AEIS Singapore: Exam for International Students

What is AEIS? Who can take it? When is the exam? How do you register? What does the test cover? And how should students prepare?

For families moving to Singapore, choosing a school can be one of the biggest decisions to make.

If your child is an international student and you want them to attend a Singapore mainstream government or government-aided school, you may come across an examination called the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS).

The name can sound complicated, but the basic idea is quite simple:

AEIS is the admissions exercise used by Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) for eligible international students who want to enter mainstream primary or secondary schools at certain levels.

It is not only for primary-school children.

International students can apply through AEIS for:

• Primary 2 to Primary 5
• Secondary 1 to Secondary 3

The tests and requirements are different for primary and secondary students.

This guide explains the process from beginning to end.

What exactly is AEIS?

AEIS stands for Admissions Exercise for International Students.

It is administered by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) on behalf of MOE.

The exercise is designed for international students who do not already have a place in a Singapore mainstream school and want to seek admission for the following academic year.

For example, the 2026 AEIS exercise is for students seeking admission to Singapore schools in 2027.

The important thing to understand is that passing or taking the AEIS test does not automatically mean a child gets to choose a particular school.

Admission depends on the student’s performance and, for successful applicants, school placement is subject to available vacancies and the student’s declared residential area.

Is AEIS only for primary-school students?

No.

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about AEIS.

There are separate AEIS pathways for primary and secondary students.

Primary students

AEIS covers admission to Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4 and Primary 5. For AEIS-Primary, the admission test is Mathematics.

Secondary students

AEIS covers admission to Secondary 1, Secondary 2 and Secondary 3. For AEIS-Secondary, students take English and Mathematics.

So, if you have a child who is moving to Singapore at secondary-school age, AEIS can still be relevant.

Who is eligible to take AEIS?

AEIS is intended for international students who are not Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents, who do not already have a place in a Singapore mainstream school and who are seeking admission at an eligible level.

There are also age requirements.

The age range is important because parents cannot simply choose whichever school level they prefer.

MOE determines eligibility based on the child’s age and the level being applied for.

The official SEAB AEIS pages should therefore be checked before registering because age criteria can determine which test level a child can apply for.

A simple example

Suppose your child is currently studying overseas and is around the age normally associated with Secondary 2.

You should not assume that you can simply register for Secondary 2 because that is the level the child currently studies.

The applicable admission level and age criteria need to be checked against the current AEIS rules.

Which school levels are not covered by AEIS?

AEIS does not cover every school year.

Primary 1

AEIS is not the normal route for Primary 1 admission. Primary 1 international-student admission follows the MOE Primary 1 registration framework rather than the AEIS test.

Primary 6

AEIS does not provide a Primary 6 admission test.

Secondary 4

AEIS does not offer a Secondary 4 admission test.

This is particularly important for families arriving in Singapore with older children.

If your child is already approaching the end of secondary education, you should investigate other MOE admission or placement routes rather than assuming AEIS will be available.

AEIS vs S-AEIS: What is the difference?

You will also see another term: S-AEIS — Supplementary Admissions Exercise for International Students.

Think of it as a supplementary admission exercise held later in the academic year.

The two exercises are not identical.

AEIS

The main AEIS exercise is for admission in the following academic year. It covers:

• Primary 2–5
• Secondary 1–3

S-AEIS

S-AEIS is for students seeking admission in the same academic year. It covers:

• Primary 2–4
• Secondary 1–2

So, S-AEIS does not cover every level covered by the main AEIS exercise.

This distinction matters if your family arrives in Singapore after the main AEIS registration period.

When does AEIS take place?

AEIS generally follows an annual cycle.

For 2026, the timeline is particularly useful because the dates have already been announced.

AEIS 2026

• Primary registration: 7 July–16 July 2026
• Secondary registration: 8 July–17 July 2026
• AEIS examinations: 1 September–4 September 2026
• School year for successful applicants: January 2027

The exact examination date and reporting details are provided on the student’s Entry Proof.

For future years, parents should not assume the dates will be identical.

The official SEAB and MOE pages publish the relevant year’s registration period and test schedule.

Where do you register for AEIS?

Registration is done online through the SEAB Candidates Portal during the official registration window.

It is not something parents should register for through a tuition centre or private AEIS preparation school.

A preparation centre may help you prepare, but the actual AEIS registration is through the official government process.

The basic registration process

Step 1

Create a Candidates Portal account during the application period.

Step 2

Read the instructions provided by SEAB for candidates before registration.

Step 3

Apply for the appropriate AEIS level once the account has been created and the relevant registration window opens.

Step 4

Upload the required documents. These include:

• Birth certificate
• Passport biodata page
• Relevant additional documents where required

For Primary applicants, there is an additional English-language requirement discussed below.

Step 5

Pay the application fee through the online application process. Application fees are non-refundable.

Step 6

Wait for approval. Registration is not automatically approved.

SEAB says that, where documents are in order and the applicant is assessed as eligible, it can take at least four weeks from application for the status to change from “Pending” to “Registered.”

Step 7

If approved, retrieve the Entry Proof from the Candidates Portal after receiving SEAB’s email.

The Entry Proof contains important information including the test details and venue.

What documents do you need?

For the AEIS application, parents should be prepared to provide:

1. Birth certificate

If it is not in English, an accurate English translation is required.

2. Passport

The passport biodata page is required, and SEAB states that the passport should have at least six months’ validity.

3. Cambridge English qualification — for Primary applicants

This is an important requirement that parents sometimes discover too late.

For the 2026 AEIS Primary application, applicants needed to submit the statement of results for the relevant Cambridge English Qualification taken from July 2025 onwards.

This means parents planning for a future AEIS Primary application should investigate the Cambridge English requirement well before the AEIS registration window opens.

Where to verify: This article is general editorial information, not legal, immigration, medical or financial advice. Requirements can change. Check the relevant Singapore government agency or a qualified professional for advice about your situation.