Direct School Admission (DSA)
About DSA
The DSA-Sec Exercise was first introduced in 2004 as part of MOE’s move towards a more flexible and broad-based education system. Under the DSA-Sec Exercise, participating secondary schools will be able to select a percentage of their students for admission outside of the centralised posting system, via their own selection criteria. These criteria can include diverse academic and non-academic achievements and talents.
School Vision
Men and Women of Character and Learning, in the Service of God and Community.
Selection Criteria
1. Interest and Passion
Students who demonstrate an interest or passion in pursuing the chosen area may apply. All shortlisted applicants will have to submit a short write-up (no more than 200 words) about their interest and passion of the chosen DSA area.
2. Demonstrated Potential and Aptitude
a. Basketball (Girls & Boys), Floorball (Boys), Football (Boys), Judo (Girls & Boys) and Softball (Girls)
Applicants should demonstrate sporting potential. This includes active participation in sports. Relevant experience such as representing their primary schools at the National School Games (NSG) level or representing their sport clubs/academy at external competitions are considered but not necessary.
b. Public Speaking & Debates (Boys & Girls)
Applicants should demonstrate potential in Public Speaking and/or Debating. Applicants with relevant experience in these areas and/or represented their schools are encouraged to apply.
c. Community Youth Leadership (Boys & Girls)
We invite applicants from students eager to develop as leaders and contribute to the community. We are looking for individuals who demonstrate:
A strong passion of service and positive attitude towards helping their peers, school and community, ideally supported by experience in volunteer activities.
Good character, evidenced by a Conduct Grade of at least "Very Good" in Primary 5 (overall) and Primary 6 (mid-year).
Leadership potential, shown through prior leadership roles in primary school (e.g. Prefect, Chairperson, CCA Leader) and experience in planning or organising school or community events (e.g. Teachers' Day, Values in Action, Sport Day). Other forms of service to the community will also be considered.
Do note that the Community Youth Leadership Programme at AES is not a CCA and successful applicants are still expected to take up a CCA.
3. Skills Assessment/Trials
Only shortlisted applicants will receive an invitation to attend a skills assessment/trial which will include an evaluation on specific skills related to the area applied for, as well as other attributes such as teamwork and a growth mind-set.
4. Interviews with School Key Personnel & Teacher ICs
The intent of the interview with school key personnel and teacher ICs is to allow applicants an opportunity to share more about their interest and passion on their chosen sport and will be arranged on the same say as the trial.
All applications received will be acknowledged via email.
Important Considerations
Applicants who do not have prior experience may also apply. The school will assess applicants based on the selection criteria, which may include assessing the potential of the applicants.
Meeting all the above criteria does not guarantee the student will be shortlisted/given an offer.
Parents and students are encouraged to choose schools wisely based on the student’s aptitudes and strengths, bearing in mind the schools’ requirements, and the programmes available to develop the area of talent.
Students who are successfully admitted to the school via DSA are expected to honour their commitment to the school and participate in the activities related to the talent they are selected for from year 1-4.
Key Stages of DSA Application 2025
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Important Dates |
DSA Process |
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7 May 2025 (Wednesday) |
Application for DSA-Sec can be submitted through the online DSA-Sec Portal. The application is free-of-charge and will be open from 7 May 2025, 11am to 3 Jun 2025, 3pm. For more details, please refer to MOE website – www.moe.gov.sg/dsa-sec. |
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3 June 2025 (Tuesday) |
Closing date of DSA application at 3pm |
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By 3 July 2025 (Thursday) |
You will receive notification from the school by 3 July if your child has been shortlisted to undergo Direct School Admission (DSA) selection. Shortlisted applicants will be notified and scheduled to attend a Skills Assessment & Interview at a specific date. The Skills Assessment & Interview will be held in Assumption English School. |
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Between 25 Aug 2025 (Monday) to 4 Sep 2025 (Thursday) |
Notification of DSA-Sec admission results by schools. All applicants will receive a letter on the selection outcome ie. Confirmed Offer, Waiting list or Unsuccessful between 25 Aug to 4 Sep 2025 from the school. |
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27 Oct 2025 (Monday) – 31 Oct 2025 (Friday) |
Exercise School Preference Stage DSA-Sec candidates who receive at least one DSA-Sec offer may indicate up to three school preferences. They can do so online via the DSA-Sec Internet System (DSA-Sec IS) or at their primary schools. |
Useful MOE Links
DSA-Sec Main Webpage https://www.moe.gov.sg/dsa-sec
Instructions on Application (Mainstream students) https://go.gov.sg/dsa-sec-application
Instructions on Application (Non Mainstream Students) https://go.gov.sg/nmsdsa-sec-application
DSA-Sec iFAQs https://go.gov.sg/dsa-secfaqs
DSA-Sec School Finder https://go.gov.sg/dsa-secschfinder
More details on the DSA talent areas:
AES has put in place a good training and developmental programme to develop the physical skills as well as character of our Judokas (Boys & Girls). Over the past years, we have nurtured and developed many outstanding Judokas who have represented our Singapore Schools Team as well as Team Singapore at the youth and national levels.
