Overview
The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is Singapore's national examination taken at the end of Primary 6, the final year of primary school. It is set by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB), a statutory board under the Ministry of Education (MOE). The PSLE marks the end of primary education and its results are used to place students into secondary school, including the course and subject levels they take there.
Note
The official SEAB and MOE pages for the PSLE were not directly reachable while researching this page, so the details below are drawn from secondary reports about SEAB's and MOE's published material. Confirm exam dates, subject combinations and posting figures for the current year on seab.gov.sg and moe.gov.sg before relying on them.
Who can apply
All Primary 6 students in Singapore government and government-aided primary schools sit the PSLE in the year they complete Primary 6. Students are registered for the exam by their primary school, not individually, and the school also registers each student's subject combination, including whether Mother Tongue Language and Science/Mathematics are taken at Foundation or Standard level where the student is eligible for Foundation subjects.
Exam pattern
The PSLE covers four subjects: English Language, Mother Tongue Language (Chinese, Malay, Tamil, or another offered language), Mathematics and Science. Each subject is examined at Standard level, with a Foundation level offered in Mathematics, Science and Mother Tongue Language for students who need it; some students also take Higher Mother Tongue Language. For 2026, SEAB's published schedule spreads the exam across three windows: Mother Tongue and English oral examinations in mid-August, Mother Tongue Listening Comprehension in mid-September, and the written papers over about a week in late September.
| Subject | Components |
|---|---|
| English Language | Oral communication; two written papers (composition/language use, and comprehension) |
| Mother Tongue Language | Oral communication; listening comprehension; two written papers; Higher Mother Tongue Language is a separate, additional paper for students taking it |
| Mathematics | Two written papers (Paper 1 without a calculator, Paper 2 with a calculator), at Standard or Foundation level |
| Science | One or two written papers covering compulsory and open-ended questions, at Standard or Foundation level |
Marking and results
Since the 2021 cohort, PSLE results have been reported using the Achievement Level (AL) system, which replaced the earlier T-score. Each subject is graded on a scale from AL1 (the best band) to AL8, based on a fixed mark range rather than on how other candidates in the same cohort performed. A student's PSLE Score is the sum of the AL grades for their four subjects, so the best possible score is 4 (AL1 in all four subjects) and the weakest is 32 (AL8 in all four). Foundation-level subjects are reported on their own AL scale (AL-A to AL-C), which is converted to a standard-level AL equivalent for the purpose of computing the PSLE Score.
Important dates
For the 2026 PSLE, SEAB's schedule sets oral examinations for 12-13 August 2026, Mother Tongue Listening Comprehension for 15 September 2026, and written papers from 24 to 30 September 2026 (English on 24 September, Mathematics on 25 September, Mother Tongue on 28 September, Science on 29 September, and Higher Mother Tongue on 30 September). School registration for the exam typically runs in April of the exam year. Results are expected to be released in late November 2026, after which the Secondary 1 posting exercise runs through December 2026.
How to apply
Students do not apply individually. Each Primary 6 student is registered for the PSLE, and for a specific subject combination and level, by their primary school during the school-based registration window. Parents confirm subject-level choices (such as Foundation subjects) with the school based on the student's progress; SEAB's PSLE Rules and Regulations booklet, issued through the school, sets out the conduct rules candidates must follow.
After the exam
Results are collected from the student's primary school. Students who were not already offered a place through the Direct School Admission (DSA-Sec) exercise then take part in the Secondary 1 (S1) Posting exercise: they submit up to six secondary school choices through an online system, and are posted to a school and course based on their PSLE Score, their choices, and the school's cut-off points for that year. Secondary courses are organised into the Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) tracks, each with a different pace and subject combination, with a student's PSLE Score range determining which tracks and schools they can be posted to.
Preparation tips
Work through SEAB's released past-year PSLE papers and specimen papers for each subject, since question formats and command words repeat from year to year.
Confirm Foundation versus Standard subject levels with the school well before the registration window, since this affects both exam content and how the AL score is computed.
For Science and Mathematics, practise both compulsory structured questions and open-ended questions under timed conditions, since both appear in the actual papers.
Keep track of the oral examination, listening comprehension and written paper dates separately, since they fall on different weeks rather than back to back.
FAQs
What subjects does every PSLE candidate take?
Every candidate takes English Language, Mother Tongue Language, Mathematics and Science. Some students also take Higher Mother Tongue Language, and Mathematics, Science and Mother Tongue Language may be taken at Foundation level where the student qualifies.
How is the PSLE Score calculated under the AL system?
Each of the four subjects is graded on an Achievement Level from AL1 (best) to AL8. The PSLE Score is the sum of the four AL grades, so it ranges from 4 (AL1 in every subject) to 32 (AL8 in every subject). A lower score reflects stronger overall performance.
How does the PSLE Score decide which secondary school a student goes to?
After results are released, students (other than those already placed through Direct School Admission) submit up to six secondary school choices online. Places are offered based on the PSLE Score, the student's choice order, and each school's cut-off score for that year, across the Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) course tracks.
Can a student register for the PSLE on their own?
No. Primary 6 students are registered for the PSLE by their primary school, including their subject combination and levels. Parents work with the school to confirm subject-level choices during the school's registration window.