Singapore tuition & syllabus glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms Singapore parents and students encounter when navigating PSLE, O-Level, A-Level, IP, IB and IGCSE tuition. Sourced from MOE, SEAB and Cambridge Assessment where applicable.
PSLE
Primary School Leaving Examination
The PSLE is Singapore's national end-of-primary-school examination, taken by Primary 6 students at age 12. It is administered by S…
PSLE Achievement Level (AL)
PSLE banded scoring system
PSLE Achievement Level (AL) is the banded grade reported per subject in the PSLE since 2021. Each subject is scored AL1 to AL8, wi…
MOE
Ministry of Education, Singapore
MOE is the Ministry of Education of Singapore, the government ministry responsible for the entire pre-tertiary, polytechnic and IT…
SEAB
Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board
SEAB is the statutory board under MOE that designs and administers Singapore's national examinations: PSLE, GCE N(A), GCE N(T), GC…
NIE
National Institute of Education
NIE is Singapore's only teacher-training institution, part of Nanyang Technological University. All Singapore MOE teachers complet…
GCE O-Level
Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level (final sitting: 2026)
The GCE O-Level is Singapore's national end-of-secondary-school examination, jointly examined by SEAB and Cambridge Assessment, sa…
SEC (Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate)
The national exam replacing O-Levels and N-Levels from 2027
The Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) is the single national examination that replaces the GCE O-Level and…
GCE A-Level
Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level
The GCE A-Level is Singapore's pre-university examination, taken at the end of JC2 (the 2-year Junior College programme). Jointly …
E-Math (O-Level)
O-Level Elementary Mathematics, syllabus 4052
O-Level E-Math (Elementary Mathematics) is the standard Singapore O-Level mathematics subject, syllabus code 4052. Compulsory for …
A-Math (O-Level)
O-Level Additional Mathematics, syllabus 4049
O-Level A-Math (Additional Mathematics) is the deeper, more abstract O-Level mathematics subject, syllabus code 4049. Taken alongs…
Combined Science (5086)
O-Level Combined Science Physics + Chemistry
O-Level Combined Science syllabus 5086 is the combined Physics + Chemistry science subject taken by G3 (former Express) Sec 4 stud…
H2 Math (9758)
JC H2 Mathematics, syllabus 9758
JC H2 Mathematics is the JC1+JC2 A-Level Mathematics subject, syllabus code 9758. The most-taken JC subject. Required for almost e…
IP
Integrated Programme
The Integrated Programme (IP) is a 6-year through-train Singapore secondary + JC programme that bypasses the O-Level examination. …
IB Diploma Programme
International Baccalaureate Diploma
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is a 2-year pre-university programme assessed by the IB Organisation. In…
IGCSE
International General Certificate of Secondary Education
IGCSE is the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, an international equivalent to O-Level. Offered in Singapor…
Mother Tongue Language (MTL)
Compulsory PSLE / O-Level / A-Level second language
Mother Tongue Language (MTL) is the compulsory second-language subject in Singapore's national exams: Chinese (CL), Malay (ML), Ta…
H1 / H2 / H3 (A-Level)
A-Level subject depth tiers
H1, H2 and H3 are the three depth tiers of GCE A-Level subjects in Singapore. H1 is roughly half the curriculum of H2; H3 is an ad…
H2 Chemistry (9729)
JC H2 Chemistry, syllabus 9729
JC H2 Chemistry is the JC1+JC2 A-Level Chemistry subject, syllabus code 9729. Required for medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and most …
H2 Physics (9749)
JC H2 Physics, syllabus 9749
JC H2 Physics is the JC1+JC2 A-Level Physics subject, syllabus code 9749. Required for engineering courses at NUS, NTU and SUTD.…
GEP
Gifted Education Programme
The Gifted Education Programme (GEP) is a MOE programme for the top ~1% of Primary 4 students in Singapore. Identified through a t…
DSA
Direct School Admission
Direct School Admission (DSA) is a Singapore admissions pathway that lets P6 / Sec 4 students apply to secondary schools / JCs bas…
JAE
Joint Admissions Exercise
The Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) is the centralised post-O-Level admissions process for JC, Millennia Institute, Polytechnic an…
Prelim
School preliminary examination
A 'prelim' (preliminary examination) is a school-organised mock examination held a few weeks before the national PSLE / O-Level / …