Press Releases

Release of 2021 Singapore-Cambridge GCE N(A)- & N(T)-Level Examination Results

17 December 2021

1. Candidates who sat for the 2021 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) Normal (Academic) [N(A)] and Normal (Technical) [N(T)] Level Examinations received their results today1.

2. Arrangements have been made for school candidates to receive their results from their secondary schools in their respective classrooms. Only school candidates collecting their results were allowed entry into the school premises, with Safe Management Measures (SMMs) in place. Private candidates will be notified of their individual result by post as per previous years. All candidates are also able to access their results online via the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board’s (SEAB) Candidates Portal at www.seab.gov.sg.

3. 9,407 candidates from the Secondary 4 N(A) course and 4,228 candidates from the Secondary 4 N(T) course sat for the examinations. 9,356 (or 99.5%) candidates from the N(A) course have been awarded the GCE N(A)-Level certificate2, and 4,147 (or 98.1%) candidates from the N(T) course have been awarded the GCE N(T)-Level certificate3.

4. This year, 50.3% of the school candidates from the N(A) course sat for subjects in the GCE Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) examinations. Schools will take into consideration their combined GCE N(A)-Level and school-based O-Level preliminary examination results when determining their eligibility for progression to Secondary 5 N(A) or post-secondary pathways.

Progression to Secondary 5 Normal (Academic)

5. 79.2% of the school candidates from the N(A) course are eligible for progression to Secondary 5 N(A). These candidates must have obtained an aggregate not exceeding 19 points in English Language, Mathematics and the best three subjects (ELMAB3), and at least a Grade 5 for all subjects used in the computation of the ELMAB3.

Progression Pathways for Normal (Academic) Students

6. Secondary 4 N(A) students who sat for the GCE N(A)-Level Examinations in 2021 as school candidates, obtained a raw ELMAB3 aggregate not exceeding 19 points4, and met subject-specific entry requirements for their chosen course will have the option of applying for the Direct-Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP).

7. The DPP prepares Secondary 4 N(A) students for progression into mapped polytechnic diploma courses via a two-year Higher Nitec programme at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). Under the DPP, students who successfully complete their Higher Nitec course and attain the minimum qualifying Grade Point Average (GPA) are guaranteed a place in a polytechnic diploma course mapped to their Higher Nitec course.

8. About 1,200 DPP places will be offered across all three ITE Colleges. Applications for the DPP will open on 17 December 2021. For more information, please refer to https://www.ite.edu.sg/admissions/full-time-courses/higher-nitec-dpp.

9. Secondary 4 N(A) students who sat for the GCE N(A)-Level Examinations in 2021 as school candidates also have the option of applying for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP). Students are eligible to apply for the PFP if they have obtained a raw ELMAB3 aggregate not exceeding 12 points, and meet the subject-specific requirements for their chosen course5.

10. The PFP is a one-year foundation programme at the polytechnics that offers a practice-oriented curriculum taught by polytechnic lecturers, to prepare students for entry into the relevant polytechnic diploma courses. Upon completion of the PFP, students will progress to their pre-selected diploma course, subject to them passing all modules in the PFP.

11. The polytechnics will offer about 1,500 PFP places in total. Applications for the PFP will open in January 2022, on the day of the GCE O-Level Examination results release. Secondary 4 N(A) students who intend to apply for the PFP should first progress to Secondary 5 on 4 January 2022. All PFP-bound students are required to attend their Secondary 5N(A) classes in their secondary schools up till the last Friday of January 2022, i.e. 28 January 2022. For more information, please refer to https://pfp.polytechnic.edu.sg/PFP/index.html.

12. All N(A) course students who have completed their secondary education may also apply to further their studies through ITE’s two-year Nitec or three-year Higher Nitec programmes. Starting from Academic Year 2022, ITE will introduce the enhanced three-year curricular structure6 leading directly to a Higher Nitec certification. This will equip ITE graduates with deeper industry-relevant skills for employment, as well as provide a strong foundation for further education and skills upgrading over the course of their careers. For more information on courses available at ITE, please refer to https://www.ite.edu.sg/courses/full-time-courses/nitec-and-3-year-higher-nitec.

Progression Pathways for Normal (Technical) students

13. All N(T) course students who complete their secondary education in 2021 may similarly apply to further their studies through ITE’s two-year Nitec or three- year Higher Nitec programmes.

14. Schools may also laterally transfer Secondary 4 N(T) students to Secondary 4 N(A) if they have obtained Grade A for both English Language and Mathematics, and Grade B or better for one other subject at the GCE N(T)-Level Examination.

Provision of Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Services

15. Candidates are advised to select courses based on their strengths and interest in the field of study. School candidates may consult their teachers or ECG Counsellors in their respective secondary schools to help them make informed decisions about their next steps. To complement the ECG services provided by schools, candidates may also make an appointment for online or phone counselling with an ECG Counsellor from the ECG Centre at MOE (Grange Road) via 6831 1420, MOE_ECG@moe.gov.sg or https://go.gov.sg/moe-ecg-centre. The MOE ECG Centre will offer online or phone counselling from 10 to 24 December 20217, 9.00am to 5.00pm. Candidates can also refer to the MySkillsFuture website at https://go.gov.sg/mysfsec to find out more about the range of education and career pathways available to them.

1 The Cambridge Assessment International Education, the Ministry of Education, Singapore and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) are the joint examining authorities for the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) Level Examinations.
2 The GCE N(A)-Level certificate is awarded to candidates who obtain at least a Grade 5 or better in at least one N(A) subject.
3 The GCE N(T)-Level certificate is awarded to candidates who obtain at least a Grade D or better in at least one N(T) subject.
4 To be eligible for the DPP, students must also attain a minimum grade of 4 in both English Language (minimum required grade of 3 for Business & Services courses) and Mathematics, and minimum grade of 5 in three other subjects (excluding CCA). CCA bonus points are not factored into the ELMAB3 aggregate used for considering eligibility for the DPP, but are taken into account for posting.
5 To be eligible for the PFP, students must obtain an ELMAB3 aggregate score not exceeding 12 points (excluding CCA bonus points), and attain a minimum grade of 3 (minimum grade of 2 in English Language for Group 2 courses) in all subjects that make up the ELMAB3 aggregate. CCA bonus points are not factored into the ELMAB3 aggregate used for considering eligibility for the PFP, but are taken into account for posting.
6 More information can be found in MOE's press release (30 April 2021): https://go.gov.sg/itecs30apr
7 Online or phone counselling services on 18 December and 24 December will only be available from 9.00am to 12.30pm.