Our ‘B’ Boys’ and ‘B’ Girls’ Divisions have emerged Top 3 positions in the National School Games Judo Championships in 2022 and 2023. Our Judokas have also performed consistently well in other affiliated competitions organised by the Singapore Judo Federation.
The AES Basketball programme aims to develop basketball players with the necessary skills, from match strategies and teamwork to time management skills, in order to excel as an athlete.
With character development as our focus, we stress on the following three key values:
• Discipline – self-management in handling demands of academics and basketball
• Focus – winning mindset
• Diligence – the concerted and consistent effort put in into trainings with values well-aligned to our school motto, Labor Omnia Vincit (Through Work Achieve Success)
We subscribe to the ethos of ‘Making Every Basket Count’ to inspire our players to turn every opportunity into an opportunity to shine.
Our teams have done consistently well to finish among the top 8 positions in the West Zone National School Games (NSG) among over 40 other secondary schools, as well as at the National level.
AES has been endorsed as one of the School Football Academy (SFA) schools. This school-based academy is part of the Unleash The Roar! (UTR!) national project which aims to unite Singaporeans through football and create more opportunities for young Singaporeans to develop their talents.
As an SFA school, AES works closely with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) to provide a conducive daily training environment to develop our footballers holistically. Our collaboration with the FAS provides our footballers the opportunity to be exposed to specialised training such as Goalkeeper Strength and Fitness as well as Sports Science training, with an emphasis on character development.
AES Football boys’ teams compete actively at the National School Games (NSG) competitions. This year, our ‘B’ Division Boys team competes in League 5 and ‘C’ Division Boys team competes in League 1. With a dedicated team of 5 teacher facilitators overseeing the weekly training sessions, the team adopts a developmental approach towards football development in our players.
The Football programme at AES aims to instill in our players the following outcomes:
• Good sportsmanship - AssumptionKnights who honour the rules of the game and take pride in fair play;
• Strong football skills and techniques, teamwork; as well as
• Keen sense of focus, commitment and respect for the sport.
Our aim: To develop floorballers in character, leadership and sportsmanship through holistic programmes.
Adrenaline rush! Teamwork! Exhilarating! These are just some words to describe floorball, an indoor hockey game that has drawn the attention of many youths despite being a relatively new sport.
It is no surprise why floorball is so popular amongst youths. Simply, it is a sport that is easy for anyone to pick up and play. The game is played at a fast pace with lots of action and thrills for both players and audience. It is a safe and versatile sport, which requires only lightweight plastic sticks and a ball played at any open space, indoors or outdoors.
AES is one of the pioneers in bringing floorball into secondary schools. AES Floorball has been an all-boys team since 2017 with the ultimate aim of winning the National Schools Floorball Championships. If you are looking for a fast-paced sport with lots of skills to develop you as a sportsperson and opportunities to forge lasting friendships with your teammates, Floorball is the CCA for you!
To a softball player, nothing can quite match the thrill of clinching a solid hit, or the excitement of stopping a drive rushing as you as fast as a car. But apart from the desire for an adrenaline rush, our softball girls also need the courage to stand their ground, the determination to train for hours in the sweltering heat, and the heart to work closely with each of their teammates.
After months of grueling training each year, the girls test their mettle on the pitch, and have never been found wanting. With the grit and tenacity they showed in their games, the AES Rangers are always able to come back to school with their heads held high.
Join the AES Softball Rangers to be part of a team with more than 30 years of heritage, to develop fortitude and resilience through the sweat you put into practice on the field, and to learn mastery both of yourself and the sport.
AES prides itself for having a robust Debating and Public Speaking programme as part of the school’s Applied Learning Programme (ALP) titled SPeak English with grAce and Knowledge (SPEAK). The SPEAK programme aims to nurture confident and eloquent communicators who can articulate their thoughts and opinions well.
Our SPEAK Framework:
The programme makes use of a spiral progression of skills approach in developing speaking skills.
The SPEAK Programme provides ample opportunities for all students to develop their speaking skills in an interactive and safe learning environment. These include projects at each level to showcase their speaking skills. Students who show a flair for speaking can showcase their talents in debating and oratorical contests and given student emcee roles at school events and programmes. We hope to continue building and enhancing students’ love for the language through the wide array of programmes we have.
Through the school’s "DINAN" Leadership Programme, students can learn the core principles of servant leadership, inspired by St. Louis Marie de Montfort's humility and compassion, understanding that genuine leadership grows from a foundation of service ("Learn to serve, Serve to lead, Lead to Inspire").
The programme provides authentic service-learning opportunities for students to cultivate essential values, develop their capacity to serve effectively, and ultimately learn how to lead and inspire others within their school community, fostering personal growth, teamwork, and a deep understanding of the interconnectedness between serving and leading.
For more information about the DSA programme, you can read more HERE.
Should you have any queries about the school DSA programme, please contact Mr Balbinder at Tel: 6572 9100. Alternatively, you can email your queries to: aes@moe.edu.sg