Secondary Education Certificate (SEC)

• School candidates register via their schools.

• Private candidates register via SEAB’s Candidates Portal if they meet the eligibility criteria such as age. Private candidates may choose the subjects and levels (i.e. G1, G2 or G3) they wish to register for based on the syllabuses that are available to them in the year of examination.
  
  More information about the registration procedures for private candidates will be available on SEAB’s website in 2027.

• The written examinations for English Language and Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) will be held in September each year.

• The written examinations for the rest of the subjects will be held from October to November, similar to the GCE O-Level examination timetable.

• There will only be one written examination sitting each year for all MTL subject levels (i.e. G1, G2, G3 MTL and G3 Higher MTL).

• Non-written examinations such as Science practical, oral, and listening comprehension will be scheduled before the written examinations, as per current practice.

  Please refer to the table below for a comparison between the current GCE N(T)/N(A)- and O-Level examination timetables, and the SEC examination timetable:
  

  	Current (2026 and before)		From 2027
  	GCE N(T)/N(A)-Level Examinations	GCE O-Level Examinations	SEC Examinations
  Non-written examination components, e.g. oral, listening comprehension, practical	These examinations will continue to be held before the written examinations.
  Other written examinations	Held in mid-September to mid-October	Held in mid-October to mid-November	One common period, starting in October
  English Language written examinations	Held together with other written examinations for N- or O-Level subjects respectively.		Held in September alongside MTL written examinations.
  MTL written examinations	Held in one sitting for N(A) and N(T) MTL	Held in two sittings: one during mid-year, one during written examinations period.	G1/G2/G3 MTL and G3 Higher MTL examination held in one sitting in September alongside English Language written examinations.
  Results Release	Held in mid-December	Held in mid-January of the following year	One common results release, held in January of the following year.

The mode of assessment and overall examination standards for the SEC will be the same as the GCE N(A), N(T) and O-Level examinations.

At the subject level, the G1, G2 and G3 subjects adopt the same grading structure as the N(T)-, N(A)- and O-Level examinations respectively.

• G1 - Grades A, B, C, D and E

• G2 - Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

• G3 – Grades A1, A2, B3, B4, C5, C6, D7, E8, 9
  

Grade mapping is only used when there is a need to compute aggregate scores using grades of subjects taken at more demanding levels for purposes of post-secondary progression, e.g. ELMAB3 for admission to Year 2 of Higher Nitec (HN) and Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP), ELR2B2 for polytechnic admissions.

The following provides an example of how grades are being mapped for the purpose of computing the ELMAB3 score.

In situations where the grade of a G3 subject needs to be mapped to that of a G1 subject for progression purposes, the grade of the G3 subject will be first mapped to that of a G2 subject. Thereafter, the mapped grade for the G2 subject will be further mapped to the grade of a G1 subject.

The SEC examination results will be released in January of the following year, similar to the current timeline for the release of the GCE O-Level examination results.

Candidates will receive a single examination certificate that reflects all the subjects taken at the different levels (G1, G2 and G3). A certificate will be awarded if the candidate obtains grade E8 or better for a G3 subject, Grade 5 or better for a G2 subject, or Grade D or better for a G1 level subject.

You may also access our FAQs for more information.