Access Arrangements

Overview

Access Arrangements (AA) are granted by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board to candidates with specific physical and learning disabilities to enable them to sit the national examinations without compromising assessment objectives. These arrangements may include the provision of extra time, a separate room, enlarged print for the candidate's examination papers, or an exemption from specific components of an examination.

AA is extended to these candidates because the standardised testing conditions may result in them receiving an inadequate assessment of their abilities or them being unable to take the examinations altogether.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

All candidates are assessed according to the same marking criteria, to ensure that the grades and examination certificates have the same validity for all candidates.

Hence, AA must not provide candidates with an advantage over the others and compromise the assessment objectives.

When evaluating AA applications, the primary considerations are the assessment objectives, student’s medical conditions, how the student typically learns and functions in the classroom, and the school’s observations. Additional inputs such as recommendations from doctors and medical professionals will be taken into consideration during the review. This approach ensures that the approved AA is both appropriate for the candidate and fair to all candidates.

COMMON TYPES OF AA

The following are common types of AA administered to candidates with specific physical and learning disabilities who sit the national examinations:

Examination duration

  • Extra time (approximately 25% of the examination duration in most cases)

  • More preparation time for oral examination (approximately 25% of the silent preparation time)

Question paper

  • Question paper (QP) in enlarged print on A3 paper (double-sided)

  • 2 sets of QPs (Standard QP / QP in enlarged print on A3 paper)

Assistance

  • Oral Examiners to be informed of candidate’s condition

  • Use of

    • Reader

    • Scribe

    • Prompter

    • Practical Assistant (for GCE-Level examinations only)

Use of Assistive Resources / Technology

  • Use of

    • Desktop Magnifier

    • Reader Pen

    • Word Processor

Venue

  • Separate room: A designated examination venue for candidates with specific needs to sit the examination away from the main examination venue but alongside the candidates with similar AA.

  • Isolation room: A private examination venue for a candidate with specific needs to sit the examination without other candidates present.

*The above list of AAs is not exhaustive.

APPLYING FOR AA

Please refer to the submission deadline section. Late applications would not be accepted.

If you are a school candidate, you must submit your AA applications through your school. Please approach your school’s designated Special Educational Needs officers, AA coordinators and/or form teachers for assistance. AA applications by school candidates can be submitted one year ahead of the national examinations.

If you are a private candidate for the GCE-Level examinations, you must submit your AA applications via SEAB's Candidates Portal after your examination registration. More information on examination registration can be found in the registration information for private candidates.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION

AA applications require the following supporting documents:

Medical Documentation

 

  • A diagnosis of a Physical Disability / Learning Disability
    Diagnosis must be done by qualified professionals registered with the relevant professional bodies, for example, with the Singapore Register of Psychologists, Allied Health Professions Council, Singapore Medical Council etc.

  • Previous reports remain valid* if it is for the same condition (e.g., reports used for PSLE can be used for GCE-Level examinations)

  • Additional information can be provided through medical letters, assessment or therapy reports

  • Documents can be submitted together or separately

* For 2025 AA applications for learning disabilities, medical documents must be dated within three years of your national examination to ensure a current assessment of your condition. If your medical documents are dated more than three years ago, please submit a current profile of needs from a medical professional.

The current profile of needs must include:

  • Formal standardised assessments (where appropriate)

  • Medical professional's observations of your condition

  • Description of how your condition affects you during examinations

  • Clear justifications for each AA request, linked to your specific needs

Educational Inputs

The School Report (for school candidates) is intended for school personnel to provide educational input. The report must provide educational observations including:

  • Specific challenges faced by the candidate during school assessments under standard conditions

  • Details and effectiveness of any AA previously provided during school assessments

  • Additional relevant observations that demonstrate why the candidate may have difficulties taking national examinations under standard conditions

The Individual Report (for private candidates) is intended to collate educational input. The report must provide educational observations including:

  • Specific challenges faced by the candidate in learning and examination settings (e.g. in private schools, tuition centres, private tuition, home-school)

  • Details and effectiveness of any AA previously provided

  • Additional relevant observations that demonstrate why the candidate may have difficulties taking national examinations under standard conditions

  • For candidates who are not enrolled in any educational institution or receiving tuition and are preparing for the examination independently, they may complete this form on their own.

