A Complete Guide to EAE (Early Admissions Exercise)
for Singapore Polytechnics
Written by The Admithric Team, last updated 25th February 2026
For ITE-EAE, Lassalle-EAE, and NAFA-EAE, click here!
What is EAE?
Overview
The Early Admissions Exercise (EAE) is an aptitude-based admissions pathway that allows Secondary 4 and 5 students to apply to polytechnics before receiving their O-Level results. It focuses on passion, portfolio, experiences, and course suitability rather than grades alone.
Application takes place in June or July
Shortlisted applicants attend interviews or aptitude assessments
Offers are released around August or September, before O-Levels
Acceptance is binding if minimum academic requirements are met
Key things to note:
About 60–70% of polytechnic courses participate in EAE
JAE cut-off points do not apply
Students must still meet minimum O-Level requirements
Accepted applicants cannot switch courses after results release
Who Should Apply?
EAE works best for students who already have a clear interest in a specific field and can show genuine passion through experience.
Have a clear idea of what they want to study
Built relevant projects or pursued self-learning related to the course
Participated in competitions, CCAs, or activities connected to the field
Have strengths that may not be fully reflected in exam grades
Want early confirmation of a polytechnic placement
Who Should NOT Apply?
EAE may not be suitable for students who are uncertain about their study path or lack preparation.
Unsure about what course or field to pursue
Applying only because peers are applying
Have no portfolio or relevant experience
Cannot demonstrate genuine interest beyond general statements
Expect strong O-Level results and prefer to keep options open through JAE
If you are keen in EAE, but are unsure of what courses to apply for, you can always head to your school's ECG (education career guidance) counsellor, teachers, or trusted adults for ECG support!
Timeline & Key Dates
Understanding the EAE timeline is crucial because everything happens fast. You'll be juggling applications, interviews, and waiting for results while still preparing for your O-Levels. Here's how the whole thing unfolds :
Eligibility
Basic Eligibility Requirements:
EAE eligibility is straightforward. Applicants must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore PRs currently in Secondary 4 Express/IP or Secondary 5 Normal Academic, and sitting for O-Levels in the same year of application.
Must be taking O-Levels in the application year
Open to Secondary 4 Express/IP and Secondary 5 NA students
Course-Specific Requirements:
Some courses have additional eligibility criteria depending on their nature.
Successful applicants must meet the Minimum Entry Requirement (ELR2B2 ≤ 26), though it may differ for some courses, check your course's MER here!
Engineering and design courses may require normal colour vision
Sports courses may include fitness assessments
Art, design, and media courses require a portfolio
Music courses require demonstration of musical ability
Certain technical courses may require relevant O-Level subjects (e.g. Additional Math or Physics)
Always check individual course requirements before applying to ensure eligibility.
How EAE Works
The EAE process happens in mainly 2 stages.
Application Phase (26 June - 2 July)
This is the starting stage where students submit their applications through the centralized EAE portal. You can apply to up to three courses across different polytechnics.
What you need to do:
Submit up to three course choices (can be different polytechnics)
Write a 600 Character Write-Up for each course you are applying for
Provide a 1000 Character Write-Up that summarizes all your achievements in Secondary School (Achievements should not go too far back in time)
Upload supporting documents such as certificates, CCA transcripts, and portfolios
(CCA Transcripts can be requested from your teachers or the General Office)
Shortlisting Phase (7 July to 2 September)
What happens:
Polytechnics review all applications received
Selection considers portfolio relevance, demonstrated passion, academic results, and course competition
Possible aptitude tests such as design tasks or problem-solving exercises
Polytechnics start sending out emails, calling students for aptitude tests and
Interview conducted online or face-to-face (about 15–30 minutes)
Portfolio presentation may be required
Outcome:
Shortlisted applicants receive interview invitations
Non-shortlisted applicants can still apply through JAE later
Writing Your Application
Your write-ups allow you to show personality, motivation, and growth beyond grades and certificates. This is where you explain your story and demonstrate why you are suitable for the course.
For more tips & tricks on how to craft a good write-up, you can visit the different write-up guides published by the respective polytechnics
Unsure about your write-up? Use our free write-up analyzer tool to get valuable feedback on how to craft a strong write-up!
Click Here to go to our Write-Up Analyzer tools!
Building Your Portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of evidence that demonstrates your skills, experience, and passion for your chosen field.
Types of Evidence to Include (Applicable For All Courses):
Academic achievements: Subject awards, academic competitions
Leadership roles: CCA positions, class committee, student council involvements
CCA involvement: Participation in competitions, NSGs, volunteer roles in CCA
Community service: VIA hours, volunteer work
Competitions: Any relevant competitions (even participation counts!)
Courses/Workshops: External courses, bootcamps, workshops attended
Projects: Personal projects, research papers, school projects
Testimonials: From teachers, mentors, supervisors
Other Useful ways to build portfolio:
Digital courses / internships that award certificates (theForage, Coursera, edX)
Read books and biographies to deepen knowledge and interest
Course-Specific Types of Evidence:
Not sure how to build portfolio? Use our tool to find ways to build a relevant and strong portfolio for your targeted course!
Click Here to go to our Portfolio-Building tools!
How to present your e-portfolio
There's multiple ways to present your portfolio, but the important thing is to have a link / copy that you can share the portfolio via, as you need to submit your portfolio digitally.
