JAE
Joint Admissions Exercise
The Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) is the centralised post-O-Level admissions process for JC, Millennia Institute, Polytechnic and ITE in Singapore. The 2027 JAE, for the final O-Level cohort, is the last. From 2028, SEC holders apply through the Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise (PSE) instead.
Full guide: L1R4 and JC admission from 2028
In context
Students rank up to 12 choices across JCs, MI, polys and ITE. Posting is based on the L1R5 score (JC) or ELR2B2 (Poly) computed from O-Level grades. JAE posting results are released in early February (3 February in 2026). Students with successful DSA-JC offers do not participate in JAE for that institution.
When does the JAE take place?
The JAE runs in January, right after the O-Level results are released, with a short window to submit choices online. Posting results follow in February. MOE publishes the exact dates each year on its JAE page.
How is a student posted?
Each course has its own score. JC admission uses the L1R5 score, which adds the English grade to the best relevant subjects, and a lower score is better. Polytechnic courses use ELR2B2. Students are posted in order of merit to their highest choice that still has a place, so the order of the 12 choices matters.
What replaces the JAE from 2028?
From 2028, students with SEC results apply through a single Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise (PSE) on the Post-Sec Portal, covering JC, MI, polytechnic and ITE courses. SEC results come out in mid-January 2028, applications run for 6 calendar days from results day, and posting results follow by early February. JC admission moves from L1R5 to L1R4, with every counted subject taken at G3.
Source / further reading: https://www.moe.gov.sg/post-secondary/admissions/jae
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