Parents with Returning Singaporean children who are due to enter Primary One are encouraged to register their children while abroad during the Primary One Registration Exercise. Application form and details of the registration procedure can be found at Information for Overseas Singaporeans in the Primary One Registration section.

Upon securing a place and if the family is not due to return when the child is due to start Primary One, parents may apply to keep a place for the child under the Leave of Absence Scheme (LOA) at the registered school.

Returning Singaporeans who are on the LOA can rejoin their former schools immediately upon their return.

Returning Singaporeans not on LOA may consider the following options:

• Option 1: Apply directly to their preferred schools for admission

  Generally, Returning Singaporeans can seek admission to primary schools throughout the year, subject to school operations or examination periods.

  Generally, Returning Singaporeans seeking admission to primary schools will be placed at the level appropriate for their age, subject to available vacancies. They do not have to sit for entrance tests but the school may conduct assessment tests after admission to ascertain the child’s current attainment level and provide the appropriate assistance to help the child settle back into the school.

• Option 2: Approach MOE for assistance by submitting the online application form for school placement

  Returning Singaporeans seeking MOE’s assistance are advised to submit their requests not earlier than three months before the intended date of school admission. Applications for admission after mid-Nov would be considered in mid-Dec of each year, due to the conduct of the Student Transfer Exercise for Primary Schools (STEPS) during this period.

  MOE will identify the nearest school with a vacancy at the age-appropriate level based on the residential address indicated in the parent’s NRIC. If a permanent Singapore address is not available at the point of this application, the applicant is requested to provide an address of the intended residence upon returning to Singapore to facilitate the school placement.

  Applicants can choose not to take up the places offered by MOE and approach other primary schools directly to seek admission with them. On request, MOE can provide information on vacancies in the schools they are interested in.

  Read more in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Returning Singaporeans who have a place in a school under the LOA scheme can rejoin their former schools immediately upon their return.

Returning Singaporeans not on LOA may consider the following options:

• Direct School Admission — Secondary (DSA-Sec)

  Under this exercise, schools have greater flexibility in selecting students for Secondary 1 using their own school-based criteria.

• School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans — Secondary (SPERS-Sec)

  SPERS-Sec is a centralised posting exercise conducted at the end of the year for Returning Singaporeans who wish to join secondary schools at Secondary 1, Secondary 2 and Secondary 3 at the beginning of the next academic year.

• General School Placement

  Returning Singaporeans who are unable to participate in the SPERS-Sec or DSA-Sec may either approach MOE for assistance or apply to their preferred school directly. In both instances, the secondary school may conduct school-based assessment to assess the children’s suitability for admission to the level, stream and class which they are seeking admission to. Admission is subject to the availability of vacancies and the applicants meeting the schools’ admission criteria.

  Returning Singaporeans seeking MOE’s assistance can submit the online Application Form for School Placement not earlier than three months before the intended date of school admission.

  MOE will place the Returning Singaporean child in the secondary school, subject to availability of a vacancy in the school and that the child meets the school’s placement test requirements.

Returning Singaporeans who wish to pursue the pre-university course in a JC/MI should note that the course is intensive and rigorous and only those who have been assessed to be suitable will be offered a place.

Given the recent introduction of compulsory subjects like Project Work (for which grading takes place throughout the year for each academic year), returning Singaporeans should seek admission to JC/MI as early as possible, by early April of the academic year of admission. After April, returning Singaporeans who are still keen to seek admission are encouraged to do so under the immersion scheme for the remaining of that academic year and seek admission to the following academic year.

Returning Singaporeans who have a place in a JC/MI under the LOA scheme can rejoin their former schools immediately upon their return.

Returning Singaporeans not on LOA may consider the following options:

• School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans — Junior College and Millennia Institute (SPERS-JC/MI)

  SPERS-JC/MI is a centralised placement exercise conducted at the end of the year for Returning Singaporeans who wish to join the Pre-University 1 level at the beginning of the next academic year.

• Direct School Admission — Junior Colleges (DSA-JC)

  Under this exercise, JCs have greater flexibility in selecting students using their own school-based criteria. For application procedures and more information, please refer to the DSA-JC website.

• General School Placement

  Returning Singaporeans who are unable to participate in SPERS-JC/MI or DSA-JC may approach their preferred JC/MI directly to apply for admission. The JC/MI may conduct school-based assessment tests to assess the Returning Singaporeans’ suitability for admission. Admission is subject to the availability of vacancies and the applicants meeting the schools’ admission criteria. Applicants can choose any course/subject combination offered by the JC/MI approached, provided they meet the subject pre-requisites (e.g. A Maths for H2 Maths). Applicants without the subject prerequisites for the course/subject combinations may be further assessed by the JC/MI.

Returning Singaporeans who do not qualify for the pre-university course may choose to consider other post-secondary options below.

Polytechnics offer specific skills- and practice-oriented courses. Interested Returning Singaporeans may approach the Polytechnics directly to apply for admission.

For more information on Polytechnics and their admission procedures, please visit their respective admission websites:

• Singapore Polytechnic
• Ngee Ann Polytechnic
• Temasek Polytechnic
• Nanyang Polytechnic
• Republic Polytechnic

The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) offers vocational and technical training courses Returning Singaporeans who wish to seek admission to ITE full-time courses may apply to ITE directly before the admission period. For more information on ITE admission, please contact ITE’s customer service line 1800-2255483 or visit ITE’s Returning Singaporeans admission website.

Privately Funded Schools offer post-secondary courses. Returning Singaporeans who wish to seek admission may approach the institutions directly. The contact details of the Privately Funded Schools registered with MOE is available at the list of privately-funded schools.