Authoritative Guides to the Three Key Admission Exams
AEIS/S-AEIS, Cambridge KET·PET and Singapore O-Level — eligibility, timelines, prep focus and admission rules, explained clearly.
Each exam is broken down the same way: Intro → Eligibility → Timeline → Prep Focus → Results & Admission.
AEIS & S-AEIS
AEIS is Singapore MOE's centralized placement exam for international students, testing English and Mathematics. Those who pass are allocated to government schools by MOE; S-AEIS is a supplementary round the following February.
- Who
- International students applying for Primary 2–5 and Secondary 1–3 (primary applicants also need Cambridge English results).
- Registration & Timing
- AEIS typically registers Jul–Sep and tests Sep–Oct; S-AEIS in February. Places are limited and allocated by score and vacancy.
- Prep Focus
- English (vocabulary/grammar/cloze/reading/writing) and Mathematics, covering the syllabus for the applied level.
- Results & Admission
- MOE allocates a school by address and vacancy; a specific school is not guaranteed.
KET · PET Cambridge English
From 2025, international students applying to Singapore government primary schools must submit Cambridge KET/PET results. KET (A2) and PET (B1) are internationally recognized proof of English ability and a solid foundation for AEIS.
- Who
- International students planning to apply to government primary schools.
- Exam & Timing
- Multiple sittings year-round at authorized centers; allow ample time for prep and results.
- Prep Focus
- Listening, speaking, reading and writing, focused on practical everyday and school-context English.
- Results & Use
- Serves as the English proof for primary applications and builds a base for AEIS.
Singapore O-Level (GCE O-Level)
The O-Level is the national exam at the secondary stage. Results determine entry to Junior College (JC), Polytechnic or ITE, and support applications to overseas university foundation programs.
- Who
- Government secondary students or eligible international/private candidates.
- Exam & Timing
- Usually written in the second half of the year, with oral/listening components, registered by subject.
- Prep Focus
- English, Mathematics, Sciences and electives, emphasizing answer technique and time management.
- Results & Progression
- An aggregate score (lower is better) is used to apply to JC/Poly/ITE and overseas foundations.
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