The Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) takes place in January, right after the release of your O-Level results. If you meet the eligibility criteria for your preferred institutions, you can then apply for admission to JCs, MI, Polytechnics, or ITE by submitting your application online through the JAE Internet System (JAE-IS).
Am I Eligible to Participate in JAE?
You can read more about the eligibility criteria for JAE here. In addition, below are some example personas to help you better understand the process.
JAE Key Dates
Release of O-Level Results: 10 January 2025 (2.30pm)
On the day of your O-Level results release, you’ll receive an email confirming your JAE eligibility if you took the 2024 O-Level exams. Eligible students will also receive Form A, which details your aggregate scores for JC, MI, polytechnic, and ITE, along with the courses you’re eligible to apply for.
Application Period: 10 January 2025 (4pm) to 15 January 2025 (4pm)
Remember to apply for a Singpass beforehand, as JAE PINs are no longer issued. Once you have your Singpass, you can then submit your application via JAE-IS anytime during the 6-day window, starting from the day of your results release.
Release of Posting Results: 4 February 2025 (9am)
JAE posting results will be released via SMS and JAE-IS.
Acceptance of Offer: By End February 2025
For JC/MI, you must report on the morning of Wednesday, 5 February 2025 (tentative) to secure your place. Remember to bring your identification documents and wear your secondary school uniform. If you’re still waiting on an appeal outcome, you should still report to your posted school. If you cannot report in person due to valid reasons, do contact or email the school to confirm your acceptance and they’ll receive your spot for you.
For Poly, you will receive an enrolment email by end February and must complete the online enrolment by the given deadline to secure your place. You should complete the enrolment even if you’re waiting for an appeal.
For ITE, an enrolment email will be sent on the JAE results day, and you must accept the offer online by the stated deadline. Do accept the offer even while you’re waiting for an appeal outcome.
How JAE Posting Works
To apply for a course, you must first meet its admission criteria. Moreover, while all the specifics on JAE posting can be found here, let’s explore some scenarios that illustrate how various factors can impact your chances of getting into your desired course.
Disclaimer: These examples do not reflect the actual COPs for the courses listed below.
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Net Aggregate Score
- There is 1 vacancy left in CJC.
- Anna, with a gross aggregate of 12 and 4 bonus points, has ranked CJC as her first choice in the JAE.
- Ben, with a gross aggregate of 11 and 2 bonus points, also lists CJC as his first choice in the JAE.
Outcome: Anna will gain admission because she has a better net aggregate score of 8 (12 – 4) compared to Ben’s score of 9 (11 – 2).
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Citizenship
- NP’s Business course has 1 vacancy remaining.
- Clara, a Singaporean with a gross aggregate of 13 and 3 bonus points, ranked this course fourth in the JAE.
- Denise, a PR with a gross aggregate of 9 and 3 bonus points, has ranked it first in the JAE.
Outcome: Clara will gain admission due to citizenship priority (Singapore Citizens > Permanent Residents > International Students), even though Denise ranked the course higher.
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Gross Aggregate Score
- ACJC has 1 vacancy left.
- Both Eileen and Fabian are Singaporeans.
- Eileen, with a gross aggregate of 8 and 3 bonus points, has ranked the course first in the JAE.
- Fabian, with a gross aggregate of 7 and 2 bonus points, has ranked it tenth in the JAE.
Outcome: Fabian will gain admission because his higher raw score of 7 takes precedence, despite both students having the same net aggregate score of 5.
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Computer Ballot
- NYP’s Mass Media course has 1 remaining spot.
- Both Gwen and Herbert, Singaporeans with a raw score of 8 and no bonus points, have applied.
- Gwen ranked the course fifth, while Herbert ranked it third in the JAE.
Outcome: A computer ballot will decide the admission. Eventually, the computer balloting system randomly selected Herbert.
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Course Priority
- Isabella, with a net aggregate of 15, has ranked NYP’s Nursing Course as her first choice in the JAE.
- Jonas, with a net aggregate of 7, has listed it as his twelfth choice in the JAE.
Outcome: Isabella will be given priority because she has ranked Nursing as her top choice.
What does JAE’s COP Actually Mean?
COP (Cut-Off Point) refers to the net aggregate score of the least-qualified applicant from the previous year and does not reflect the current year’s cut-off.
Furthermore, during the JAE posting process, you rank your choices from first to twelfth place. If your first choice is filled, your second choice will then be considered. However, you should always be strategic with your rankings. For example, don’t waste your choices by ranking highly a course that has a historical average COP of 4 when your actual aggregate score is 15.
By understanding these scenarios, you can better navigate the JAE process and strategically position your application for the best chance of admission.
