Ireland · Dublin
Gonzaga College SJ is a Catholic Jesuit day school for boys in Ranelagh, Dublin. It follows Ireland's Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate route, with a compulsory Transition Year. The school has published 96 First Year places and an October application window for 2027 entry.
Gonzaga College SJ is a fee-paying Catholic Jesuit voluntary secondary school for boys. It is a day school on Sandford Road in Ranelagh, Dublin 6. It does not offer boarding.
The school follows the Irish national curriculum. Pupils complete the Junior Cycle, a compulsory Transition Year and the Leaving Certificate Established. English is the teaching language.
The current notice covers entry in September 2027. The timetable is:
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 1 October 2026. |
| Applications close | 22 October 2026. |
| Decision issued by | 18 November 2026. |
| Acceptance due by | 2 December 2026. |
The notice publishes 96 First Year places. Five of these are allocated through the Fr John Sullivan SJ Access Programme.
Applying early within the window gives no advantage. The policy excludes application time from the selection criteria, provided the form arrives during the published period.
An offer must be accepted in writing with the required declarations. The family must also disclose any accepted or pending offers from other schools.
The acceptance deposit is €1,500. It is non-refundable but is credited against First Year fees. Missing the acceptance deadline, deposit or required information can cause the offer to be withdrawn.
The policy separates five access places from the general allocation. General places are considered in this order:
The combined allocation to sons and grandsons of former pupils cannot exceed 25% of all available places. A lottery is used when a category is oversubscribed. It is overseen by the headmaster, board chair and an independent observer.
The annual notice records substantial prior demand, but it contradicts itself. One sentence gives 261 applications for 2026/27, while the detailed table gives 271 applications for 96 places. The table also records 78 names on the waiting list.
The same table lists 32 accepted places for brothers, one for a staff son, 15 for sons of former pupils and none for grandsons. It lists 43 for other applicants and five for the access programme.
These figures describe the previous cycle, not a quota for 2027. They show that family connection matters, while a substantial number of places still reached the general category.
The waiting list follows the same priority order and remains valid for the school year concerned. Late applications are considered under the policy and join the waiting list when no place is available.
The Fr John Sullivan SJ Access Programme provides means-tested places for pupils who could not otherwise attend this fee-paying school. It is separate from the general priority categories.
The annual notice allocates five First Year places to the programme for 2027/28. The access page says the programme currently supports 24 pupils and aims to reach 8–10% of annual intake.
Successful access pupils are not charged tuition for up to six years. The board may review family income each year.
The current policy contains stale wording in this section. It refers to five places in 2025/26 even though the document is titled for 2027 entry. The current annual notice clearly assigns five access places to 2027/28, so families should use that notice for the number.
The public page does not state a current household-income threshold or list all excluded costs. Obtain the application pack and ask what the award covers beyond tuition.
The policy says entry to other years happens only when a suitable vacancy arises. It describes these vacancies as rare and says the school maintains a waiting list.
The same selection criteria used for First Year also apply to other years and to entry after the school year begins. Ask the school for the current form, records, deadline and vacancy before paying or planning a transfer.
Gonzaga offers a six-year Irish secondary route. Transition Year is compulsory, followed by the two-year Leaving Certificate Established programme. This is not an IB school.
Irish forms part of the national curriculum unless a pupil qualifies for an exemption under Irish rules. An incoming family should confirm subject placement and any exemption before enrolment.
The school has a Catholic Jesuit ethos. Its admission policy says a pupil who does not attend religious instruction receives Religious Education instead, without a shorter school day. Families should ask how this works in the relevant timetable.
The school publishes a dedicated special educational needs service. Teaching support is allocated according to need and available resources, rather than following a diagnosis automatically.
The school may also use its own funds to support pupils who do not qualify for state teaching hours. Classroom teachers, the SEN department and the School Support Team share responsibility.
The page says recommendations from external professionals are advisory. It also identifies CAMHS as the school’s only endorsed route for an ADHD assessment. A family using a private assessment should clarify how the report would inform school support.
The SEN team applies for Reasonable Accommodations at State Examinations for eligible pupils. Eligibility and the exact accommodation are not guaranteed by admission.
Published services do not show the weekly hours or specialist provision available to a particular child. Discuss current capacity and a proposed support plan before accepting a place.
The school’s fee page publishes no current tuition amount. The admission policy says fees and other expenses are explained at the Parent Information Evening.
The only general amount in the current admission documents is the €1,500 non-refundable acceptance deposit, which is credited against First Year fees. It is not the annual tuition charge.
Gonzaga is a day school. It does not advertise accommodation, guardianship or visa sponsorship. A relocating family must arrange housing, adult care and immigration compliance independently.
The Dublin school guide compares the city’s main day and boarding routes. The Ireland guide explains the wider admission and curriculum system.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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5 minStart with your child’s needs and the schools you can realistically access. A boys’, girls’, or co-educational label does not tell you enough about teaching, friendships, support, or daily life.
7 minStart with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.