Thank you for your interest in The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS)!
Applications for fall 2025 entrance are now open. The priority application deadline is January 15, 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply before this date. Please read the information on this webpage before starting your application below.
What type of student finds success at CTECS?
Application Information
Students who are interested in a trade education.
Any eighth-grade student who is a resident of the State of Connecticut who expects to successfully complete eighth grade is eligible to apply for fall admission to ninth grade.
Any ninth-grade student who lives in Connecticut and expects to finish this school year with 7 academic credits can apply for possible entry to ninth grade (mid-year transfer this school year) or tenth-grade transfer (enter next fall) at a CTECS technical high school. Admission is dependent on space available at the school and in the desired trade program, and is not guaranteed. Students applying for tenth grade may need to complete extra coursework to catch up on trade skills taught in ninth grade.
Grade 10 or 11 students can apply to Bristol Technical Education Center, located in Bristol, CT, for a 1 or 2-year trade-only program. Academics are completed at the student’s sending high school. Grade 10 or 11 students can also apply to the Guest Services Management program at Grasso Technical High School, located in Groton, CT.
Adult learners/postgraduates can apply to Bristol Technical Education Center, located in Bristol, CT, for a 1 or 2-year trade-only program; evening adult apprenticeship/extension courses (see webpage for registration timelines(opens in a new tab)); or CT Aero Tech(opens in a new tab) or Stratford School for Aviation Maintenance Technicians(opens in a new tab) (see webpages for application timeline).
1. Let your school counselor (if none, another school official) know you are going to apply.
- They will receive an email from the CTECS school district requesting information.
- You will need their correct email address to enter into the application.
2. Review the website of the school(opens in a new tab) you want to apply for.
- Confirm you are in their regional area and are eligible for free bus transportation to the CTECS school. You can do this by calling your sending town’s school transportation department.
3. Review the trade(s)(opens in a new tab) you are interested in and learn about them, including course descriptions and prospective jobs. Be sure the trade you are interested in is offered at the school you are applying to by reviewing the program locations.
4. Film your interest video or write your interest statement*.
*Applicants to Cheney Tech, Prince Tech and Goodwin Tech follow the Regional School Choice Office application process and do not need to complete an interest video or interest statement as part of their application.
- This component is a requirement and must be created independently by the student. Both options are equally acceptable, and choosing one over the other does not provide any advantage.
- The interest video must be between 1-3 minutes in length. The interest statement must be under 800 characters.
- Both the video and letter will be uploaded when filling out the application. Upload your video to any public video hosting website such as YouTube, Personal Google Drive (Do Not use a school account), or Vimeo. Type, or copy and paste, the written statement of interest’s text into the correct section of the application.
- Respond to the following questions in your video or written statement:
- Why are you interested in attending a technical high school?
- Do you have a desire to learn a trade?
- Which trade are you most interested in, and why?
- What are your long-term goals connected with your trade education? What do you want to do after graduation from CTECS?
5. Once you complete your application you must hit “submit” or your application will not be considered.
February 1, 2025 – Admission offers sent to accepted applicants
February 15, 2025 – Parents must notify CTECS if they accept or decline the offer
April 15, 2025 – Second-round application deadline
April 20, 2025 – Second-round admission offers sent to accepted applicants
May 1, 2025 – Parents must notify CTECS if they accept or decline second-round offers
April 20 – October 1, 2025 – Waitlist period; if seats open, waitlisted applicants will be notified in order
Placement Process: CTECS Rising 9th Grade (for Non-RSCO Schools)
1. Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted by January 15, to be considered during the first round of placements. Complete Requirements: All application requirements must be met for the application to be processed. This includes submitting a complete application along with a student interest artifact. (Applications that do not meet the stated requirements will be deemed incomplete and excluded from the applicant pool, making them ineligible for placement in a CTECS school. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure all requirements are met.)
2. Placement Assignments
CTECS uses a computer-based system to ensure an unbiased, randomized selection process.
-
- Capacity Limits: Each school has a set capacity that cannot be exceeded. Submission of an application does not guarantee a placement offer.
- Placement Priorities: Certain priorities may increase the chances of receiving an offer at a first-choice school but do not guarantee placement. These priorities apply only to the first-choice school and include:
- Applications submitted by the priority deadline
- Enrolled siblings: A sibling currently attending the first-choice school
- Placed siblings: A sibling accepted for placement at the first-choice school
- Employee/staff connections: Children of first-choice school employees or staff
3. Placement Notifications
Applicants will be notified of placement decisions via email by February 1.
-
-
-
- Accepting or Declining Placement: Applicants will have 14 days to accept or decline placement offers. Responses must be submitted using the selection buttons in the notification email.
- Impact of Accepting or Declining: Accepting or declining a placement offer removes the applicant from all other waitlists, making them ineligible for further placement offers for the 2025–26 school year.
- Applicants Not Offered Placement: Those not offered placement in the first round will automatically be considered in the second round.
-
-
4. Second Round of Placements
-
- A second round of placements will occur by mid-March.
- Students on the waitlist or those who submit a completed application by March 1 will be included in this round.
5. Waitlist Process
-
- Applicants not placed in their first-choice school will automatically be added to a waitlist.
- Families will be notified via email if their child’s application is placed on a waitlist for any of the selected schools.
6. Waitlist Maintenance
-
- The waitlist will remain active until October 1, for students not placed in any selected schools. After this date, the waitlist will expire.
Ready to Apply? Let’s Get Started!
Select the button that best describes you to begin the right application process.
Questions for a specific school or about the application process? Please contact:
School | Phone | Director | Ext |
Abbott | 203-797-4460 | Shelley Visinski | 12453 |
Bristol | 860-584-8433 | Domenica Holman | 28335 |
Bullard | 203-579-6333 | Tracy Ganino | 11487 |
Cheney | 860-649-5396 | Rafael Calixto | 16316 |
Ellis | 860-412-7500 | Martha Rainey | 13570 |
Goodwin | 860-827-7736 | Ericka Torres | 19318 |
Grasso | 860-441-0312 | Sheila Bedard | 27312 |
Kaynor | 203-578-8714 | Jessica Nagy | 8714 |
Norwich | 860-892-2113 | Virginia D. Messina | 2113 |
O’Brien | 203-732-1815 | Amy Carvalho | 1815 |
Platt | 203-783-5317 | Michele Haramis | 26317 |
Prince | 860-257-5123 | Lisa Higgins | 15123 |
Vinal | 860-344-7100 | Kaitlyn Demas | 18436 |
Whitney | 203-397-4031 | Jeanne Willinsky | 14898 |
Wilcox | 203-317-5969 | Michelle DellaVecchia | 5969 |
Windham | 860-456-3879 | Laura Jones | 24314 |
Wolcott | 860-469-5364 | Ruth Simoncelli | 22364 |
Wright | 203-674-5840 | Madrine Clennon-Straker | 5840 |
Download Information
Statement Regarding Inclusive Enrollment: CTECS is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination. CTECS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other reason prohibited by law in any employment practice or educational program or activity, including admissions and vocational opportunities. The persons designated to coordinate compliance with this policy are: Levy Gillespie, State Department of Education, 450 Columbus Ave, Hartford CT 06103, 860-807-2071 or Linda Leyhow, CTECS, 39 Woodland St, Hartford, CT 06105, 860-807-2212.
McKinney-Vento Act Protection for Homeless Students: Federal legislation (McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act ) requires schools to remove barriers to the enrollment and retention in school of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Such students have the right to remain at his or her school of origin or to attend any school that housed students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living. Such students also have a right to several services including transportation and lunch. Each school has a person responsible for service to homeless students.