If you have moved to Singapore with a school-age child who is not a citizen or permanent resident, you have probably heard about the AEIS exam Singapore uses to admit international students into mainstream government schools. It is short for the Admissions Exercise for International Students, and it is run by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The process can feel opaque, especially if you are used to the mainland system where enrolment follows your hukou and catchment. This guide explains, in plain terms, what the AEIS is, who sits it, and how to help your child prepare, while pointing you to MOE for the details that change from year to year.
What the AEIS Is and Who Needs It
The AEIS is a centralised test that MOE uses to place international students into a suitable primary or secondary level in mainstream schools. It exists because these schools follow the national curriculum in English, so a child joining partway through needs to show they can cope with the language and the mathematics at their level.
You generally need to go through the AEIS if your child holds a foreign passport and does not already have a place in an MOE school. Singapore citizens and permanent residents follow different admission routes and do not sit this exercise. Children in international schools, which run their own curricula and admit students directly, do not need the AEIS either. Because eligibility, exemptions and the exact rules can shift, always confirm your child’s situation on the MOE website before you commit to a plan.
One thing worth understanding early: passing the AEIS does not let you pick a specific school. MOE places successful candidates in a school with vacancies, taking into account the level tested and where places are available. It is closer to a centralised allocation than a school-by-school application, which is a mindset shift for many newly arrived families.
What the Exam Actually Tests
At its core, the AEIS assesses two things: English and Mathematics. The reasoning is practical. A child who joins a Singapore classroom needs enough English to follow lessons across every subject, and enough mathematics to slot into the right year without being lost or held back.
In broad terms, families can expect the papers to cover:
- English: reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and the ability to understand written passages at the child’s level.
- Mathematics: problem solving and the topics a Singapore student would have met by that stage, with questions often set in word-problem form.
The mathematics content is frequently familiar to children from the mainland, who tend to arrive with strong number skills. The English paper is usually the harder hurdle, particularly the comprehension and the way maths questions are wrapped in English text. A child who is strong at sums in Chinese can still stumble when a question is phrased as a paragraph in English. MOE publishes the current format, the levels offered and sample material, so treat that as your source of truth rather than second-hand accounts, because the structure is reviewed from time to time.
How the Timeline and Placement Generally Work
The AEIS typically runs on an annual cycle, with a registration window, a test sitting and then results and placement offers. There is often a supplementary round for families who miss or do not pass the main exercise, though the availability and timing of that round are set by MOE each year. Rather than rely on dates you read in a forum, check the official MOE page each admissions season, as registration opens and closes on a fixed schedule and late entries are not usually accommodated.
The broad shape of the journey looks like this:
| Stage | What happens | Where to confirm details |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | You apply online within the set window and pay the fee | MOE AEIS webpage |
| Sitting the exam | Your child takes the English and Maths papers | MOE, closer to the date |
| Results | MOE informs you of the outcome | MOE, via the registered contact |
| Placement | Successful candidates are allocated a school with vacancies | MOE placement notice |
| Reporting to school | You complete enrolment at the assigned school | The allocated school |
Note that the fee, the precise windows and the placement rules are all set by MOE and can change, so this table is a map of the process, not a promise of specifics. When an offer comes, it may be for a school and level you did not expect, and you usually have a limited window to accept, so keep your contact details current and watch for MOE communications.
Helping Your Child Prepare
Preparation is where families can make the biggest difference, and it is less about cramming than about steady exposure. Since English is usually the deciding factor, the earlier your child is reading and listening in English every day, the better. Libraries run by the National Library Board are free to join and are full of levelled readers, and daily reading at home builds vocabulary faster than any last-minute drill.
A few practical habits that help:
- Read English books slightly below the target level first, to build confidence, then step up.
- Practise timed comprehension so the format itself stops being a surprise.
- Work through Singapore-style maths word problems in English, so the language of questions becomes familiar.
- Speak English at home in small doses, even if it feels unnatural at first.
Some families engage a tutor or a preparation centre. That can help, but choose carefully and be wary of any centre that guarantees a pass, because no one can promise an outcome MOE controls. Watch your child’s stress levels too; a calm, well-rested child performs better than an exhausted one. If your child does not pass on the first attempt, it is not the end of the road. Families often reassess, keep building English over the following months, and consider the next available exercise, while some choose an international or private route in the meantime. Whatever you decide, base it on the current MOE rules rather than assumptions carried over from the mainland system.
Explore more
Sorting out schooling is one piece of settling your family in. If your child will travel to school on their own, see our guide to arranging school bus and transport for your child. Mothers accompanying a studying child should read about the Student’s Guardian Pass, and families reuniting across borders will find bringing a child who stayed in China to join you a useful companion.