Students in the undergraduate programmes who do not possess the necessary English language qualifications are required to sit for the Qualifying English Test (QET) set by the Centre for English Language Communication (CELC). The objectives and format of the QET are available on the CELC website.
QET1 for Academic Year 2026/2027 is scheduled as follows:
| 1. |
Who may take QET1?
All local and international students informed by the Office of the University Registrar of the requirement to take the QET.
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7 July 2026 (Tuesday):
- Session 1 (reporting time: 9:00 am; test duration: 10:00 am to 11:45 am), or
- Session 2 (reporting time: 2:00 pm; test duration: 3:00 pm to 4:45pm)
Students will be randomly assigned to either Session 1 (AM) or Session 2 (PM).
(Each session has a maximum capacity of 1100 students.)
Please note that only up to 2,200 students are allowed to register for QET1 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students will be informed of the Zoom meeting link and password to the test session they are assigned to by 5pm on Friday, 3 July 2026.
Students must take the test at their assigned session.
If a student misses their assigned session or is unable to sit for QET1, they will need to take QET2 in November 2026.
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| 2. |
QET will be conducted in digital format using Examplify and Zoom proctoring. |
As QET will be conducted in a digital format with remote invigilation, students are required to register for and attend the compulsory briefing session (see Section 3 below for details).
For the briefing and the actual test, students are required to prepare:
- a laptop or desktop computer to complete the paper using Examplify and
- a mobile phone for remote invigilation using Zoom video conferencing tool.
An iPad should not be used for taking the QET.
The laptop or desktop computer and mobile phone should be fully charged or connected to a charging station for the whole duration of the test.
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| 3. |
Registration for the Briefing Session |
It is compulsory for students to attend at least one briefing session.
Students will NOT be allowed to take the QET if they are absent from the briefing session.
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To register for the QET briefing session, incoming students must first complete Onboarding to obtain your NUS-ID and password as well as Multifactor Authentication (MFA) setup. Kindly note that access to NUS systems may take between 12 to 48 hours to be updated. Thereafter, you may proceed to register for the briefing session using your NUS-ID account;
Please refer to the registration guide here.
- Students should register for their briefing session from 15 June to 22 June 2026 here, using their full names (as in Passport/NRIC), along with their NUS email address.
Before attending the briefing session, students must:
- view the briefing slides on Examplify Take-Home Exam here;
(Access to the Examplify software will be granted from 24 June 2026.)
- read the attached briefing document on Zoom Invigilation here;
- complete this quiz
https://canvas.nus.edu.sg/courses/91713/quizzes/80711 which is based on information on Examplify and Zoom invigilation.
(Access to Canvas will be granted on 24 June 2026.)
The briefing session will be conducted via Zoom. Students will receive information on the Zoom briefing session through their NUS email address by 25 June 2026. Students must join the briefing session using their mobile phone.
The briefing slides should be downloaded onto their computer as reference will be made to them during the briefing.
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| 4. |
Assignment to QET1 Session 1 or Session 2 |
Students will receive an email on Friday, 3 July 2026 to inform them of:
- the test session they have been assigned to and
- the Zoom meeting link and password to the session.
If an email is not received by Friday, 3 July 2026, 5 pm, students should first check their junk/spam mail before writing to elcbox63@nus.edu.sg.
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| 5. |
Sitting for the QET |
Students must report to their assigned group on Zoom at the respective reporting time. The Zoom session will be locked 15 minutes before the start of the test, i.e., 9:45am for QET1AM and 2.45pm for QET1PM.
Students will need to have their identification document with a recent photo (e.g. Student Card, NRIC, Passport) for identity verification purposes before being allowed to sit for the test.
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| 6. |
Release of QET results |
Results will be released online on 20 July 2026 (Monday) via this link here.
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| 7. |
Step-by-step guide for system access |
Checking of Test Results
Students should refer to the Guide on how to retrieve their QET results.
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| 8. |
Frequently Asked Questions |
Check for answers to common queries here.
