Start of 2021 Early Admissions Exercises for the Institute of Technical Education and Polytechnics
Published Date: 07 May 2021 01:00 PM
The Early Admissions Exercise (EAE) for the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and all five polytechnics will start from 27 May and 7 June 2021 respectively.
2. EAE provides a pathway for graduating ITE, N-Level and O-Level students, as well as working adults, to apply for and receive conditional offers for admission to ITE and the polytechnics. Beyond academic grades, EAE applicants are considered on the basis of demonstrated aptitude and interest towards a specific course. Applicants may be required to submit portfolios, undergo interviews and take aptitude tests as part of the selection process.
Conduct of EAE selection in view of the Covid-19 situation
3. Similar to arrangements made for EAE selection in 2020, ITE and the polytechnics will conduct EAE selections this year largely via electronic means such as online interviews, or portfolio submissions over e-mail, for most courses. ITE EAE selections will take place between 22 June – 27 July 2021, while polytechnic EAE selections will take place between 5 July – 31 August 2021.
4. On-campus selection may still need to proceed for a small number of courses, where the selection process cannot be meaningfully replicated remotely. For instance, selections for ITE’s Nitec in Nursing and Higher Nitec in Performance Production, as well as Nanyang Polytechnic’s Diploma in Oral Health Therapy will be conducted on-campus. In all instances where in-person interviews are necessary, ITE and the polytechnics will ensure appropriate safe management measures are in place in their institutions. This includes staggering assessment slots and designating waiting areas to avoid inter-mingling of applicants.
5. Institutions will continue to monitor the national situation and will facilitate on-campus selection for more courses, if the situation allows for it.
6. Institutions will ensure selection remains fair and rigorous. A list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the conduct of EAE selection this year can be found in the Annex.
ITE EAE
7. Graduating N- and O-Level students can apply for early admission to Nitec and Higher Nitec courses respectively through the ITE EAE, based on their course-specific aptitudes and interest.
8. Applications will open from 27 May to 2 June 2021. More information on the application procedure and key dates for the interviews, acceptance and confirmation of offer can be found at https://www.ite.edu.sg/admissions/full-time-courses/nitec/early-admissions-exercise or https://www.ite.edu.sg/admissions/full-time-courses/higher-nitec/eae.
9. Successful applicants under the ITE EAE will be given conditional offers before receiving their Nitec, GCE N- or O-Level results. For their conditional offer to be confirmed, they must meet the Minimum Entry Requirements (MERs) of the offered course. The MERs for the respective Nitec and Higher Nitec courses can be found at https://www.ite.edu.sg/apply-for-ITE-courses/ite-eae/for-secondary-school-students-and-gce-holders.
10. Students are expected to commit to their choice of course under the ITE EAE. Students who accept a place via the ITE EAE will not be eligible to participate in the Joint Admissions Exercise for Higher Nitec courses, or Joint Intake Exercise for Nitec courses.
Polytechnic EAE
Admission for Graduating O-Level and ITE students
11. Graduating O-Level and final-year ITE students can apply for early admission into courses at the five polytechnics through the Polytechnic EAE, based on their course-specific aptitudes and interest.
12. Applications will open from 10 to 16 June 2021 for final-year ITE students, and from 24 June to 30 June 2021 for O-Level students. More information on the application procedure, entry requirements and important dates for the interviews, acceptance and confirmation of offer can be found at https://eae.polytechnic.edu.sg/.
13. Successful applicants under the Polytechnic EAE will be given conditional offers before receiving their final examination results. For the conditional offer to be confirmed, they must meet the MERs for the offered polytechnic course. The MERs for the respective diploma courses can be found on the polytechnics’ websites.
14. Students are expected to commit to their choice of polytechnic and course under the Polytechnic EAE. Students who accept an offer via the Polytechnic EAE and have their place confirmed will not be eligible to participate in all other polytechnic admission exercises. They will also not be able to transfer to another course within or between the polytechnics.
Admission for Working Adults
15. Working adults with at least two years of relevant work experience can apply to the polytechnics via the Polytechnic EAE. This applies to Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents only.
16. Interested working adults will need to submit employment records together with their application, as well as employer recommendations where available. The polytechnics will holistically assess applicants’ work experience to determine the relevance of the competencies/skills gained over the course of their work to their course of interest. Applicants who are found suitable, but whose past academic grades do not meet the MERs, will be given the opportunity to demonstrate that they have acquired the pre-requisite competencies for their chosen course through supplementary assessments, such as interviews.
17. Applications for working adults will open from 7 June to 4 July 2021. More information can be found at https://eae.polytechnic.edu.sg/.
18. Students interested in the ITE EAE or Polytechnic EAE should visit the websites of the Institutes of Higher Learning for more details. They are advised to do so before the start of the respective exercises. More information is also available on the following MOE websites: