Singapore grading system for GCE and G2 subjects
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The Singapore grading system uses an A-to-E scale for GCE A-Level results, with A the highest grade and E the lowest passing grade. The main school-leaving exam is the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC).
This page explains what grades mean and how school grading works, then compares Singaporean grades with other systems. It also covers teaching students from Singapore, related grading systems and sources for verification.
What each Singaporean grade means
The GCE A-Level scale runs from A to E, with A the best grade and E the worst; E is the lowest passing grade. The GCE O-Level uses a 9-point grading system, while the GCE A-Level uses a seven-point grading system.
| Grade | Passing |
|---|---|
| A | Yes |
| B | Yes |
| C | Yes |
| D | Yes |
| E | Yes |
Grades A to E are considered subject passes.
For the GCE O-Level, A1 to C6 are subject passes; for the GCE A-Level, A to E are subject passes.
Compared with related systems
Singapore
5 of 5 grades pass
China
4 of 5 grades pass
Japan
4 of 5 grades pass
Australia
No pass mark
How Singaporean school grading is run
Singapore’s grading rules are set nationally by the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB).
The PSLE is a placement examination that uses Achievement Levels from AL1 to AL8, with results indicating which educational programme each student is ready for (Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board).
From 2027, the Singapore-Cambridge GCE N(T), N(A) and Ordinary Levels will be combined and renamed the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), jointly examined and awarded by SEAB, Singapore’s Ministry of Education and Cambridge International Education (Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board).
Under the SEC, students sit subjects at G1, G2 or G3 levels.
How Singaporean grades compare with other systems
For post-secondary progression, G3 grades are mapped to G2 grades, and G2 grades are mapped to G1 grades.
A G3 subject grade that needs to be mapped to G1 is first mapped to G2, then the mapped G2 grade is mapped to G1 (Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board).
Mapping is used when needed to compute aggregate scores that combine grades from subjects taken at more demanding levels.
Examples include ELMAB3 for admission to Year 2 of Higher Nitec (HN) and the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP), and ELR2B2 for polytechnic admissions.
Teaching students from Singapore
Check the grades and key on each student’s documents. Ask the student or school to clarify any unfamiliar marks, and record the grades with their original key.
Set the scale up once in a gradebook so every report card and transcript you produce uses the same key.
Related grading systems
- China5-step letter-grade scale, A is best; passing grade D (Pass)
- Japan5-step numeric scale, 5 is best; passing grade 2 (Poor)
- Australia4-step letter-grade scale, A is best; passing grade No pass mark
- Canada11-step letter-grade scale, A+ is best; passing grade D (Marginal)
- Germany6-step numeric scale, 1 is best; passing grade 4 (Ausreichend)
- Ireland8-step numeric scale, 1 is best; passing grade 7
Sources and verification
- [1]seab.gov.sg. Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) | Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board. Accessed Oct 1, 2026. Official source
- [2]seab.gov.sg. National Examinations' Grading System | Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board. Accessed Oct 1, 2026. Official source
The facts on this page were last verified on Oct 11, 2026. Suggest a correction
Frequently asked questions
What is a passing grade in Singapore?
For GCE A-Level subjects, E is the lowest passing grade. For GCE O-Level subjects, grades A1 to C6 are passes, with C6 the lowest pass.
