School Age Calculator

Q: What age do kids start kindergarten in the United States?

Most states ask a child to be 5 years old by the state cutoff date. September 1 is the most common cutoff, so a child who turns 5 on or before that day can start that fall. Some states use other dates. Indiana uses August 1, Missouri and Kentucky use July 31, and Connecticut lets kids start if they turn 5 by January 1 of the school year.

Q: What is the most common school cutoff date?

September 1 is the most common kindergarten cutoff in the United States. About one third of states use it. Other common dates are August 31, September 30, and October 1. A handful of states let each school district choose its own date, so two towns in the same state can have different rules.

Q: How old are kids in each grade?

In the U.S., here are the usual ages during the school year: Kindergarten: 5 to 6 Grade 1: 6 to 7 Grade 2: 7 to 8 Grade 3: 8 to 9 Grade 4: 9 to 10 Grade 5: 10 to 11 Grade 6: 11 to 12 Grade 7: 12 to 13 Grade 8: 13 to 14 Grade 9: 14 to 15 Grade 10: 15 to 16 Grade 11: 16 to 17 Grade 12: 17 to 18 Kids with birthdays near the cutoff sit at the top or bottom of each range.

Q: What happens if my child misses the kindergarten cutoff by a few days?

They wait one full school year and start the next fall. A child born on September 2 in a September 1 cutoff state starts school almost a year later than a child born on September 1. That child will be one of the oldest in their class. Some districts allow early entrance testing, so ask your school if you want your child to start sooner.

Q: Can a child start kindergarten early?

Sometimes. A number of states and districts allow early entrance for kids who just miss the cutoff. The child usually takes a readiness or ability test first. Many states do not allow it at all. The cutoff is set by law and no exceptions are made. Call your district office to find out which rule applies where you live.

Q: Is kindergarten required by law?

Not everywhere. About 20 states and Washington, D.C. require kindergarten. These include Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the other states, school is not required until the compulsory age, which is usually 6 or 7. Kids can skip kindergarten there and start in first grade, though most families do not.

Q: At what age must a child be enrolled in school by law?

It depends on the state. Most set it at 6 . Some set it at 5, such as Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina. Others wait until 7, such as Minnesota, Missouri, and North Dakota. Oklahoma, next door to Texas, sets it at 5. Washington has the highest at age 8. This is called the compulsory attendance age, and it is not the same as the age a child is allowed to start.

Q: How do I figure out my child's high school graduation year?

Take the year your child starts kindergarten and add 13 . That covers kindergarten plus Grades 1 through 12. Example: a child who starts kindergarten in August 2026 finishes Grade 12 in spring 2039. If you delay entry by a year, push the graduation year forward by one.

Q: Should I hold my child back a year if they have a summer birthday?

There is no single right answer. Summer birthdays make a child one of the youngest in class, so some parents wait a year. Look at readiness, not just age. Can your child follow directions, sit for a story, share, and handle the bathroom alone? If yes, they are usually fine to start. Ask their preschool teacher what they see, since teachers compare many children the same age.

Q: How common is academic redshirting?

It is not common. Around 4 to 6 percent of U.S. kindergarteners are held back a year on purpose. It happens most with boys born in the summer and early fall, and more often in families with higher income who can pay for another year of preschool or child care.

School Age Calculator

Introduction

The School Age Calculator tells you when your child can start school and what grade they will be in. Pick your country and state, enter your child's birthday, and the results appear below.

Every state, province, and country has a cutoff date. Your child must reach a set age by that date to start school. This calculator uses the real cutoff date for your area, so you get an answer that fits where you live.

Here is what you will see:

The year your child can start kindergarten, Prep, Reception, or Year 1
Their age on the cutoff date and on the first day of school
Their grade or year level right now
The year they should finish high school
Whether they will be one of the youngest or oldest kids in class
A full chart of every school year from Pre-K to the last grade

You can also turn on delayed entry (also called redshirting) to see what happens if you wait one extra year. To compare brothers and sisters, add up to three children at once. Retrospective mode looks backward: switch it on to find out what grade you were in during any school year.

How to use our School Age Calculator

Enter your child's birth date and where you live. The calculator shows the school year your child can start, their grade right now, their age on the cutoff date, and the year they will finish school.

Country: Pick the United States, Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom. This sets the words used for grades or years.

