:
- Attend the information night for the program you are interested in.
- Confirm which program location serves your home address using the School Finder’s Advanced Search.
- Apply online during the application window and pay the non-refundable application fee.
- Complete any written response, video, audition, assessment or portfolio the program requires.
The board does not list fee amounts on its program page. Ask the school about the application fee and the program’s annual fee. If the application fee is a barrier, the board says to contact your current PDSB principal about financial help. Families from outside PDSB contact the principal of the school they are applying to.
What each program asks for
Every Peel regional program looks at report card marks first. For Grade 9 entry, that means the Grade 7 final report card. Some programs add another task:
| Program | Extra requirement | In-person date |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Placement | Numeracy and literacy assessment | December 5, 2026 |
| International Baccalaureate | In-person assessment | December 12, 2026 |
| Arts | 5 written questions, plus an audition or a visual arts portfolio | January 27 and 28, 2027 |
| International Business and Technology | Video submission, 1 minute 30 seconds maximum | None |
| Strings | 2 written questions, plus an audition at Central Peel | December 5, 2026 |
| Transportation, Engineering and Technology | 4 written questions | None |
| SciTech | Marks only | None |
| Regional Skilled Trades (Judith Nyman) | 1 written question and an artifact | None for Grade 9 entry |
The board says schools set the exact times for assessments and auditions after the application window closes.
Students applying for Grade 11 IB need more than marks. They must have completed Grade 10 math, Grade 11 university math (MCR3U) and Grade 10 academic French (FSF2D, FIF2D or FEF2D) by September 2027. Grade 11 entry into Regional Skilled Trades at Judith Nyman has an in-person trade assessment on December 15, 2026, from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
How Peel picks students: marks, then random selection
Peel District School Board fills its regional programs in two steps. First, staff check that each applicant meets the program’s criteria using report card marks and any written responses, auditions or portfolios. Every applicant who meets the criteria then gets a randomly assigned number, and spaces are offered in that order, centrally at the board.
A few rules affect who gets offered a spot first:
- Students who live in Peel (Brampton, Caledon or Mississauga) are offered spaces before students from outside the region.
- African, Black, Afro-Caribbean, First Nations, Inuit and Métis students who self-identify and meet the criteria are admitted without going through random selection. Students already in an elementary regional program have to self-identify again for high school.
- Students who don’t get an offer go on that school’s waitlist. Each school keeps its own.
- International visa students can’t apply. Students here on work or study permits can.
Key dates for 2027-28 applications
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 21 to November 5, 2026 | Information nights |
| November 3, 2026, 8:30 a.m. | Applications open |
| November 24, 2026, 11 p.m. | Applications close |
| December 5 and 12, 2026 | AP, Strings and IB assessments |
| January 27 and 28, 2027 | Arts auditions |
| February 1, 2027 | First offers, Grade 11 entry (IB and Skilled Trades) |
| February 2, 2027 | First offers, Grade 9 entry (accept by February 5 at 11 p.m.) |
| February 8, 2027 | First offers, Grade 10 Arts entry |
| March 8, 2027 | Fourth and final round of Grade 9 offers |
| March 30, 2027 | Grade 9 waitlist offers begin |
Offers are released after 3 p.m. on each date, and you accept them on the board’s online application website. Watch the acceptance deadline: Grade 9 offers stay open for about 3 days.
What this means for you
If your child is in Grade 8 and interested in IB, the first deadline that matters is next week. Harold M. Brathwaite and Turner Fenton both hold their IB information nights on Wednesday, October 21. Pick one or two programs, attend those nights, and confirm your boundary school before November 3 so you aren’t sorting it out during the application window.
Busing affects your choice too. The board says it may bus Grade 9 and 10 students in regional programs who live in Peel, under its transportation policy, but not students in Grades 11 and 12. If your child will take the bus to a program outside your neighbourhood, our Brampton Transit guide covers youth fares and PRESTO.
Students preparing for an assessment can find branch locations and hours in our guide to getting a Brampton Library card. For after-school activities, see our guide to Brampton recreation registration.
Peel also elects its school board trustees on October 26. Our list of Brampton school board trustee candidates shows who is running in your area.
FAQ
When is the deadline to apply for Peel specialized high school programs?
November 24, 2026 at 11 p.m. Applications open November 3 at 8:30 a.m.
Can my child apply to more than one program?
The board’s page describes applying “to any of the RLCP programs” a student is eligible for, but it does not state a limit. Ask at the information night or check the board’s FAQ.
Is there a cost?
Yes. Every program has a non-refundable application fee and an annual program fee. The board does not list amounts on its program page, so ask the school.
Do Catholic school students apply here?
No. This process covers Peel District School Board programs only. Families in the Catholic system should check with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
Is IB only for students already in PDSB’s IB middle years program?
No. Current PDSB IB middle years students in Grade 8 get direct entry without the assessment, but other students can apply through the regular process.
This guide is general information. Program details, dates and fees can change, so confirm with the Peel District School Board or the school before you apply.
Related on Brampton Brief
Sources: Peel District School Board: Secondary Regional Learning Choice Programs; school websites for Central Peel SS, Harold M. Brathwaite SS, Turner Fenton SS, Chinguacousy SS, North Park SS, Judith Nyman SS, Bramalea SS and Mayfield SS