Singaporean children returning from overseas who wish to join a secondary school, junior college or Millennia Institute (MI) can apply to do so from today under the 2018 School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (Spers).

Returning children are required to take tests to determine the schools they are eligible for.

Those seeking admission to Secondary 1 to 3 next year can take the Spers-Sec tests scheduled on Sept 19 and those seeking admission to Pre-University 1 can take the Spers-JC/MI tests on Nov 15.

As Secondary 4 and Pre-University 2 are national examination years, returning Singaporeans will not typically re-enter the school system at those levels.

Applicants will receive their school placement results in December, enabling them to join local schools at the start of the term in January next year.

The Ministry of Education, which announced the opening for applications yesterday, will also conduct a Supplementary Placement Exercise for children who are unable to return to Singapore in time to sit the Spers-Sec tests in September.

The tests for the supplementary placement will be held in the middle of December and applicants will receive their placement results in February next year.

After the tests are conducted, applicants will each be provided with a list of schools that they are eligible to apply for, based on their performance.

Applicants will then be required to submit a maximum of six choices online.

"This will not reduce the chances for students in Singapore to get into the schools of their choice, as there will be no reduction in the number of school places available to them," the Education Ministry said in a statement.

For more information visit: www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/returning-singaporeans/