Military Families: Planning your Arrival to Fairfax County

The following two factors determine a student's eligibility to enroll in FCPS:

1. Residency - Children must be living with a parent and residing in Fairfax County.
2. Age - Children must be age 5 or older by September 30.

Please note, in a situation in which a military child who falls under the provisions of MIC3 and has registered for kindergarten in the sending state prior to transfer, even if the child never actually attended kindergarten in the sending state’s public school, the student would be eligible to enroll in kindergarten in the receiving state (Virginia).

Completing the Student Registration Form (IT-19) is the next step.  The survey results will help us direct you to the location of an appropriate registrar who can help you with the registration process

• English Only - Students with English as the only language shown on the Home Language Survey should register at the local school.
• If a language other than or in addition to English is shown on the Home Language Survey, AND your child last attended a Virginia school (public, private, or homeschool), register at the local school.
• If a language other than or in addition to English is shown on the Home Language Survey, AND your child last attended an international school or a school outside of Virginia, register at the closest Student Registration Welcome Center: 
  • Dunn Loring Center (central Fairfax), 703-204-6740
  • Herndon Center (northwest Fairfax), 703-227-2210
  • South County Center, 703-742-4900

Student Registration Form (IT-19)

• Arabic (العربية)
• Chinese (中文)
• English (English)
• Korean (한국어)
• Spanish (español)
• Urdu (اردو) 
• Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)

• Parents registering their children must provide several documents including proof of residency in Fairfax County, child's birth certificate, parent's government issued identification, child's health information, and child's immunizations.
• See General Registration Documents for complete information regarding necessary documentation.  

There are two options for completing the necessary forms required for registration:

• Online registration is available for all zoned schools.  
• Print and complete the general registration forms in the electronic bundle. Bring these completed forms to your registration appointment. 
• For kindergarten registration, a parent will need to complete the Kindergarten Enrollment Forms.  

• Please call ahead for a registration appointment at your local school or a Student Registration Welcome Center. 
• The student and at least one parent must be present for the registration appointment at a school or a Student Registration Welcome Center. 
• Please try to arrive with your registration documents and completed registration forms.

For military members who are not living in Fairfax County but who intend to move into the county within 120 days, the Code of Virginia 22.1-3 allows for enrollment in the school division of the child’s intended residence if documentation is provided. Military orders of the service member parent or an official letter from the service member’s command indicating such relocation must be presented at the time of enrollment.   The following is required:

1. Documentation indicating a permanent address within the school division, such as a deed, signed lease, or ratified sales contract, shall be provided to the school division within 120 days of a child’s enrollment or tuition may be charged, including tuition for the days since the child’s enrollment in school.   
2. The local school division shall determine the assignment of the school a child will attend. 
3. The family must provide transportation.  

Review of documentation and approval for enrollment is done in the Office of Student Registration. For more information about this process for eligible military families who will be living outside of Fairfax County, please email the Office of Student Registration.

Upon request by a parent or legal guardian, the Code of Virginia 22.1-3, allows FCPS to provide for open enrollment of any student residing on a military installation or in military housing located within Fairfax County, if the school capacity and grade level capacity at the requested school will permit.  Please note prior to submitting a student transfer application, parents must register their child at the school assigned to their home or temporary Fairfax County address as identified by the FCPS Boundary Locator.   

Military families of a student enrolled in FCPS may request a student transfer for his/her school-aged child (K-12) from the base school for the next school year during transfer season. 

Information regarding the application process may be accessed on the Student Transfer page.

In a situation in which a military child who falls under the provisions of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (MIC3) is without documentation of immunizations, he or she will be immediately enrolled and shall have up to 30 days from the date of enrollment to obtain any required immunizations.