Admissions

Mission Early College High School is a "school of choice" within the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD), and is an innovative dual enrollment partnership between SCUSD and West Valley-Mission Community College District (WVM).

Process Overview

The application process for Mission Early College High School (MECHS) is designed for efficiency and transparency for all parties involved. Applications may be submitted online through the "How to Apply" area below.

Applicants should be aware that admission into Mission Early College High School is selective and is not guaranteed. Applicants must reside within the attendance boundaries of Santa Clara Unified School District, or currently be attending a SCUSD school on an approved inter-district transfer.

Admission priority will be given in the following order:

Students currently enrolled in an SCUSD school
Students currently enrolled in another Early/Middle College program (now residing in SCUSD)

Check your address on our School Locator webpage.

You must be a resident living within the Santa Clara Unified School District attendance boundaries to apply. Check your address on our School Locator webpage.

To apply, complete the appropriate MECHS Application below. Please be aware that completing the application does not secure or confer your admission.

Applications are accepted for incoming 9th, 10th and 11th grade students only, and students are admitted for the Fall semester of each school year.

Fall 2026 Application is Open

IMPORTANT: Students who do not currently attend a SCUSD school are required to first pre-enroll with SCUSD in order to be eligible to apply for admission.

Pre-enrolled SCUSD applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents from their current school of attendance when submitting their application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

1. Most recent transcript (unofficial is okay). If no transcript exists, report cards may be submitted.

2. Attendance record. If no record exists, provide a letter from the school Administrator or school official who has knowledge of your attendance rate. Letter must be printed on school letterhead and include Administrator's/school official's contact information.

3. Discipline/behavior record. If no record exists, a letter of recommendation from the school Administrator may be submitted. Letter must be printed on school letterhead and include Administrator's contact information.

4. Most recent standardized test scores (i.e. CAASPP/SBAC, PSAT 8/9, iReady, other). If no scores exist, provide a letter from the school Counselor or Administrator verifying no scores exist. Letter must be printed on school letterhead and include the Counselor's/Administrator's contact information.

Applicant Interviews

All applications and supporting documents will be reviewed and vetted for interview consideration. Student applicants selected to move on through the admissions process will be interviewed provided there is open space in their grade level cohort. Students can expect to be asked a series of questions pertaining to themselves and why MECHS is a good fit for their high school educational experience. No preparation is needed for the interview.

2026 Admissions Timeline

The MECHS application for admission opens during the Fall of each school year and closes in January. Students are then matriculated through the admissions process, including registration process for Mission College, including college course selection. The timeline may be viewed by clicking the following link, MECHS Admission Timeline.

Eligibility

SCUSD Pre-Enrollment Requirement for Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the program, students must currently reside within the residential boundaries of Santa Clara Unified School District and:

1. Currently attend an SCUSD middle or high school, or

2. Pre-enroll with SCUSD for the 2026-2027 school year for your residence/home high school (if attending a private/charter/online/home school program).

Note: Students who are not residents of Santa Clara Unified School District, or students who change their residency outside of the school district during or after the admissions process, forfeit eligibility for the school.

Additional Requirements

Students and their parents/guardians who are interested in applying, or who have completed the application for admission, must attend one of the Mission Early College High School information meetings, typically between November and January.
Students must complete the requirements of the application process and meet applicable deadlines within the admission process.
Students must be on track to meet the district’s high school graduation requirements in terms of credits and course completion by the end of their senior year.
Students who accept admission to MECHS will immediately be removed from Open Enrollment consideration at any other SCUSD high school.
Newly admitted students must attend the mandatory MECHS Summer Bridge program.
Students must be enrolled in a middle school/middle school educational program (for 9th grade admission), or enrolled in a high school/high school educational program for their 9th and 10th grade year (for 10th/11th grade admission).
Students must be residents of the State of California and be able to document this residency for a period of one year prior to the school year for which they are seeking to enter MECHS.

SCUSD Pre-Enrollment

Students who do not currently attend a SCUSD school are required to first pre-enroll with SCUSD in order to be eligible to apply for admission. SCUSD pre-enrollment will begin December 1, 2025, and is conducted through the Enrollment Center. Students will need to pre-enroll for their residence home high school - MECHS is not an option for pre-enrollment, students must apply.

Pre-enrolled SCUSD applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents from their current school of attendance when submitting their MECHS application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

1. Most recent transcript (unofficial is okay). If no transcript exists, report cards may be submitted.

How to Apply

If you currently attend a SCUSD school, complete the linked application below:

2026-2027 SCUSD Student Application for Admission.

If you are a resident living within the SCUSD attendance boundary, and currently do not attend a SCUSD school, you must first pre-enroll in SCUSD starting December 1, 2025. Afterwards, you will need to complete the application linked below:

2026-2027 Pre-Enrolled SCUSD Student Application for Admission.

Admissions Panel

Applications are reviewed by a panel of MECHS staff that may include the following:

MECHS grade level teachers: Social Studies, English and Math
MECHS counselor
MECHS classified staff members
MECHS principal

The admissions panel is bound by confidentiality and cannot reveal the specific reasons behind the admissions decisions that have been made. In general, a student may be denied admission to MECHS due to, but not limited to one or more of the following reasons:

The applicant does not reside within SCUSD attendance boundaries;
The grade level cohort is full;
The application was submitted after the closing deadline;
The student voiced in their interview (or other subsequent meetings) they do not want to attend MECHS.

Applicants or their parent(s)/guardian(s) are advised against approaching individual members of the panel to obtain specific details or information regarding admission status. Any attempt to approach a panel member to request reconsideration of a decision and/or ask the reasons behind an admissions decision, or any other question relating to a specific application for admission including placement on the waitlist, will remove that student’s application from any future review for admission for the school year in question. If such contact is made, the student will be removed from the waitlist for that grade cohort and will only be allowed to reapply the following year.

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