Waiting-list time (kötid) is a selection criterion that independent schools may use when they have more applicants than places. The system means that families register the child on a waiting list, and the longer the waiting time, the higher the priority at admission.
Debate
The waiting-list system has been criticised for favouring well-educated and well-informed families who register their children early — sometimes at birth. Several government inquiries have proposed abolishing or limiting waiting-list time in favour of more equitable selection rules, such as a lottery system.