Early admissions exercise for poly, ITE to start over next few weeks

The early admissions exercise (EAE) for polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will begin over the next few weeks.

Students graduating from ITE or completing the N levels or O levels and working adults will be able to apply to polytechnics from June 7.

Applications to ITE through the EAE open on May 27.

The bulk of the process will take place online with virtual interviews and e-mailed portfolio submissions due to the Covid-19 situation, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) yesterday.

A small number of courses may still require in-person assessment, such as ITE's Nitec in nursing and Nanyang Polytechnic's (NYP) diploma in oral health therapy. Safe management measures like staggered assessment slots will be in place for these.

The EAE is an aptitude-based assessment that allows students to enter these institutions through non-academic achievements. Applicants may be required to submit portfolios, undergo interviews with their chosen institutions and take aptitude tests as part of the selection process.

Successful applicants will receive conditional offers for entry into the polytechnics and ITE.

The EAE programme for ITE is open to graduating O-level and N-level students for Nitec and Higher Nitec courses. Applications open on May 27 and close on June 2.

Students must meet the minimum entry requirements for their course to confirm their conditional offers. Students are expected to commit to their choice of course, said MOE, and will not be able to participate in the general enrolment exercises once they have accepted a course through the EAE.

The polytechnic EAE is open to graduating O-level and ITE students and working adults who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents. Working adults need two years of relevant work experience and must submit employment records with their application.

Applications for final-year ITE students open on June 10 and close on June 16. O-level students can apply from June 24 to June 30. Working adults have from June 7 to July 4.

These applicants must similarly meet the minimum entry requirements to confirm their conditional offers. These can be found on the polytechnics' websites.

MOE said working adults whose past academic grades do not meet the minimum entry requirements but are otherwise suitable candidates will get opportunities to demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge for their chosen course through supplementary assessments such as interviews.

More information can be found at https://eae.polytechnic.edu.sg/

EAE selections for ITE will take place between June 22 and July 27, while polytechnic selections will take place between July 5 and Aug 31.

Ms Wong Kah Xuan, 20, who recently graduated from NYP's diploma in food science and nutrition, had applied through the EAE when she was in Secondary 4.

"It definitely reduced the stress of taking the exams for me, as I had already decided what I wanted to do, so I could just go and do my best for my O levels," she said.

Ms Wong, who was diagnosed with dyslexia shortly before her exams, was identified as one of the top graduates from NYP this year.

Q: Why has MOE decided to conduct the selection online, rather than wait until the situation has stabilised so that face-to-face selections for all courses can be carried out?

A: Learning from the experience of the online early admissions exercise selection last year, the polytechnics and ITE are well prepared to conduct the selection through electronic means this year for most courses. MOE will work closely with ITE and the polytechnics to ensure selection is conducted fairly and rigorously for all students.

Q: How will ITE and the polytechnics ensure the online selection is fair and rigorous?

A: Institutions have made the appropriate adjustments to their assessment rubrics and criteria to ensure that the online selection can be carried out seamlessly this year. They will also continue to document the early admissions exercise selection process, including recording interviews (where appropriate), and the evaluations made by the selection panels.

Q: How will MOE and the institutions support students from disadvantaged backgrounds who might experience difficulties with the online selection process?

A: Following the experience of home-based learning, our students are now more adept at using online communication platforms and interacting online for interviews and assessments. Nonetheless, the polytechnics and ITE will be ready to render additional support to applicants who face difficulties with the online selection process. Students who require additional support can approach their schools for help.

Q: If the Covid-19 situation improves, will ITE and the polytechnics allow an increased number of courses to hold their selection on campus?

A: MOE will monitor the Covid-19 situation closely and make appropriate adjustments. It will ensure applicants have enough time to prepare and adjust, should there be further changes to the process.