Choose a route to explore
JC2-year A-Level or IB route
- Structure / duration
- Subject combination; 2-year A-Level or IB programme.
- Afterwards
- Further study, including university, subject to entry requirements.
- Admissions check
- JAE route: check eligibility, posted course and subject requirements separately.
Explore if several academic subjects appeal. Compare the actual A-Level or IB workload before choosing.
Compare JC options →Polytechnic3-year diploma route
- Structure / duration
- 3-year diploma in a field, with practice-based learning and industry exposure.
- Afterwards
- Work or apply for further study using the diploma.
- Admissions check
- JAE route: the course’s ELR2B2 type and minimum subject grades both matter.
Explore if a field interests your child enough to study its compulsory modules, including the difficult ones.
Discover courses →Millennia Institute (MI)3-year A-Level route
- Structure / duration
- 3-year A-Level programme.
- Afterwards
- Apply for further study, including university.
- Admissions check
- JAE uses MI-specific requirements; the 2026 Form A identifies L1R4, not JC’s L1R5.
Compare with JC if your child wants subject-based study and wishes to investigate a three-year structure.
MOE: JC and MI admissions →ITETechnical and vocational pathways
- Structure / duration
- Technical and vocational study; the 2026 JAE route covers 2-year Higher Nitec.
- Afterwards
- Work or pursue eligible further-study routes; course and attainment conditions apply.
- Admissions check
- Identify the exact programme: other Higher Nitec durations/intakes use different exercises.
Investigate the actual practical work, campus and progression conditions with your child.
Understand ITE routes →Arts institutionsSpecialised arts pathways
- Structure / duration
- NAFA and LASALLE offer arts programmes. Check the exact diploma and its duration.
- Afterwards
- Check work and further-study options for the specific qualification.
- Admissions check
- Apply through the institution’s own process; check portfolio, audition and academic conditions.
Explore if your child is already making or performing work and wants to investigate formal study in that discipline.
MOE: arts institutions and application routes →About this comparison
Durations below describe the routes shown in MOE’s 2026 guidance. Progression means an option to apply, subject to the receiving institution’s requirements. It does not mean an assured place.
Which route should we investigate first?
Does your child have a field they want to explore?
Yes → Compare relevant poly courses
Not really? Continue below.
Do they want to continue broad academic subjects?
Mostly yes → Explore JC or MI
Mostly no → Compare diplomas or ITE routes
This suggests where to investigate, not what to choose. Interests can overlap; compare the actual subjects and course work.
Still unsure, or considering a creative route?
Is there a field whose everyday work already interests you?
Choose two related diplomas and compare their compulsory content.
Compare two fields with a sample activity in each.
Course discovery →Do you want to continue a combination of academic subjects?
Compare one JC combination with MI’s subject-based route.
Inspect real diploma modules before ruling anything out.
Compare JCs →Do you want to develop a specific practical or creative skill?
Investigate relevant ITE or arts programmes and their application conditions.
Return to interests, weekly workload and future options; prestige does not resolve those questions.
ITE route information →Are both JC and poly still on the table?
Use the decision check together to identify concrete plans and facts still missing.
Keep at least one alternative until eligibility and practical constraints are checked.
JC vs Poly Decision Check →About this comparison
This decision tree chooses what to research next. It is not an eligibility calculation, a personality test or a final recommendation. More than one branch can apply.
JAE in 3 steps
Check eligibility
Use Form A and the course’s subject requirements for the correct admission year.
What eligibility tells you
In the 2026 process, Form A separates gross aggregates from the courses the applicant is eligible for. A historical score cannot replace that eligibility information: a course may have subject requirements that the overall aggregate does not reveal.
Posting also depends on net scores, vacancies and competing applicants. An old cut-off or range describes an earlier intake; it is not an admission promise. Read the course’s aggregate type and subject conditions together.
MOE: understanding Form A ↗Shortlist realistic and aspirational choices
Compare options your child would accept. Historical references provide context, not a promise of admission.
Compare JC and poly →Submit in order of genuine preference
Follow the current MOE application instructions and retain the submission acknowledgement.
Application & posting rules
The 2026 exercise has ended. MOE’s notice says details of the 2027 exercise will be available by October 2026; no 2027 application deadline is reproduced here.
Use MOE’s application page for submission and acknowledgement instructions, and its posting page to understand choice order and course-specific provisions. If your child has already accepted an offer through another exercise, read the current participation conditions before assuming JAE remains available.
MOE: JAE announcements and eligibility ↗
More about 2026 / 2027 / 2028+ rules
Admission year is the year of entry, not the examination. Verified 2026-09-09.
2026 admission · 2025 O-Levels
This JAE has ended. Any 2026 score ranges shown are historical reference only, not a future admission guarantee.
2027 admission · 2026 O-Levels
MOE says 2027 JAE details will be updated by October 2026. Check the new publication before applying; this guide does not assume its dates or requirements.
2028 onward · SEC cohort
MOE has announced PSE from 2028, following the first SEC examination in 2027. Use the rules for your admission year; do not carry older JAE calculations forward.
Official sources
View 10 official sources
- MOE — Joint Admissions Exercise ↗
- MOE — Post-secondary institutions and pathways ↗
- MOE — JC and MI admissions ↗
- MOE — Polytechnic admission and courses (2026 JAE) ↗
- MOE — Understanding your Form A ↗
- MOE — ITE admission and courses (2026 JAE) ↗
- MOE — CourseFinder ↗
- MOE — How JAE posting works ↗
- MOE — JAE application instructions ↗
- MOE — New Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise in 2028 ↗
Verification dates & source years
MOE — Joint Admissions Exercise: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — Post-secondary institutions and pathways: 2025 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — JC and MI admissions: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — Polytechnic admission and courses (2026 JAE): 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — Understanding your Form A: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — ITE admission and courses (2026 JAE): 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — CourseFinder: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — How JAE posting works: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — JAE application instructions: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
MOE — New Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise in 2028: 2026 · verified 2026-09-09
Mentora editorial team · Reviewed