What you should know
- Mayor Mamdani visited a Pre-K and 3-K program in Morningside Heights on Tuesday morning, building a snowman with students and reminding families that the deadline to apply is Feb. 27
- Pre-K and 3-K programs are free for all families, regardless of immigration status, family income, or the language they speak
NEW YORK, NY – With the Feb. 27 deadline approaching, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani joined children at a Pre-K and 3-K program in Morningside Heights and urged families to submit their applications. Families with children turning three or four in 2026 are encouraged to apply. Every family that applies by the deadline will receive an offer. Applications are not first-come, first-served.
“Child care can cost more than $26,000 a year in New York City — a price tag that puts raising a family out of reach for far too many,” said Mayor Mamdani. “When families enroll their children in Pre-K and 3-K, we’re putting that money back in their pockets and making this city more affordable. If you have a child turning three or four this year, now is the time to apply. The deadline to apply is Feb. 27, and every family that applies by then will receive an offer.”
3-K and Pre-K programs provide children with enriching, educational and supportive care, setting them on a path to lifelong success. Families can apply at myschools.nyc, visit a City Family Welcome Centers in person, or call 718-935-2009. Online applications are available in 13 languages:
- English
- Albanian
- Arabic
- Bengali/Bangla
- Chinese
- Haitian Creole
- French
- Korean
- Russian
- Spanish
- Ukrainian
- Urdu
- Uzbek
Since applications opened Jan. 14, more than 75,000 families have applied for 3-K and Pre-K seats. The administration has launched a citywide outreach effort to ensure families know how and when to apply. That includes multilingual advertisements across LinkNYC kiosks and NYC Ferry, partnerships with trusted community organizations to host application workshops and conduct direct outreach — particularly to families hesitant to engage with government — and coordination with faith leaders, elected officials and community-based organizations in targeted neighborhoods. Shelter-based staff are also hosting application events for families in shelters.
As part of the City’s commitment to universal child care, and with funding from Gov. Kathy Hochul, the administration will launch an initial 2,000 2-K seats this fall – the first time 2-K will be offered in New York City. Earlier this month, the City issued a new request for information (RFI) for 2-K and 3-K providers to deliver early child care services, marking the first time in five years that providers have been invited to join the 3-K program.
Last week, Mayor Mamdani, after delays under the last administration, announced the opening of an early childhood center on the Upper East Side after critical demand in the neighborhood. In the coming months, as applications are reviewed to determine where additional seats are needed, the City will continue expanding 3-K capacity, including through partnering with community and home-based child care providers.
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