Important Note:
The School Report / Individual Report should not:

  • Cite nor reference the contents of any accompanying medical or professional reports / memos / letters; or

  • Duplicate information from accompanying medical or professional reports / memos / letters.

If you are a school candidate, you may approach your Special Educational Needs officers, AA coordinators and/or form teachers for more information on the required supporting documents for your AA application.

If you are a private candidate, you can write to SEAB_CS_Admin@seab.gov.sg for more information.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

All AA applications must be submitted by the following stipulated deadlines in the year of your national examinations:

  • School candidates:
    PSLE: mid-February
    GCE-Level: end-February

  • Private candidates: end of April

Please note that late applications or amendments to applications for learning disabilities or permanent physical disabilities that are submitted less than two months before the national examinations (Oral / listening comprehension / Science practical / written) will not be accepted.

SEAB will only accept AA applications for physical injuries sustained just before or during the national examinations, and for conditions mentioned above that were triggered by the onset of these physical injuries.

Important Note:
If your AA application is submitted late and is rejected by SEAB, you cannot apply special consideration for the same medical condition.

APPLICATION OUTCOME

If your AA application is accepted for processing, it will be subjected to a rigorous review by a panel and be considered based on its circumstances. The processing time depends on factors including the complexity of the AA requested for and the timely submission of all supporting documents. Certain types of AA requests such as the use of a Reader, Practical Assistant, Scribe, or Word Processor may take longer time to process.

Your AA application outcome will be released via the following platforms:

  • If you are a school candidate, your school will inform you of the outcome. If your AA application is submitted by the deadline, your outcome will usually be released by April of your examination year.

    Following the release of your AA application outcome, your schools may work with you to trial your approved accommodations during your daily teaching and learning sessions to better prepare you for your national examinations.

  • If you are a private candidate, please access the Candidates Portal to view your outcome. If your AA application is submitted by the deadline, your outcome will usually be released by June of your examination year.

    Following the release of your outcome, you and/or your parents could consider trialing the approved AAs where feasible, to enhance your examination preparation.

If you have received AA for an examination paper due to a medical condition, you will not be eligible to apply for special consideration for sitting the paper with that same condition.

ANNOTATION(S) ON EXAMINATION CERTIFICATES

If the AA results in significant modifications to your examinations, your examination certificates and result slips will have either of these annotation symbols placed next to your subject(s) that had the approved AA:

  • Exemption Symbol (#) - 'The candidate was exempted from satisfying the full range of assessment objectives in this subject.’

  • Access Arrangement Symbol (+) - 'The candidate sat for the paper under access arrangements.’

The following AAs granted to candidates during the examinations will be annotated:

  • Extra time allowance (including silent reading / preparation for oral examination);

  • Exemption from satisfying the full range of assessment objectives in a subject (e.g. exemption from oral, listening comprehension examinations);

  • Modification of examination papers;

  • Use of word processor facilities and other computer aids;

  • Use of Reader or Reader Pen or Scribe;

  • Practical assistance in areas such as handling apparatus and instruments or graph plotting.

The annotations are necessary to indicate factually that you had taken the national examinations under conditions that are different from the standard prescribed conditions, to uphold the integrity and fairness of the examination. Your examination certificate will not have the details of the AA. SEAB does not share the details of your granted AA with any third parties.

You can request to withdraw the approved AA and this must be submitted within the stipulated timelines (see section below). Otherwise, your examination certificates and result slips will be annotated, even if you do not utilise your approved AA during your coursework or examinations.

WITHDRAWAL OF APPROVED AA

If you are a school candidate, please approach your school for assistance. Withdrawal requests must be submitted by your school through iEXAMS2 at least five working days before the commencement of your coursework or examinations.

If you are a private candidate, you should submit your withdrawal requests via email to SEAB_CS_Admin@seab.gov.sg at least five working days before your examinations starts.

Once SEAB has approved a withdrawal request, the AA cannot be reinstated.