State / District: Choose your state, province, territory, or nation. Each one has its own school cutoff date. Use the filter box above the list to type a few letters and find yours fast.

Child's Date of Birth: Click the date box and pick the day your child was born. This is the main input the school age calculator uses.

Or type the date manually: If you like, type the day, month, and year instead. These boxes and the date picker always match each other.

Delay school entry by 1 year: Turn this switch on if you plan to hold your child back one year. This is called redshirting. It moves every result forward by one school year.

Retrospective mode: Turn this on to ask "what grade was I in?" for a past year. It lets you enter older birth years.

Reference school year: This box shows up when retrospective mode is on. Type the starting year of the school year you want to check, like 1998 for the 1998 to 1999 year.

Advanced: Override Cutoff Date: Click this to open it. Pick a cutoff month and day if your school or district uses a different date than your state. Click Reset to Default to go back.

Add Another Child: Click this to add up to two more birth dates. You will get a side-by-side chart that compares siblings in the same state.

Calculate, Reset, and Print: Press Calculate to update your results. Press Reset to start over. Press Print / Save as PDF to keep a copy.

What Is a School Age Calculator?

A school age calculator uses your child's birth date to show what grade or year they belong in. Every state, province, and country sets a cutoff date. If your child turns the required age on or before that date, they can start school that year. If their birthday comes after it, they wait until the next school year.

How School Cutoff Dates Work

Most U.S. states ask a child to be 5 years old by a set date to start kindergarten. September 1 is the most common cutoff, but some states use dates in July, August, October, or even December. A few states, like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Vermont, let each school district pick its own date. In those places, always call your local school to confirm.

School Entry Age Around the World

Entry ages and names change by country. In Canada, most provinces start kindergarten at 5, but Ontario begins Junior Kindergarten at 4. In England and Wales, kids start Reception at 4, using an August 31 cutoff. In Australia, the school year runs January to December, so a child starting in 2029 begins in January or February of that year, not September.

Oldest or Youngest in the Class

A cutoff date creates a 12-month window of birthdays in one classroom. A child born right before the cutoff is one of the youngest. A child born right after it is one of the oldest, and may be almost a full year older than some classmates. This gap matters most in the early years, when a few months can change reading skills, focus, and social comfort. The gap usually shrinks as kids get older.

What Is Academic Redshirting?

Redshirting means holding a child back one year from their first eligible start date. Parents often do this when a child has a birthday close to the cutoff, or when they feel the child needs more time to grow. A redshirted child becomes one of the oldest in the class and graduates one year later. Kindergarten is required by law in some states but not in others, so check your local rules before you choose.

Compulsory School Age vs. Entry Age

These two ages are not the same. Entry age is how old a child must be to start school. Compulsory age is the age when the law says a child must be enrolled. A state may let kids start kindergarten at 5 but not require school until age 6 or 7. That gap gives families room to plan.

Why Graduation Year Matters

Once you know the start year, the rest of the path is set. Count 13 school years from kindergarten to Grade 12 in the U.S. and Canada. That gives you a high school graduation year, which is useful for college planning, saving money, sports eligibility, and comparing siblings. Moving to a new state or country can shift a child up or down one grade, since cutoff dates differ.

Formulas used

First eligible school-entry year (natural entry year)

Y_{\text{natural}} = \begin{cases} Y_{\text{DOB}} + A - \text{off} & \text{if } (M_{\text{DOB}}, D_{\text{DOB}}) \le (M_{\text{cut}}, D_{\text{cut}}) \\ Y_{\text{DOB}} + A - \text{off} + 1 & \text{otherwise} \end{cases}

Actual entry year with optional 1-year delay (redshirting)

E = Y_{\text{natural}} + \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if delayed entry} \\ 0 & \text{otherwise} \end{cases}

Entry year of the final school year

Y_{\text{last}} = E + (N_{\text{levels}} - 2)

Projected graduation / completion year

Y_{\text{grad}} = \begin{cases} Y_{\text{last}} & \text{southern hemisphere calendar} \\ Y_{\text{last}} + 1 & \text{otherwise} \end{cases}

Grade / year level index for a given school year

i = Y_{\text{school}} - (E - 1), \qquad 0 \le i < N_{\text{levels}}

Current school year (northern hemisphere)

