Frequently Asked Questions (ITE Students)
1. What is the Polytechnic Early Admissions Exercise (Poly EAE) for ITE students?
Poly EAE for ITE students is an admissions exercise that allows final-year ITE students to apply for and receive conditional offers for admission to polytechnic based on their aptitudes and interests before their final Grade Point Average (GPA) for Nitec or Higher Nitec is released. It allows the polytechnics greater flexibility to select students based on broader measures of merit, beyond just academic grades.
2. Who can take part in Poly EAE for ITE students?
Poly EAE for ITE students is for ITE students who are in the final year of their Nitec or Higher Nitec courses.
For the AY2022 polytechnic intake, ITE graduates who complete their Nitec course in June or December or Higher Nitec course in September or March will be eligible to apply for admission via the Poly EAE for ITE students.
3. Can I apply for Poly EAE if I have previously graduated from ITE?
Only ITE students who are in the final year of their Nitec or Higher Nitec courses may apply to Poly EAE for ITE students.
However, ITE graduates from previous cohorts can apply through the Poly EAE for working adults instead. More information about the Poly EAE for working adults can be found at https://eae.polytechnic.edu.sg
4. Who should take part in the Poly EAE for ITE students?
ITE students in their final year of study who have strong aptitude and sustained interest in a field, and who wish to pursue their studies in that field through a polytechnic course, may wish to consider taking part in Poly EAE for ITE students.
Students who are not completely sure about what they want to do may wish to first further explore their interests and deepen their skills after graduation, e.g. through work, or progressing to a Higher Nitec course. Students who wish to apply to polytechnic on the basis of their ITE GPA should take part in the Joint Polytechnic Admissions Exercise (JPAE).
5. If I am part of the Direct-Entry-Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP), can I take part in Poly EAE for ITE students?
If you are a DPP student, you may take part in the Poly EAE for ITE students. Should you be offered a place and your conditional Poly EAE for ITE students offer is subsequently confirmed, you will not be eligible to participate in the JPAE and other polytechnic admissions exercises. Your DPP guarantee of a place to a mapped polytechnic diploma course (subject to meeting the minimum qualifying GPA) will also be voided.
Should you not be offered a place through Poly EAE for ITE students or reject a Poly EAE for ITE students offer, you may apply for polytechnic admission through JPAE. If you successfully complete your Higher Nitec course and attain the required minimum qualifying GPA, you will be able to use your DPP guarantee for polytechnic admission.
6. How many places are set aside for the Poly EAE?
In Academic Year 2021, the five polytechnics (Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic) admitted about 20% of their Academic Year intake through Poly EAE. The EAE intake may differ from year to year, and would depend on student demand and the quality of the EAE applications.
7. Why do I still need to meet academic criteria?
While interest and aptitude in a field of study is important, having the requisite academic foundation helps to ensure that you will be able to cope with the rigour of a polytechnic education and benefit from it. It is for this reason that ITE students seeking admission to the polytechnics are required to graduate from ITE and meet the following admissions criteria:
a) Final net GPA 3.5 for Nitec holders* (including CCA bonus points); and
b) Final net GPA 2.0 for Higher Nitec holders (including CCA bonus points).
*For Nitec in Nursing holders only, the minimum GPA requirement for admission to Diploma in Nursing is 3.0.
8. What happens if I do not meet these requirements?
If you do not meet the minimum GPA requirements, your conditional offer through the Poly EAE for ITE students will be automatically revoked. You will be eligible to participate in JPAE and other polytechnic admissions exercises at that point.