School Placement: Secondary Schools
Overview
Returning Singaporeans (RS) may seek admission to our secondary schools at anytime of the year. Returning Singaporeans are however encouraged to seek admission in the first half of the year, as the school year is from January to November each year.
Returning Singaporeans seeking Secondary Schools generally fall into the following groups:
- Secondary school admission for Returning Singaporeans on Leave of Absence Scheme (LOA)
- Secondary school admission for Returning Singaporeans not on Leave of Absence Scheme (LOA)
Secondary School Admission for Returning Singaporeans on Leave of Absence Scheme (LOA)
Returning Singaporeans who have a place in a school under the LOA scheme can rejoin their former schools immediately upon their return.
Secondary School Admission for Returning Singaporeans Not on Leave of Absence Scheme (LOA)
Returning Singaporeans who are not on Leave of Absence Scheme (LOA) can participate in special school placement exercises such as the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans - Secondary (SPERS-Sec) and the Direct School Admission exercise for secondary schools (DSA-Sec) to seek admission to secondary schools. Alternatively, Returning Singaporeans can approach MOE or apply to their preferred directly under the General School Placement.
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.
As secondary school admission is merit-based, returning Singaporeans who wish to participate in SPERS-Sec will be required to sit for the SPERS-Sec papers comprising English and Mathematics. Based on their performance in the SPERS-Sec papers, applicants will each be provided with a list of eligible secondary schools where students with similar abilities are already studying in. Applicants can opt for any six schools in their lists, and MOE would then post them into secondary schools based on their performance in the SPERS-Sec papers, their school choices, and available vacancies. Under SPERS-Sec, secondary schools may admit a small number of students over and above their planned capacity in recognition that returning Singaporeans have been away and were thus unable to seek admission into secondary schools together with other Singaporean children who had taken the PSLE.
Read more about SPERS-Sec.
Direct School Admission (DSA-Sec)
Returning Singaporeans may also seek admission to participating secondary schools by taking part in the Direct School Admission exercise for secondary schools (DSA-Sec). Under this exercise, schools have greater flexibility in selecting students for Secondary 1 using their own school-based criteria. For the application procedures and more information, please refer to the DSA-Sec website.
General School Placement
Returning Singaporeans who are unable to participate in the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans — Secondary (SPERS-Sec) or Direct School Admission exercise for secondary schools (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 Returning Singaporeans’ suitability for admission. 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 at least three months before the intended date of school admission.