Y_{\text{school}} = \begin{cases} Y_{\text{today}} & \text{if } M_{\text{today}} \ge 8 \\ Y_{\text{today}} - 1 & \text{otherwise} \end{cases}

Age in years and months on a target date

\Delta y = Y_t - Y_b,\; \Delta m = M_t - M_b \;(-1 \text{ if } D_t < D_b),\; \text{if } \Delta m < 0:\; \Delta y \mathrel{-}= 1,\; \Delta m \mathrel{+}= 12

Relative position within the class age cohort

p = \frac{D_{\text{DOB}} - W_{\text{start}}}{W_{\text{end}} - W_{\text{start}}}, \qquad 0 \le p \le 1

Frequently asked questions

What age do kids start kindergarten in the United States?

Most states ask a child to be 5 years old by the state cutoff date. September 1 is the most common cutoff, so a child who turns 5 on or before that day can start that fall.

Some states use other dates. Indiana uses August 1, Missouri and Kentucky use July 31, and Connecticut lets kids start if they turn 5 by January 1 of the school year.

What is the most common school cutoff date?

September 1 is the most common kindergarten cutoff in the United States. About one third of states use it.

Other common dates are August 31, September 30, and October 1. A handful of states let each school district choose its own date, so two towns in the same state can have different rules.

How old are kids in each grade?

In the U.S., here are the usual ages during the school year:

Kindergarten: 5 to 6
Grade 1: 6 to 7
Grade 2: 7 to 8
Grade 3: 8 to 9
Grade 4: 9 to 10
Grade 5: 10 to 11
Grade 6: 11 to 12
Grade 7: 12 to 13
Grade 8: 13 to 14
Grade 9: 14 to 15
Grade 10: 15 to 16
Grade 11: 16 to 17
Grade 12: 17 to 18

Kids with birthdays near the cutoff sit at the top or bottom of each range.

What happens if my child misses the kindergarten cutoff by a few days?

They wait one full school year and start the next fall. A child born on September 2 in a September 1 cutoff state starts school almost a year later than a child born on September 1.

That child will be one of the oldest in their class. Some districts allow early entrance testing, so ask your school if you want your child to start sooner.

Can a child start kindergarten early?

Sometimes. A number of states and districts allow early entrance for kids who just miss the cutoff. The child usually takes a readiness or ability test first.

Many states do not allow it at all. The cutoff is set by law and no exceptions are made. Call your district office to find out which rule applies where you live.

Is kindergarten required by law?

Not everywhere. About 20 states and Washington, D.C. require kindergarten. These include Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

In the other states, school is not required until the compulsory age, which is usually 6 or 7. Kids can skip kindergarten there and start in first grade, though most families do not.

At what age must a child be enrolled in school by law?

It depends on the state. Most set it at 6. Some set it at 5, such as Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina. Others wait until 7, such as Minnesota, Missouri, and North Dakota. Oklahoma, next door to Texas, sets it at 5.

Washington has the highest at age 8. This is called the compulsory attendance age, and it is not the same as the age a child is allowed to start.

How do I figure out my child's high school graduation year?

Take the year your child starts kindergarten and add 13. That covers kindergarten plus Grades 1 through 12.

Example: a child who starts kindergarten in August 2026 finishes Grade 12 in spring 2039. If you delay entry by a year, push the graduation year forward by one.

Should I hold my child back a year if they have a summer birthday?

There is no single right answer. Summer birthdays make a child one of the youngest in class, so some parents wait a year.

Look at readiness, not just age. Can your child follow directions, sit for a story, share, and handle the bathroom alone? If yes, they are usually fine to start. Ask their preschool teacher what they see, since teachers compare many children the same age.

How common is academic redshirting?

It is not common. Around 4 to 6 percent of U.S. kindergarteners are held back a year on purpose.

It happens most with boys born in the summer and early fall, and more often in families with higher income who can pay for another year of preschool or child care.

Does being the youngest in the class hurt a child?

The gap shows up most in kindergarten and first grade. A child who is 11 months younger may read, sit still, or handle feelings a little later than classmates.

The gap shrinks a lot by third or fourth grade and mostly disappears by high school. Good teaching and support matter more than birth month over time.

Do private schools follow the same cutoff dates as public schools?

No. Private and independent schools set their own cutoff dates and can change them.

Many private schools use an earlier cutoff, like June 1 or July 1, so their students start older. Always ask the school directly instead of assuming the state date applies.

