Returning Singaporean students can apply to join local schools from July 8
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Singaporean students who are relocating back to the Republic can apply from July 8 for admission to schools in the 2027 academic year.
ST PHOTO: SARAH LEE
- Returning Singaporean students can apply from July 8 for admission to secondary schools, junior colleges, or Milennia Institute for the 2027 academic year.
- Applicants will take centralised SPERS tests in September or November depending on the level, with results released in December for school placement.
- Supplementary Placement Exercise in December is available for those who miss SPERS tests, and Assured School Placement offers an alternative without centralised testing.
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SINGAPORE – From July 8, Singaporean students who are returning to the Republic can apply for admission to a secondary school, junior college or Millennia Institute (MI) in the 2027 academic year.
They will sit centralised tests under the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (SPERS) and receive a list of schools they are eligible for based on their performance, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said in a press statement on July 1.
Those seeking admission to Secondary 1 to 3 will have from July 8 to 17 to apply for admission, and will sit their SPERS-Sec tests from Sept 1 to 3, comprising tests for English and mathematics.
Applications for junior colleges and MI will open from July 9 till Oct 16, and the SPERS-JC/MI tests will be held on Nov 6.
Applicants will receive their posting results in December and will join the schools at the start of the school term in 2027. As Secondary 4 and Pre-University 2 are national examination years, returning Singaporeans generally do not enter the school system at these levels, MOE said.
Those wishing to join a secondary school in Singapore in 2027 but unable to take the SPERS-Sec tests in September can instead take the tests in December under the Supplementary Placement Exercise (SPE).
Application for the SPE will open from Nov 4 to 13, and the SPE tests will be held on Dec 2. SPE applicants will receive their school posting results in February 2027 for admission in the same month.
Returning Singaporeans who can return by September 2026 are advised to apply for SPERS-Sec instead of SPE, as this would allow them to start school in January 2027 alongside their peers.
Alternatively, students can apply for a place in a primary or secondary school near their homes in Singapore through the Assured School Placement service.
Instead of centralised tests, the prospective school may conduct school-based assessments and an interview to determine the appropriate level and class for the child, MOE added.
Those who wish to find out more about the placement exercises can go to www.moe.gov.sg/returning-singaporeans
