diff --git a/src/routes/_authenticated/students.new.tsx b/src/routes/_authenticated/students.new.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b90e68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/_authenticated/students.new.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { createFileRoute, useNavigate, Link } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { useMutation, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { supabase } from "@/integrations/supabase/client";
+import { useAuth } from "@/hooks/use-auth";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
+import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
+import { ArrowLeft, Lock, Loader2 } from "lucide-react";
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { toast } from "sonner";
+
+export const Route = createFileRoute("/_authenticated/students/new")({
+  head: () => ({ meta: [{ title: "New student — School Portal" }] }),
+  component: NewStudentPage,
+});
+
+function NewStudentPage() {
+  const { roles } = useAuth();
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const qc = useQueryClient();
+  const [firstName, setFirstName] = useState("");
+  const [lastName, setLastName] = useState("");
+  const [dob, setDob] = useState("");
+
+  const create = useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async () => {
+      const { data, error } = await supabase
+        .from("students")
+        .insert({ first_name: firstName.trim(), last_name: lastName.trim(), dob: dob || null })
+        .select("id")
+        .single();
+      if (error) throw error;
+      return data.id as string;
+    },
+    onSuccess: (id) => {
+      qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["students"] });
+      toast.success("Student created — fill out the rest of the profile");
+      navigate({ to: "/students/$id", params: { id } });
+    },
+    onError: (e: Error) => toast.error(e.message),
+  });
+
+  if (!roles.includes("admin")) {
+    return <div className="p-8"><Lock className="h-6 w-6 text-muted-foreground" /><h1 className="mt-2 text-xl font-semibold">Admins only</h1><p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Only admins can add students.</p></div>;
+  }
+
+  const canSave = firstName.trim() && lastName.trim() && !create.isPending;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="p-8 max-w-lg">
+      <Link to="/students" className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 text-sm text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground mb-4"><ArrowLeft className="h-4 w-4" /> Back to students</Link>
+      <h1 className="text-2xl font-semibold mb-1">New student</h1>
+      <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm mb-6">Start with a name — you'll fill out the full profile (or send it to a parent) next.</p>
+
+      <form onSubmit={(e) => { e.preventDefault(); if (canSave) create.mutate(); }} className="bg-card border rounded-lg p-5 space-y-4">
+        <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-3">
+          <div><Label>First name</Label><Input value={firstName} onChange={(e) => setFirstName(e.target.value)} required autoFocus /></div>
+          <div><Label>Last name</Label><Input value={lastName} onChange={(e) => setLastName(e.target.value)} required /></div>
+        </div>
+        <div><Label>Date of birth (optional)</Label><Input type="date" value={dob} onChange={(e) => setDob(e.target.value)} /></div>
+        <Button type="submit" disabled={!canSave} className="w-full">
+          {create.isPending ? <><Loader2 className="h-4 w-4 mr-1 animate-spin" /> Creating…</> : "Create profile"}
+        </Button>
+      </form>
+    </div>
+  );
+}