Integrated Programme (IP) Schools in Singapore

The Integrated Programme (IP) is a six-year route that runs secondary school and pre-university together, without the GCE O-Level examination at the end of Secondary 4. Students in the IP sit a final qualification at the end of the sixth year instead — the A-Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, or the NUS High School Diploma.

IP vs the O-Level programme

The Express course has two programmes. Both are academically demanding; they differ mainly in structure and the mid-point examination.

Two routes to pre-university; the IP skips the O-Levels. Source: MOE.

	O-Level programme	Integrated Programme
Length	4 years to the O-Levels	6 years, no O-Levels
Mid-point exam	GCE O-Level at Secondary 4	None — continuous to pre-university
Final qualification	O-Level, then JC/poly/ITE	A-Level, IB Diploma or NUS High Diploma
Next level	University (via JC, etc.)	University

The idea behind the IP is to free up the time that would be spent preparing for the O-Levels, allowing more breadth and depth over six years for students who are comfortable with a sustained academic pace.

How students enter IP schools

A number of secondary schools offer the IP, often alongside an O-Level programme. Students usually enter an IP school in one of two ways:

• Through Secondary 1 posting with a strong PSLE Score, as IP school places are competitive.
• Through DSA-Sec, based on a talent the school is looking for.

To see which schools currently offer the IP and what each school’s programme looks like, use MOE’s SchoolFinder and the official school directory data rather than unofficial lists, since offerings change over time.

The commitment

Each IP school’s programme is distinctive, built around its own strengths and culture. For that reason, transfers between IP schools are generally not allowed except in exceptional circumstances, and transfers are strongly discouraged in general. Choosing an IP school is a six-year decision, so it should fit the child’s temperament and interests, not just their PSLE Score.

There is some flexibility the other way: strong students on the O-Level track can apply to transfer into the IP at Secondary 3 in some schools, so the IP is not the only route to an A-Level or IB finish.

Is the IP right for your child?

• Academic stamina. The IP rewards students who are self-directed and comfortable with a long academic runway.
• No O-Level safety net. Without the mid-point examination, the IP is a single sustained commitment.
• Breadth. If your child thrives with more room for depth and co-curricular breadth, the IP can suit them well.
• The O-Level route is not lesser. Plenty of students reach the same universities via the four-year O-Level programme and then JC, polytechnic or ITE.

General information based on MOE sources, not official guidance. Confirm which schools offer the IP and current rules on moe.gov.sg.