O-level Students

Early Admissions Exercise

Apply for your dream course in NP based on your aptitudes and interests via the EAE, an aptitude-based admissions exercise. The admission offer is conditional, based on your final O-Level grades.

You must be:

a. Singapore Citizens (SC) and Permanent Residents (PR) who have registered to sit for the GCE O-Level examinations in the year of Poly EAE;

b. International Students enrolled in government, government-aided and Independent Schools during the year of Poly EAE application, and who have registered to sit for the GCE O-Level examinations in the year of Poly EAE.

  • Apply via the Early Admissions Exercise portal
  • Application period is from 20 to 26 June 2024
  • Choose up to 3 courses and submit a write-up detailing your interest and aptitude for each course

Tips

  • List your accomplishments that are relevant to the course.
  • Show us your aptitude for applied learning through activities that you have joined.
  • Talk about your CCAs that are relevant to the course.
  • Draft your write-up on paper first, then get someone to give you feedback.
  • Focus on key highlights because you have a limited amount of characters.

Interview

You will be notified during the EAE selection stage if you are shortlisted for an interview.

Present a portfolio and showcase your aptitude, passion and commitment. The portfolio should include evidence of awards certificates, CCAs, key activities, work samples, or other interests and hobbies.

Final selection is based on interview performance and portfolio.

Application

Check your application results at EAE portal and accept the posting

If you change your mind after accepting the posting, submit your withdrawal online. Otherwise, you cannot participate in the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) after the release of your O-Level results

If your application is successful, you will be granted a conditional posting

The condition is that you are required to sit for the ‘O’ Level examinations and obtain a net ELR2B2* score of not more than 26 points [*ELR2B2 = English Language (EL) + 2 Relevant Subjects (R2) + 2 Other Best Subjects (B2)] and meet the Minimum Entry Requirements (MER) for the course that you are offered.

Posting

Your conditional posting will be confirmed if you meet the above criteria upon the release of GCE O-Level examination results in January.

You will receive an enrolment package in 3 to 4 weeks with instructions on how to accept your offer online.

EAE Assessment Criteria


Joint Admissions Exercise

Apply for your dream course in NP via the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE), conducted annually for Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level holders. Admissions is based on academic merit and subjected to available vacancies of the diploma courses.

You must be a Singapore Citizen; or Singapore Permanent Resident with valid GCE O-Level results from any year; or International student studying in a Government, Government-Aided, or an Independent School in Singapore with valid 2024 GCE O-Level results.

All students successfully admitted to a school through the Direct School Admission-JC Exercise/ Polytechnic Early Admissions Exercise/ITE Early Admissions Exercise will not be able to participate in JAE.

Entry to a polytechnic course is based on your net ELR2B2 aggregate (minus CCA bonus points).
ELR2B2 = English Language (EL) + 2 Relevant Subjects (R2) + 2 Other Best Subjects (B2)

Our courses are categorized into 4 aggregate types:

  • ELR2B2-A: Aggregate score for Humanities & Media related courses
  • ELR2B2-B: Aggregate score for Business related courses
  • ELR2B2-C: Aggregate score for Engineering, Science, Facility Management and IT related courses
  • ELR2B2-D: Aggregate score for Architecture and Design related courses

Please click here ( 33KB) for the different types of aggregate computation.

Check our course pages if you meet the minimum entry and medical requirements.

The JAE ELR2B2 shows the net ELR2B2 aggregate of the highest to lowest ranked students who were admitted to these courses in the 2024 JAE. It is meant as a reference for applicants applying to these courses, and vary from year to year, depending on applicants’ GCE-O level examination results and their course choices during the JAE.

You will receive your O-Level results on Friday, 10 January 2025 (tentative).

Apply online through the Joint Admissions Exercise-Internet System (JAE-IS) using your personal SingPass. Application period is 6 calendar days starting from the release of O- Level results. If your preferred course is listed in JAE Form A, you are eligible to apply.

Maximise your chances and utilise all 12 choices to improve your chances of getting into your dream NP course.

  • First 4 choices: Choose what you’re passionate about even if you don’t meet the past year’s JAE ELR2B2 range.
  • Next 4 choices: Put courses which you're interested in and for which your net aggregate score is close to the past year’s JAE ELR2B2 range.
  • Last 4 choices: Include less competitive courses that you clearly qualify for. For example, choose courses with JAE ELR2B2 range well above your aggregate score.

The JAE posting results will be released on Tuesday, 4 February 2025 (tentative) through:

  • SMS, which is sent to the local mobile number in your JAE application.
  • JAE Internet System (JAE-IS), which can be accessed using your Singpass.

You will receive an email in 3 to 4 weeks with instructions on how to accept your course offer online via our Enrol website.

JAE Appeal

  • The 2025 JAE Online Appeal is only open to students who have taken part in the 2025 JAE and starts on Tuesday, 4 February 2025 to Friday, 7 February 2025 (tentative).
  • You may submit an appeal application through the JAE Online Appeal Portal for up to six polytechnic diploma and/or ITE Higher Nitec courses, where
    • you have met the course minimum entry requirements, and
    • your aggregate score is equal or better than that of the last student successfully posted into the course under the 2025 JAE.
  • If your JAE appeal is successful, your original JAE posting will be automatically revoked.  You are allowed to keep your original JAE posting only if you are unsuccessful in the JAE Appeal Exercise.
  • The result of the appeal will be released online via JAE Appeal Exercise Portal on Friday, 21 February 2025 (tentative). Visit the JAE Appeal Exercise portal for details.

Direct Admissions Exercise

The Direct Admissions Exercise (DAE) allows applicants whose qualifications are ineligible under JAE and EAE to apply for admission to our full-time diploma courses. Admission is based on academic merit and subjected to available vacancies of the diploma courses.

You must be an international student (from private schools or as private candidate) with valid Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level examination results from any year or international student (previously studied in a government, government-aided or independent school in Singapore) from 2023 or earlier years.

Former polytechnic student who left without completing your diploma programme and is seeking re-admission to the polytechnic with GCE O-Level results can also apply.  Please refer here for details.


  • Apply via the Direct Admissions Exercise (DAE) portal.
  • Application period is from 10 January 2025 to 15 January 2025.
  • Your supporting documents should be uploaded to the DAE portal during the online application.
  • You can include up to 3 choices in NP for which you are eligible.
  • You will only receive 1 offer if successful.
  • The outcome of your application will be released online through the DAE Portal by 1 April 2025, Tuesday.
  • If your application is successful, you will receive an email with instructions of how to accept your offer online.
  • The period between receiving your email and your course registration appointment can be as short as one or two days, and it is very important that you accept the offer during the appointment.
  • You can accept your offer online via eEnrol portal. Other information including payment of fees, application for financial assistance schemes and orientation period can also be found in the portal.



Back to Guide for Prospective Students