Primary One registration in Singapore

According to the Compulsory Education Act, all Singaporeans and residents of Singapore born after 1st January 1996 have to complete primary school education in a national primary school. Primary school education in Singapore lasts for 6 years and ends with the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). With effect from 2019, the Compulsory Education Act also includes children with moderate-to-severe Special Educational Needs (SEN) born after 1st January 2012. The purpose of of the Primary One Registration Exercise is to ensure that every child of age is given a place in a national primary school in the following year. Most Singaporeans are expected to begin their primary school education at 7 years old.

Administrative information

All parents and guardians need to register their child within the registration period or they may face legal charges. However, deferments due to valid reasons may be granted. For children who are Singaporeans or PR, the registration period will be from July to August every year. The number of vacancies each school will offer will be released in June before registration begins. Parents can check the availability of each school through Ministry of Education’s (MOE) online platform (MOE vacancies website).

Statutory declaration

A statutory declaration is required if the parents plan to register the child using the address of the child’s grandparents or the parent’s sibling, under the precondition that the address is within 2km from the school. Parents may check the home-school distance through the OneMap School Query Service website (OneMap online service). The statutory declaration is only applicable for parents who are both working full-time and if their child is under the full time care of a grandparent or the parent’s sibling who is unemployed.

One of the parents and the grandparent or sibling has to be physically present at the MOE Customer Service Center in order to make a statutory declaration. Documents such as the NRIC of both parents, NRIC of the grandparent or the parent’s sibling, birth certificate of the child, documents to prove the parent’s relationship with his or her parent or sibling, and supporting documents to prove the employment status of the parents have to be submitted on the same day.

Registration method

Registration has to be made at the primary school of choice. Parents of the child must be present on the day of registration. Alternatively, parents may authorise a friend or relative to register their child. The Letter of Authorisation (MOE Authorisation Form) must be submitted on the day of registration. The hours of registration at schools are from 8AM to 11AM and from 2.30PM to 4.30PM on each scheduled registration day. Parents or guardians of the child must present the originals of the all required documents and Letter of Authorisation, if applicable. The following documents are required at the time of registration:

• Child’s Birth Certificate
• Child’s Citizenship Certificate (for new citizens)
• Child’s Entry/Re-entry permit (for PRs)
• Parents’ NRIC
• Parents’ Entry/Re-entry permit (for PRs)
• Child’s Immunisation Records

Registration phases

The Primary One Registration Exercise takes place in different phases. Children who are eligible for the earlier phases are more likely to secure places in their preferred schools.

Phase	Eligibility
Phase 1	Child whose sibling is an existing student in school of choice. Parents can submit the registration form and all other documents through the older sibling who will be given the form by the school. Every child registered under this phase will be guaranteed a place in the school.
Phase 2A (1)	Child whose parent is an alumna of the school and who has joined the alumni association as a member for more than a year. Child whose parent is part of the School Advisory or Management Committee.
Phase 2A (2)	Child whose parent or sibling is an alumna of the school. Child whose parent is a staff member of the school. Child from a MOE kindergarten that is co-located or within the purview of the primary school.
Phase 2B	Child whose parent has been part of the school’s parent volunteer group for more than a year and has contributed at least 40 hours of service to the school by the start of the registration period. Child whose parent is a member endorsed by the church or clan that is affiliated with the primary school. Child whose parent is endorsed as an active community leader.
Phase 2C	All children of age. For children under Phase 2C and Phase 2C Supplementary, online registration can be made through the Primary One Internet System (P1-IS) Online Registration platform (MOE Online Registration) by following the step-by-step guide on MOE’s website (MOE P1-IS Guide).
Phase 2C Supplementary	Child who has not yet registered through the previous phases.

Balloting

For popular schools, there will be limited vacancies after Phase 2B as parents would go above and beyond to volunteer at the school of their choice in order to get their child enrolled. Therefore, as long as the number of applicants in a particular phase exceeds the allocated vacancies for that phase, MOE will conduct a computerised balloting based on home to school distance and citizenship of the child. Singaporeans will be given absolute priority.

The ballot outcome will be sent to the parents via SMS on the day the registration result is announced. A letter will also be sent to them at the end of each phase of the registration exercise.

Home to school distance

Children whose registered addressed is within the first 1km of the school will have a greater chance of enrollment, followed by the second kilometer and so on. Parents may check the home-school distance through the OneMap School Query Service website (OneMap online service). However, a child who gained admission through the advantage of the his or her home-school distance is required to reside at the same address for a minimum of 30 months from the start of the registration period. The child will be transferred to another school if this requirement is not met.