Release of 2023 Singapore Cambridge GCE Normal (Acad) & Normal (Tech) Level Examination Results

18 DEC 2023

1. Candidates who sat for the 2023 Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) Normal (Academic) [N(A)] and Normal (Technical) [N(T)] Level Examinations received their results today1.

2. 9,153 candidates from the Secondary 4 N(A) course and 4,422 candidates from the Secondary 4 N(T) course sat for the examinations. 9,094  (or 99.4%) candidates from the N(A) course have achieved Grade 5 or better in at least one N(A) subject2, and 4,330 (or 97.9%) candidates from the N(T) course have achieved Grade D or better in at least one N(T) subject3. 

3. This year, 49% of the school candidates from the N(A) course sat for subjects in the GCE Ordinary Level (GCE O-Level) examinations. Schools will take their combined GCE N(A)-Level and school-based O-Level preliminary examination results into consideration when determining their eligibility for progression to Secondary 5 N(A) or post-secondary pathways. 

Progression to Secondary 5 Normal (Academic)

4. 77.2% 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 of 19 points or lower in English Language, Mathematics and the best three subjects (ELMAB3), and at least a N(A)-Level Grade 5 for all subjects used in the computation of the ELMAB3.  

Progression Pathways for Normal (Academic) Students

5. Secondary 4 N(A) students who sat for the GCE N(A)-Level Examinations in 2023 as school candidates, obtained a raw ELMAB3 aggregate of 19 points or lower4, 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). 

6. 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. 

7. About 1,200 DPP places will be offered across all three ITE Colleges. Applications for the DPP will open on 18 December 2023.  For more information, please refer to https://www.ite.edu.sg/admissions/full-time-courses/higher-nitec-dpp.

8. Secondary 4 N(A) students who sat for the GCE N(A)-Level Examinations in 2023 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 of 12 points or lower, and meet the subject-specific requirements for their chosen course. From the Academic Year (AY) 2024 intake, the minimum subject grades for the two ‘Best’ subjects will be relaxed from N(A)-Level Grade 3 to Grade 45.

9. 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.

10. The polytechnics will offer about 1,700 PFP places in total. Applications for the PFP will open in January 2024, 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 2 January 2024. All PFP-bound students are required to attend their Secondary 5N(A) classes in their secondary schools up till the last Friday of January 2024, i.e. 26 January 2024. For more information, please refer to https://pfp.polytechnic.edu.sg/PFP/index.html.

11. 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. 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

12. All N(T) course students who complete their secondary education in 2023 may similarly apply to further their studies through ITE’s two-year Nitec or three-year Higher Nitec programmes.

13. 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

14. Candidates are encouraged to explore the range of education and career pathways available to them to make informed decisions about their next steps. They may refer to the following websites for more information:

15. Students may also consult their teachers or ECG Counsellors in their respective secondary schools about their next steps. To complement the ECG services provided by schools, students can make an ECG counselling appointment via the ECG Centre at MOE (Grange Road) at https://go.gov.sg/moe-ecg-centre. The MOE ECG Centre offers online or phone counselling services to GCE N(A)/N(T)-Level students from 11 to 22 December 2023 (Weekdays: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm); 16 December (Saturday: 9.00am to 12.00pm).

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. 
4To be eligible for the DPP, students must also attain a minimum grade N(A)-Level Grade of 4 in both English Language (minimum required grade of 3 for Business & Services courses) and Mathematics, and minimum N(A)-Level 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 a raw ELMAB3 aggregate score of 12 points or lower (excluding CCA bonus points), and attain minimum (i) N(A)-Level Grades 2 and 3 for English Language for Group 2 and 1 courses respectively; (ii) N(A)-Level Grade 3 for the relevant two subjects; and (iii) N(A)-Level Grade 4 for any two other subjects (excluding CCA) 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.