Horror-themed escape room, free shows and food: What to expect at 2026 poly open houses

SINGAPORE – It’s that time of the year again, when O-level results will be released, and secondary and ITE students need to decide where they will study for the next two or three years.

Many may be planning to attend open houses organised by polytechnics, junior colleges or institutes of higher learning.

For those considering taking the polytechnic route, here’s everything they would need to know about the upcoming polytechnic open houses, and what’s new for those enrolling in the 2026/2027 school year, starting April 2026.

Temasek Polytechnic (TP)

When: Jan 8, 10am to 6pm
Jan 9, 10am to 8.30pm
Jan 10, 10am to 6pm

Shuttle bus services will be provided between Tampines West MRT exit A, Century Square Mall in the east route and Oasis Terraces in Punggol in the north-east route for the duration of the open house.

Don’t miss:

On Jan 9, the polytechnic will be back with its annual signature event from 4.30pm to 8.30pm. There will be free food from popular chains like Playmade and HaiDiLao, as well as live performances from TP students and local musicians like Nathan Hartono.

There will also be giveaways, arcade games and photo booths. Campus tours, academic seminars and course counselling will be available to prospective students.

Find out more here

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Registration for the Evening Fest is needed and

can be done

here

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What’s new:

AI-powered classrooms

Classrooms powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and equipped with real-time transcription, interactive visualisation and AI-generated takeaways will be available for School of Business students.

Launched under the AI-Labs initiative by TP’s School of Business, these classrooms will be available to all School of Business students in the upcoming school year.

Students taking the diploma of culinary arts and management will be able to use these classrooms and smart kitchens, and learn to develop a menu using AI and data-led marketing.

Singapore Polytechnic (SP)

When: Jan 8 to 10, 10am to 6pm

Don’t miss:

Challenge yourself to navigate a virtual reality escape room designed and programmed by students from the diploma of media, arts and design’s animation and games specialisation. 

Players in the multi-player horror-themed escape room have to navigate ornate chambers and find out what happened to a doomed bride who is trapped between worlds of the living and the dead.

This game is part of the polytechnic’s Industry & Innovation Showcase, an annual event featuring final-year projects that demonstrate how SP students apply what they have learnt to solve real-life problems.

Other notable projects in the showcase include steroid-free eczema cream and an AI tutor in your pocket.

There will be campus tours, course counselling, co-curricular tryouts and academic talks.

Find out more here

for more information on the open house and its schedule.

What’s new:

Added entryway into Singapore Polytechnic Outstanding Talent (SPOT) programme

There will be a new intake in year two for the polytechnic’s SPOT programme, from the current year one intake.

SPOT is a leadership programme for students, who will be mentored to become well-rounded humanitarians, communicators, leaders and scholars. With a focus on Asia-centric perspectives, the programme provides students with cross-cultural networks and regional insights needed for navigating and leading in tomorrow’s global economy.

Certificate of Achievement in Teamwork awarded

Starting this year, there will be a new Certificate of Achievement in Teamwork for students in the top 50 per cent of their cohort.

This is in addition to the Teamwork Development Framework – implemented since academic year 2023/2024 – which enhances students’ collaboration skills by evaluating such skills through a peer rating system.

Republic Polytechnic (RP)

When: Jan 8 to 10, 10am to 6pm

Don’t miss:

Visitors can enjoy a new AI innovation showcase at the open house, where they can face off against AI in challenges created by RP students and staff.

These include the Block Masters Showdown, where players face off against one another while building patterns with the help of AI technology; and Fool The Detector, If You Can, where players can detect deepfakes using a system designed by RP students as part of their final-year project.

There will be course counselling, facility tours and an admissions talk by RP principal Jeanne Liew.

Find out more about the event here

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Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP)

When: Jan 8 to 10, 10am-6pm

There is a free two-way shuttle bus from King Albert Park MRT station to NP’s school campus on Saturday, Jan 10.

Don’t miss:

NP’s Bites and Vibes fest, a highlight of its open house, will be held on Jan 10 from 10am to 6pm.

The festival showcases NP’s student-run businesses, and how they are supported by the poly’s Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship office, also known as The Sandbox – from funding to setting aside business spaces on campus for their food and beverage student start-ups.

Visitors can shop for press-on nails, car memorabilia and Japanese-inspired accessories, as well as treats like croffles and savoury pies.

Academic talks, career-related workshops and talks will be taking place during the duration of the open house. For more information,

click here

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What’s new:

New computing course

Enrolment is open for a new diploma in computing with law (CLW), which aims to prepare students for jobs in the legal, information technology and compliance and regulatory sectors. The roles include legal technologists, intellectual property paralegals and software engineers.

Course revamps

Around 60 per cent of NP’s full-time courses have been revamped for the coming school year.

Notable changes include the introduction of 10 new electives such as behavioural insights for digital consumer experiences and advanced analytics and strategic insights under the School of Business & Accountancy.

There are also three new cross-disciplinary specialisations under the School of Engineering: space technology, operational technology cybersecurity, and AI in engineering. 

Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)

When: Jan 8, 10am to 6pm
Jan 9, 12pm to 10pm 
Jan 10, 10am to 6pm

Don’t miss:

The polytechnic’s signature Night Open House event on Jan 9 gives visitors a glimpse into NYP student life, with guided tours and co-curricular activity performances.

Visitors can enjoy an outdoor projection mapping at the School of Design & Media, which features live drawings and animations from students.

There will be academic talks, school tours and “taster workshops” at NYP’s different schools, where visitors can try their hand at activities related to the schools.

One such workshop is under the School of Applied Science, where visitors can perform DNA extraction on strawberries to take home as a memento, or press and create their own coloured tablet like a real pharmaceutical scientist.

More information

can be found here

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On Jan 10, there will be time slots for students to go through school experiences. These include course talks, campus tours and taster workshops at the different schools.

Registration is needed for NYP’s school experiences. Visitors

can sign up here

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What’s new:

Five new hangout spots

The polytechnic will have five new hangout spots for studying or just relaxing, namely The Groove, The Swing, The Hive, The Nest and The Glasshouse, which will be unveiled during NYP’s open house.

Three of them – The Groove, The Swing and The Hive – are designed by diploma in experiential product and interior design alumna Victoria Cheong, who was also Singapore’s first gold medallist in visual merchandising at WorldSkills Lyon in 2024.