What happens to my child's grade if we move to another state?

Your child may be placed a grade up or down. States use different cutoff dates, so a child who is in first grade in one state could be a kindergartner in another.

Most districts try to keep kids with their current grade if they already finished a school year. Bring report cards and school records to the new school, since they help with placement.

At what age do children start school in the UK?

In England and Wales, kids start Reception in the September after they turn 4. The cutoff is August 31, so a child born on August 31 starts a year earlier than one born September 1.

School becomes required the term after a child turns 5. In Scotland, kids start Primary 1 at age 4 or 5, using a late February cutoff. Northern Ireland starts Year 1 at age 4 with a July 1 cutoff.

When do kids start school in Australia?

Australian kids usually start their first year at age 5, but the cutoff and the name change by state. Queensland calls it Prep with a June 30 cutoff. New South Wales calls it Kindergarten with a July 31 cutoff. Victoria uses Prep with April 30.

The school year runs from late January or early February to December, all inside one calendar year.

Why does Ontario start school a year earlier than other provinces?

Ontario offers Junior Kindergarten for kids who turn 4 during the calendar year, then Senior Kindergarten at 5. Both are free and part of the public school system.

Most other provinces offer only one year of kindergarten at age 5. So an Ontario child has two kindergarten years before Grade 1 while most other Canadian kids have one.

How many years of school are there from kindergarten to Grade 12?

13 years in the United States and most of Canada: one kindergarten year plus Grades 1 through 12.

In England, students go from Reception through Year 11 for required school, then two more years of sixth form, for 14 years total. Australia runs Foundation plus Years 1 to 12, or 13 years.

Which states let school districts pick their own cutoff date?

A few states leave it to local districts instead of setting one statewide date. These include Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.

In those states, two nearby towns can have cutoffs months apart. Call your district office and ask for the exact date before you plan.

Entry Summary

Projected High School Graduation Year

Estimated Current Grade

Youngest or Oldest in the Class?

State School Requirements

Rate this calculator

Introduction

How to use our School Age Calculator

What Is a School Age Calculator?

How School Cutoff Dates Work

School Entry Age Around the World

Oldest or Youngest in the Class

What Is Academic Redshirting?

Compulsory School Age vs. Entry Age

Why Graduation Year Matters

Formulas used

Frequently asked questions

What age do kids start kindergarten in the United States?

What is the most common school cutoff date?

How old are kids in each grade?

What happens if my child misses the kindergarten cutoff by a few days?

Can a child start kindergarten early?

Is kindergarten required by law?

At what age must a child be enrolled in school by law?

How do I figure out my child's high school graduation year?

Should I hold my child back a year if they have a summer birthday?

How common is academic redshirting?

Does being the youngest in the class hurt a child?

Do private schools follow the same cutoff dates as public schools?

What happens to my child's grade if we move to another state?

At what age do children start school in the UK?

When do kids start school in Australia?

Why does Ontario start school a year earlier than other provinces?

How many years of school are there from kindergarten to Grade 12?

Which states let school districts pick their own cutoff date?

School Age Calculator

Entry Summary

Projected High School Graduation Year

Estimated Current Grade

Youngest or Oldest in the Class?

State School Requirements

Rate this calculator

Introduction

How to use our School Age Calculator

What Is a School Age Calculator?

How School Cutoff Dates Work

School Entry Age Around the World

Oldest or Youngest in the Class

What Is Academic Redshirting?

Compulsory School Age vs. Entry Age

Why Graduation Year Matters

Formulas used

Frequently asked questions

What age do kids start kindergarten in the United States?

What is the most common school cutoff date?

How old are kids in each grade?

What happens if my child misses the kindergarten cutoff by a few days?

Can a child start kindergarten early?

Is kindergarten required by law?

At what age must a child be enrolled in school by law?

How do I figure out my child's high school graduation year?

Should I hold my child back a year if they have a summer birthday?

How common is academic redshirting?

Does being the youngest in the class hurt a child?

Do private schools follow the same cutoff dates as public schools?

What happens to my child's grade if we move to another state?

At what age do children start school in the UK?

When do kids start school in Australia?

Why does Ontario start school a year earlier than other provinces?

How many years of school are there from kindergarten to Grade 12?

Which states let school districts pick their own cutoff date?

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