International students entering government schools (AEIS)

Which levels the AEIS takes, how age is counted, what is tested, how to apply and pay, how results and school placement work, and how it differs from the S-AEIS and Primary 1 registration.

Verified 2026-10-31 Changes often

International students who want a government primary or secondary school most often go through the AEIS (Admissions Exercise for International Students). It is a test plus a placement: your child sits tests, and if successful MOE assigns a school from the vacancies available. You cannot name the school. Everything below follows MOE’s published information for the 2026 cycle, as read on 31 October 2026.

Which levels it takes

AEIS: Primary 2 to 5 and Secondary 1 to 3, for the following academic year. It typically starts in July and successful applicants start school the next January.
S-AEIS (supplementary): Primary 2 to 4 and Secondary 1 to 2, for the same academic year. Applications for 2027 are expected to open in early January 2027, tests in end February or early March 2027 (tentative), and school starts in April or May.
Primary 1: not through the AEIS; it has its own registration (see below).
Junior colleges and Millennia Institute: apply directly to the school in December, subject to vacancies and the school’s criteria.

How age is counted

MOE states that the AEIS and S-AEIS are for children aged 7 to 7+ as at 1 January, and that your child should sit the tests suitable for their age. Which age maps to which level is shown by an eligibility checker on MOE’s page that asks for the date of birth, so this page cannot work it out for you. The site’s age and grade chart gives a rough idea, but MOE’s checker decides.

What is tested

Level	Subjects
Primary 2 to 5	Mathematics, plus a statement of results for a Cambridge English Qualification (CEQ) test
Secondary 1 to 3	English and Mathematics

Content follows the mainstream syllabus of the level before the one applied for.
Primary applicants must reach a minimum CEQ score before applying. For the 2026 exercise the statement must be from a test taken from July 2025; the certificate itself is not needed. The minimum score is not in the page text and is shown in MOE’s checker.
The test details page we read does not give test length or format, so none is stated here. See MOE’s instructions to candidates.

The 2026 cycle, for reference

Applications for 2026 have closed. Tests were held in Singapore:

Secondary 1: 1 September 2026. Secondary 2 and 3: 2 September. Primary 2/3 and 4/5: 3 September.
Candidates sit at their desks at least 15 minutes before the test, and bring a copy of the passport bio-data page and the entry proof issued by SEAB.

How to apply

Create an account for your child in the Candidates Portal.
Read the instructions to candidates and submit the online application.
Upload the documents and pay by credit or debit card (preferred) or PayNow.

Documents (JPEG or PDF): the child’s birth certificate (with an accurate English translation if it is not in English); the passport bio-data page, with the passport valid for at least 6 months; for Primary applicants, the CEQ statement of results; other documents such as a marriage certificate may be asked for.

Fees

Item	Amount	Note
AEIS Primary	S$340	Non-refundable, plus GST
AEIS Secondary	S$630	Non-refundable, plus GST

These are the figures on MOE’s 2026 page. That page does not mention the fee for the Cambridge English test itself, which you must check with the test provider.

Results and starting school

Log in to the AEIS Internet System (AEIS-IS) with your child’s passport or foreign identification number and date of birth.
2026 release windows: Primary 2 to 5, 17 to 21 December; Secondary 2 and 3, 10 to 14 December; Secondary 1, 21 to 25 December (tentative).
Reporting periods: Primary 2 to 5, 18 to 30 December; Secondary 2 and 3, 11 to 30 December; Secondary 1, late December to early January. Applicants who do not contact the offered school within the period may have their place rescinded.
The school posting is final. Requests for a school transfer or the release of test results will not be considered.
A child with a valid Long-Term Visit Pass, Dependant’s Pass or Immigration Exemption Order does not need a Student’s Pass, and admission is confirmed on reporting. Otherwise admission depends on getting a Student’s Pass: the school issues a Registration Acknowledgement Letter and MOE advises applying to ICA as soon as possible. See Student’s Pass overview.

Primary 1: a separate registration

MOE’s page says international Primary 1 registration is for children who are not citizens or permanent residents. For 2026 it covers children born between 2 January 2020 and 1 January 2021 (both dates inclusive). Priority goes to citizens and permanent residents, so a place is not guaranteed. Phase one is an online form (19 to 25 May in 2026; late appeals are not considered) and the outcome is emailed by the end of October. If no place is offered, MOE’s page suggests private schools or the AEIS for Primary 2.

Common mistakes

Expecting to pick the school after passing: placement follows vacancies and cannot be changed.
Assuming every level is open: the AEIS has no Primary 1; that is a separate registration.
Preparing only the maths and English papers and ignoring reading speed: a child strong at maths but slow at reading English questions should build English maths vocabulary first. This is a study tip, not an MOE requirement.
Treating the fee as covering English testing: MOE’s page does not mention the Cambridge English fee; that is a separate booking.
Reusing last year’s dates: dates and fees change every cycle, so read MOE’s current page.

Next steps

Use the age and grade chart for a rough level, then confirm in MOE’s checker.
To compare routes, read Government, private and international schools.
For passes after admission, read Student’s Pass overview.
Run your own case through the planner.

FAQ

Can we choose the school after passing the AEIS?

No. MOE places students according to available vacancies and the residential area you declare, where possible. After the outcome, MOE states that the school posting is final and requests for a school transfer or for the release of test results will not be considered.

Does passing the AEIS guarantee a place?

No. MOE says admission is not guaranteed and depends on your child’s test performance; placement also depends on vacancies.

What does the AEIS test?

MOE’s page says Primary applicants are tested in Mathematics and Secondary applicants in English and Mathematics, based on the syllabus of the level before the one applied for. Primary applicants must also submit a statement of results for a Cambridge English Qualification (CEQ) test and reach a minimum score, which is shown in the checker on MOE’s page.

Can my child register for Primary 1 instead?

Primary 1 uses a separate registration. For 2026, MOE’s page covers children born between 2 January 2020 and 1 January 2021 (both dates inclusive), with priority given to citizens and permanent residents, so a place is not guaranteed. If no place is offered, the page suggests private schools or the AEIS for Primary 2.

We missed the AEIS. Is there another chance this year?

There is the S-AEIS, for Primary 2 to 4 and Secondary 1 to 2, entering in the same academic year. Applications for the 2027 S-AEIS are expected to open in early January 2027, with tests in end February or early March 2027 (tentative) and school starting in April or May.

Sources

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