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AI may be used to evaluate the QET submissions, under human supervision. This is to enhance consistent and fair assessment of the scripts.
Please take note that a student can only sit for the QET
once.
You may access information on the QET through the Telegram channel
https://t.me/+LN_adDwYjbBhYTM1
Or scan the QR code below to join us on Telegram:
Exemption Criteria
Students will be exempted from sitting for the QET if they possess any of the following qualifications. Where there are two or more submissions of a student's attempt to meet the QET qualifying exemption criteria, the best grade will be accepted for the exemption.
| Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level |
General Paper ('AO' Level GP) - B4 and above or
General Paper (H1 Level GP) - C and above or
Knowledge Inquiry (KI) - D and above
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International-Cambridge
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General Paper ('AS' Level GP) - C and above
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| SAT and Digital SAT |
SAT scores obtained before March 2016
Critical Reading (750 and above) and
Writing (750 and above) and
Essay (10 and above)
SAT scores (includes Digital SAT) obtained from March 2016 onwards
Evidence-based Reading and Writing (770 and above) and
Essay (8 for EACH dimension: Reading, Analysis and Writing)*
* Essay component is compulsory for students to be considered for exemption from sitting for QET.
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| IELTS |
Overall (8 and above) and
Writing (8 and above) and
Reading (8 and above) |
| TOEFL |
Internet-based (114 and above) or
Paper-based (650 and above) |
| TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition |
Internet-based (114 and above)
*Only TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date are accepted. MyBest scores are not accepted |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) – (English) |
Theory of Knowledge - C (Satisfactory) and above |
| NCEA Achievement Standard 90720, 90721, 91472 or 91473 |
English at Level 3 - A (Achievement) and above |
| NUS High School of Mathematics and Science |
For scores obtained in 2021 onwards
EL5131 The Global Connection (Critical Reading & Writing II) – B and above, AND
EL6131 Emerging issues in a changing world (Critical Reading & Writing III) – B and above
For scores obtained in 2020 and before
EL5101 Language in Society II – B and above, AND
EL6103 Language in Society III – B and above
For scores obtained in 2019 and before
EL5102 English for Academic Purposes (Critical Reading & Writing) – B Minus (B-) and above
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| Cambridge Assessment English (CAE) |
Applicable to AY2026/2027 cohort onwards (effective for intakes from August 2026)
C1 Advanced Test:
Grade A and 200-210 for Reading and 200-210 Writing;
OR
C2 Proficiency Test:
Grade C and above and 200-230 for Reading and 200-230 Writing
Applicable to AY2025/2026 cohort and earlier
Cambridge Assessment English (Certificate in Advanced English): Grade A or Level C2 (Council of Europe’s CEFR) |
| PTE Academic (Pearson English Language Test) |
Overall (79 and above) and
Writing (79 and above) and
Reading (79 and above) |
| ACT (American College Test) |
ACT English and Reading
71 points and above AND
ACT Writing*
10 points and above
*Writing component is compulsory for students to be considered for QET exemption.
(With effect from AY2024/2025 intake)
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In addition to the above, the following students are also exempted from sitting for the QET:
- Students admitted to Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM students will sit for a separate YSTCM Placement Test)
- Students admitted to Yale-NUS College (admitted in AY2021/2022 and before)
- Students admitted to Medicine (except for Nursing), Dentistry and Law programmes
- Part-time students enrolled in Bachelor of Technology Programmes and Bachelor of Science (Real Estate)
- Part-time students enrolled in Bachelor of Science (Nursing Practice) (admitted in AY2022/2023 onwards)
- Students who have completed the QET/EP course at NUS and who intend to
- transfer to another Faculty or
- pursue another UG degree after graduation or
- defer their entry to the University or
- withdraw from the University and apply for re-admission
- Students from NTU, SIT, SMU, SUSS and SUTD who have passed the QET or an equivalent English Course transferring to NUS
- Students who have already obtained a Bachelor’s degree from an English medium University and enrolling in NUS for another UG degree (with effect from AY2022/2023 intake)
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