The Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) is for international students seeking admissions to Primary 2 to 5 and Secondary 1 to 3 in the following academic year.
How to Prepare for the AEIS exam?
Preparing for the AEIS (Admissions Exercise for International Students) exam can feel like a significant challenge, but with the right approach, you can feel confident and well-prepared. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you:
1. Understand the Requirement
- The AEIS is open to international students who wish to join Primary 2 to 5 or Secondary 1 to 3 in Singapore’s government schools.
- Students must meet the age criteria for the level they are applying for. For example, if applying for Primary 2, the student should typically be 8 years old by the 1st January of the admission year.
- Before the AEIS, primary school applicants must take the relevant Cambridge English Qualifications (CEQ) test run by Cambridge Assessment English (CAE).
2. Understand the Exam Format
- English Paper: Tests reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills.
- Mathematics Paper: Covers problem-solving, arithmetic, algebra, and data analysis.
3. Well-Prepared
- Practice past AEIS exam papers.
- Refer to Singaporean school textbooks, especially for Mathematics. These follow the curriculum closely.
- Enroll in an AEIS preparation course if you’re struggling with self-study. (Talk to Us for more details of this preparation course)
How to apply
The application period for the AEIS typically starts in July, with the tests conducted in September or October. For the Supplementary AEIS (S-AEIS), the tests are held in March.
1. Online Registration
- Create an Account: Register your child in the Candidates Portal (CP) during the application period.
- Submit Application: Complete the online application in the CP.
- Upload Documents: Provide JPEG or PDF copies of your child’s birth certificate, passport bio-data page, and a passport-sized photo. For primary school applicants, include the statement of results for the relevant Cambridge English Qualifications (CEQ) test.
- Pay Fees: Pay the application fees using a credit card, debit card, or PayNow. The fees are non-refundable.
2. Application Status
| Application status in CP | What it means |
| Pending | Your application has been submitted. |
| Registered (At least 4 weeks from day of submission) | Your application has been approved. |
- Check the Remarks column in your child’s Candidates Portal (CP) account from time to time in case you are required to submit additional information or documents.
- Incomplete applications will take a longer time to be processed.
- Consult with us to avoid delays and ensure your application is complete.
3. Receive entry proof
- If your application is approved and payment is successful, you will receive an email before the test dates informing you to download your child’s entry proof from the CP.
- The test venue and reporting time will be stated in the entry proof.
Get Ready to Take the Exam
- Follow the instructions in the entry proof.
- Bring along all the necessary documents such as passport, entry proof, etc.
- Arrive at the exam venue well-prepared on the test day.
Release of outcome
- Log in to the AEIS Internet System (AEIS-IS) during the result release periods to view your AEIS outcome.
- The school posting is final. Requests for a school transfer or the release of test results will not be considered.
Reporting to School
- Upon receiving a positive outcome from the AEIS exam, it is essential for both the child and their parents to prepare to report to the assigned school within the specified period. This preparation includes understanding the school’s location, familiarizing themselves with the school’s rules and regulations, and ensuring all necessary documents are ready for submission.
- Applicants who do not report to the offered schools within the reporting periods may have their places offered to other applicants.
- Detailed reporting instructions are provided in the outcome letter that you can access in the AEIS-IS.
Starting School in Singapore
- Students are advised to apply for their Student’s Pass (STP) with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) as soon as possible upon receiving the Registration Acknowledgement Letter (RAL) from the school.
- Students will need a local sponsor if they are applying for a Student’s Pass to study at one of these schools.
- The local sponsor must be a Singapore citizen (SC) or permanent resident (PR) and aged 21 or older. Companies and organizations cannot act as sponsors.
- Consult with us to ensure your documents are prepared promptly, obtain the student’s pass quickly, and enable an early start to school.