Slides: Use Canva, Google Slides. Powerpoint
Websites: Use Canva, Wix (websites are harder to make)
Here's how a typical E-Portfolio should flow (you may tweak it to however you're comfortable with, this is just the format that worked for me):
Introduction / About Me
Personal Projects (Best and most impressive projects at the start)
School Experiences (leadership roles, school competitions etc.)
Accolades (Certificates)
Work Experience (if any)
External Events (other events you participated outside of school)
Check out Dylan Lim's format here!
Tips & tricks:
Add a content page, it makes it more organized
Try to add achievements that are most relevant to your course at the start of your portfolio, this helps to grab the reader's attention
Your portfolio should be filled with photo evidences, not just words
You should highlight / bold the names of the activities / projects
You should say what you have learnt from your experiences
Here is a template!
E-Portfolio Format for Slides (Canva)
E-Portfolio Format for Website (Canva)
Acing Your Aptitude Tests and Interview
The final stage is where your application comes to life. This is your chance to show the person behind the portfolio, and it's often the deciding factor between similar candidates.
Aptitude Tests
Some courses include aptitude tests during the interview process. These are not academic exams but assessments of creativity, practical skills, problem-solving, and how you think under pressure. Not all courses require them, and shortlisted applicants are usually informed beforehand.
What to Expect & How to Prepare:
Tests usually last about 15–45 minutes, and may require you going to the polytechnic itself for the test
Most tests are MCQs (Multiple-Choice Questions) and done digitally
Some tests assess you based on your knowledge of current affairs in the field (eg. latest developments, technology etc.)
Some polytechnics provide a glimpse (3-5 questions) of how the aptitude tests looks like in the email about the date of the aptitude test
There is no genuine way to prepare or study for aptitude tests, except to read up on latest affairs in your field of study, as most questions are based on general knowledge
Bring along a pen/pencil and calculator, as writing paper will be provided for you to do workings for some courses, and the writing paper needs to be submitted.
Interview
Most interviews in EAE are conducted in a group setting, whereby the lecturers will appoint someone to start answering first, and going in a circle. Some polytechnics conduct interviews via Zoom while others require you to go down to the polytechnic.
What to Expect
Interviews usually last 30-60 minutes
There may be multiple lecturers assessing you
It will usually be with a small group of around 5 other candidates
Interviewers assess:
Genuine interest and motivation in course
Knowledge on what is taught in the course, and what you can gain from the course
Ability to communicate ideas
Your knowledge of what career pathways that the course can offer
Your understanding of the polytechnics facilities and strengths
On the day of the Interview:
Here are some common EAE interview questions, sourced from past EAE applicants, to help you prepare for your interview.
What Not to Do
NEVER criticize other polytechnics
Avoid arrogance or excessive self-doubt
Do not give one-word answers (try to elaborate)
Do not check your phone or watch during the interview (makes you look like you do not want to be there)
Never arrive late, if you cannot make it, email the polytechnic for a reschedule.
Do not exaggerate or lie about achievements
Always ask at least one question at the end
Avoid appearing uninterested or unprepared (ensure you can easily access your portfolio)
Course Selection Strategy
You get to apply for up to three courses across different polytechnics. Choosing wisely can make the difference between getting an offer and getting rejected from all three.
Though it is not compulsory to select 3 courses, it can act as a safety net, meanwhile choosing just one course might show interviewers that you are fully confident and committed to joining that one course.
Strategy 1: Three Levels (recommended)
Choice 1: Dream course (something highly competitive that would be amazing to get into but is a reach)
Choice 2: Realistic choice (a good fit where you have a solid chance based on your portfolio
Choice 3: Safety choice (less competitive but still acceptable to you)
Strategy 2: Focused Approach
All three choices within the same field but different polytechnics
Suitable if you have a strong, specialized portfolio
Strategy 3: Diverse Approach
Three different fields you are genuinely interested in
Increases shortlisting chances but requires broader preparation and tailored write-ups
Do take note that if you do this, interviewers might ask you why did you select a different field of study.
Factors to Consider
Genuine interest
Can you study this course for three years?
Does it align with your long-term goals (eg. career ambitions)?
Course competitiveness
Check past JAE cut-off points (lower = more competitive)
IT, Business, Media / Design, and Biomedical courses are typically more competitive
Some engineering and specialized technical courses are generally less competitive
Portfolio strength
Do you have relevant experience and projects?
Can you demonstrate passion and aptitude clearly?
Be realistic about your strengths
Career prospects
Possible job roles and industry demand
Salary potential and career growth
Course content
Review modules carefully
Ensure subjects genuinely interest you, and whether you can cope with the modules
Avoid courses with modules you strongly dislike
Polytechnic factors
Travel distance and convenience
Facilities, resources, and internships opportunities
Industry partnerships / ties and campus culture and learning environments
Check whether that course offers university pathway programs if you are aiming for University
Ranking Your Choices
Order of choices matters greatly
If multiple courses offer you a place, you will receive only your higher-ranked option
You cannot choose between multiple offers
Example:
Choice 1: Cybersecurity, Choice 2: Business, Choice 3: Aerospace Engineering
If Cybersecurity and Aerospace Engineering both offer you a place, you will automatically receive Cybersecurity.