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 |
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Question paper |
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Assistance |
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Use of Assistive Resources / Technology |
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Venue |
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*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
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* 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:
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Educational Inputs |
The School Report (for school candidates) is intended for school personnel to provide educational input. The report must provide educational observations including:
The Individual Report (for private candidates) is intended to collate educational input. The report must provide educational observations including:
Important Note:
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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:
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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.
Your AA application outcome will be released via the following platforms,
within two months from the date of your application’s submission.
If you are a school candidate, your school will inform you of the outcome.
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. 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:
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Exemption Symbol (#) - 'The candidate was exempted from satisfying the full range of assessment objectives in this subject.’
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Access Arrangement Symbol (+) - 'The candidate sat for the paper under access arrangements.’
The following AAs granted to candidates during the examinations will be annotated:
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Extra time allowance (including silent reading / preparation for oral examination);
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Exemption from satisfying the full range of assessment objectives in a subject (e.g. exemption from oral, listening comprehension examinations);
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Modification of examination papers;
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Use of word processor facilities and other computer aids;
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Use of Reader or Reader Pen or Scribe;
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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.