The Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS) exam is a centralized admissions exercise conducted by the MOE. It will be conducted around the corner of September or October each year for international students; who wish to join mainstream primary or secondary schools in Singapore in January the following year. The exact date will depend on the level that the applicant is applying for and it can be found online on the official MOE website.
It consists of a centralized test on English and Mathematics that will assess the applicants’ English literacy, numeracy and reasoning abilities. Admission is not guaranteed if students sit for the examination. Admission will only depend on the applicant’s performance in the test. If successful, placement will depend on available vacancies and the applicant’s declared residential area in Singapore.
WHO IS IT FOR?
AEIS is for international students [non-Singapore citizens or non-permanent residents] who do not have a place in the mainstream schools and wish to seek admission to Primary 2-5 and Secondary 1-3 levels in January of the following academic year. International students should note that English is the medium of instruction in Singapore. Students are strongly advised to prepare for the test by reading up on the English and Mathematics syllabuses of the level preceding the one they are applying for.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Only international students who do not have a place in mainstream schools and wish to seek admission in the levels mentioned above. Applicants who are applying for different levels will have to write different tests. There will be two tests for Primary level. One test for Primary 2 or 3 application and one test for Primary 4 or 5 application.
Secondary school application will have 3 tests: One for secondary 1, another for secondary 2 and another for secondary 3. Each test will have a permissible age range and this range can be found on the official MOE website. There is no upper limit on the range of ages that can apply. But it is recommended for the applicant not to apply if they are over by more than 2 years than the appropriate age for that level.
The application date will be from the start of July to the end of August. The application for AEIS will be through an online form. A valid email should be used for the application. Before applying, applicants should ensure that they are free to sit for the test. They should also ensure that they fit the eligibility criteria for the examination. The application for the test date will close when all available places for that test date are taken up.
Applicants should thus try to apply early and make early payment and email the required documents as soon as possible. Applicants would then receive their entry proof by early September through email. The next step is the test itself which will be conducted in person. The results for the application will be released in mid-December to end of December.
THE COST
The examination will cost S$672.00 and can be paid through debit/credit online or by cash/NETS in person at Customer Service Centre (Podium Block of MOE Building), Ministry of Education, Singapore, 1 North Buona Vista Drive, Singapore 138675. The applicant must submit their birth certificate and passport [with validity of at least 6 months] in pdf or jpeg within one week of their application via email.