BCA Admissions Overview

Who can apply, and what the application includes

Start with the residency rule and the single application. Then look at what the application asks for besides the essay.

Checked against BCA's published admissions pages on November 4, 2026.

Who can apply

Who can apply.

Confirm the residency rule before planning anything else.

Who can apply: Only 8th grade students can apply. Transferring into Bergen County Academies is not permitted.
Residency: The student's primary residence must be in Bergen County, NJ by September 1, 2026, regardless of where the student attends school.
Proof of residency: The application manual says proof of residency must be a September to November utility bill for electric, gas or water service only. The family FAQ separately says only utility bills or leases are acceptable, and a lease must state that the landlord pays the utilities.
One application: A student can submit only one application to the Bergen County Technical Schools district.
Dual applicants: A student who applies to Bergen County Academies and / or Bergen County Technical School, Teterboro counts as one application, and dual applicants should write two essays.

01
Find a September to November electric, gas or water utility bill early, since that is the proof of residency the manual asks for.
02
If something here doesn't match what your student sees in the application, email Admissions@bergen.org and keep the reply.

The application

Email accounts: The student must use a personal, non-school email account. The manual also says that, where more than one applicant is involved, each must have their own email address.
Recommendations: BCA requires 3 recommendations from middle school teachers: English, science and math. Only the 8th grade math teacher can write the math recommendation.
Transcript: The transcript request form is sent to the student's guidance counselor.
Test pledge: The admissions test instructions in the application manual include a pledge to finish the work without phones, calculators, smart watches, smart glasses, AI or any other automated technology.
Interview: BCA describes the interview as a forum for faculty to meet and speak with prospective students and learn about their interests.
Second choice: A student may be invited to a second-choice program instead of the first choice, based on seat availability.
Approval: BCA says completed applications are approved within 72 hours of being received unless they have been rejected.
Checking your status: No letters are mailed. Applicants are responsible for checking their status at studentrecs.bergen.org.

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