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Direct School Admission Exercise for Junior College 1 and Equivalent Level: Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

  1. What is the difference between the DPA and other Polytechnic Admissions Exercises such as the Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise ( JPSAE)? The JPSAE also considers students based on their special talents and aptitudes.

    The DPA focuses on admitting students who have aptitude and interest in a particular area of applied learning in the polytechnics, and have demonstrated their talents and interests. The JPSAE considers students with outstanding talents and achievements in areas beyond applied learning, such as in leadership, community service and sports. Each polytechnic is allowed to admit up to 2.5% and 5% of its annual intake through the DPA and JPSAE respectively.

    Unlike the JPSAE, the DPA is conducted before the release of the GCE O-Level results, and allows the students to confirm places in polytechnic courses before taking the GCE O-Level examinations, and to benefit from the Polytechnic Preparatory Programme before the start of the formal polytechnic term.

  2. Will the DPA be available to all students? What would the criteria be?

    The DPA will be available to Express and N(A) students in the Sec 4 and 5 years respectively. The selection criteria would be polytechnic-based but will be meritocratic and transparent. The selection criteria will take into account a basket of criteria which could include school based results, special talents of students, teacher recommendations, student aptitudes, performance at immersion programmes and interviews. Like the JC-DSA, the DPA will be available to all schools.

  3. I am a sportsman and would like to gain admission to a polytechnic course. Does the DPA exercise consider sporting talents in its selection criteria?

    Students who wish to be considered for their sporting talents, which are not relevant to the area of applied learning which they are applying for, should apply under the Joint Polytechnic Special Admission Exercise (JPSAE). The JPSAE considers other talents beyond those related to the area of applied learning, such as sporting talents. The JPSAE is conducted after the release of the GCE O-Level results.

  4. If I am really keen on a Polytechnic Education, why do I still need to take my GCE O-Level examinations? Why not just allow me to proceed directly to the polytechnics?

    The GCE O-Level qualification continues to be an important milestone qualification for the vast majority of our students and provides a sound broad-based education to prepare our students for their post-secondary years. This also ensures that students admitted to polytechnics via the DPA have the necessary foundation to cope with the rigours of a diploma education.

  5. What would the selection criteria for the DPA be?

    Each polytechnic will have its own selection criteria, which will be transparent and based on merit. The selection criteria could include school based results, passion and talents demonstrated by the students, recommendations from teachers and principals, performance at immersion programmes and interviews by the polytechnic lecturers. Students’ participation and grades in Advanced Elective Modules (AEMs) and Applied Graded Subjects (AGS) may also be considered, as they reflect students’ interest and aptitude in applied learning.

  6. Why is there a threshold requirement for DPA? How was the threshold requirement set at net ELR2B2 not more than 26 points?

    To ensure that students admitted via the DPA exercise will be able to cope with the rigours of a polytechnic education, DPA offers are conditional upon students meeting the following requirements for their GCE O-Level examination results:

    1. Achieve a net ELR2B2 score of no more than 26 points, and
    2. Meet the Minimum Entry Requirements for their respective polytechnic courses.

    From past experience on polytechnic admissions, the highest cut-off point for most polytechnic courses was 26 points based on the net ELR2B2 criteria. We believe that students who are given DPA offers should not have difficulty meeting the above requirements, as they are the ones who have demonstrated talent in the particular polytechnic courses.

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Application Processes

  1. Why do polytechnics conduct interviews?

    Interviews allow the polytechnics to better determine students’ interest and aptitude in a particular area of applied learning, for example, hearing from students and viewing their portfolios.

  2. I have accepted my DPA offer, but I have changed my mind and wish to take up another course in the same polytechnic. Can I switch to a different course within the polytechnic and retain my DPA place?

    No, you will not be allowed to switch courses after accepting a DPA offer.Please see Question 5.

  3. How long do DPA students need to remain in the polytechnic to graduate with the diploma?

    DPA students will start and complete their polytechnic course of study at the same time as their peers who enter through the JAE, i.e. they will be able to obtain diplomas 3 years after the start of their polytechnic course in April. Within these 3 years, however, DPA students may pursue advanced modules or Diploma-Plus programmes. This is possible because DPA students would have completed some first-year modules during the 8-week Polytechnic Preparatory Programme prior to the start of the polytechnic academic year

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The Polytechnic Preparatory Programme

  1. What are the key benefits for going on the Polytechnic Preparatory Programme (PPP)?

    Each polytechnic will have its own customised PPP, lasting about 8 weeks from Jan to Mar. Each polytechnic’s PPP would comprise activities such as industry visits, leadership camps, as well as polytechnic modules. The PPP will enhance and broaden students’ learning experiences, and prepare them better for polytechnic education. As students in the PPP have taken some core and elective modules before the start of the formal academic year, this will allow them to pursue more advanced modules or cross-disciplinary modules during their polytechnic education.

  2. What is the cost for the Polytechnic Preparatory Programme?

    PPP fees are $150, $165 and $225 per student for Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents and foreign students respectively. The PPP is heavily subsidised by MOE to keep fees affordable. For needy students, the polytechnics will provide them with financial assistance. PPP participants may check with the respective polytechnics for more information on their financial assistance schemes.

  3. If I am accepted to a polytechnic course through the DPA, is the Polytechnic Preparatory Programme compulsory?

    The PPP is an integral foundation programme that all DPA students are expected to attend. The polytechnics will consider appeals on a case-by-case basis, if there are valid reasons why a student is unable to attend the PPP.

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