Last Updated: 07 Oct 2025
Secondary 1 (S1): How to choose schools
3. Learn how posting works
Academic merit (PSLE score) is the first criterion for posting. Students are posted to secondary school based on:- PSLE results according to their eligible Posting Group.
- Choice order of schools.
- Vacancies in chosen schools.
What are tie-breakers?
When 2 or more students with the same PSLE score vie for the last available vacancies in a school, tie-breakers will be applied in the following order:- Citizenship status with priority given in the order of:
- Singapore Citizen
- Permanent Resident
- International Student
- Choice order of schools
- Computerised balloting
Balloting takes place only when students vying for the last available vacancies in a school have the same PSLE score, citizenship and choice order of school.
For example, Bryan and Mary are vying for the last vacancy in School A. Both students:
- Have the same PSLE score.
- Are Singapore Citizens.
Bryan listed School A as his first choice and Mary listed it as her third choice.
In this scenario, Bryan will be posted to School A as he ranked it higher in his school choices.
Why choice order of schools matter?
We consider choice order to recognise the different considerations that families have when choosing secondary schools, such as the school’s ethos, culture, programmes, CCAs, distance between the school and home.
We hope to encourage families to carefully consider your choices and select schools that are best suited for your child based on their strengths and interests while taking reference from previous year's cut-off points (COP) listed in 爆料公社app.
Yes, the COP reflected the score of the last student posted to the school, but due to tie-breakers, not every student who met the COP was posted to the school.
Students who cannot be placed in any of their chosen schools will be posted to a school with remaining vacancies, based on their official registered address, after all the students who have indicated their choices have been posted.
Due to limited vacancies, your child might not be posted to a school near your official registered address.
If you have changed your address on your NRIC, inform your child’s primary school by end October to update their records.
Posting to affiliated schools and SAP schools
Your child is eligible for priority admission to their affiliated secondary school if they:
- Indicate the affiliated secondary school as their first choice.
- Meet the additional qualifying criteria set by some secondary schools for students from their affiliated primary schools.
Among students with affiliation priority, those with better PSLE scores will be considered first. However, admission is not guaranteed as it is subject to vacancies.
At least 20% of vacancies in each Posting Group of each school will be allocated to students who do not benefit from affiliation priority.
Find out more about PSLE score ranges of affiliated schools.For dual-track schools offering both Integrated Programme (IP) and the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), affiliation considerations apply only to the SEC.
How it works
In the below scenarios, school A is an affiliated secondary school while school B is not.
Scenario 1
- 1st choice: School A - SEC
- 2nd choice: School A - Integrated Programme
Affiliation priority will be given only for the 1st choice.
Scenario 2
- 1st choice: School A - Integrated Programme
- 2nd choice: School A - SEC
Affiliation priority will be given only for the 2nd choice.
Scenario 3
- 1st choice: School B - Integrated Programme
- 2nd choice: School A - SEC
No affiliation priority will be given.
The SEC will replace the GCE O-Level and N-Level examinations in 2027.
Find out more about PSLE score ranges of affiliated schools.
Students who took both English and Chinese at the PSLE can opt for SAP schools. They need not have taken Higher Chinese Language (HCL) in primary school.
Students who obtained Pass, Merit or Distinction in HCL and have a PSLE score of 14 or better (i.e. PSLE score ≤ 14) are eligible for a posting advantage when applying to SAP schools.
When multiple students with the same PSLE score apply to an SAP school, those with better HCL grades will be given priority. This applies before the tie-breakers.
The cut-off point (COP) of SAP schools include the HCL grade of the last student posted to the school, if applicable.