Exam Access Arrangements (AA) are approved adjustments, like extra time, a reader or a separate room, that let students with special educational needs sit PSLE and GCE exams fairly. For PSLE 2027, your child's school must submit the application to SEAB by mid-February 2027, and late applications are not accepted.
This guide explains who qualifies, which arrangements exist, what documents SEAB asks for, and a month-by-month plan you can start today.
Access Arrangements are changes to how a national exam is taken, not to what it tests. SEAB grants them so students with diagnosed physical or learning needs can show what they know "without compromising assessment objectives".
They apply to PSLE, GCE N-Level, O-Level and A-Level national exams. Schools can also give similar support in school exams, but each school decides that separately.
Students with special educational needs, including diagnosed learning disabilities and physical conditions. Common examples include:
SEAB looks at three things together: the diagnosis, how your child learns in class (the school's observations), and the recommendations of qualified professionals. A diagnosis on its own does not guarantee a particular arrangement.
One rule surprises many parents: readers are not allowed for language papers, because reading is part of what those papers test.
Late applications are not accepted. Schools can submit applications up to one year before the exam, and many schools set their own internal cut-off in January, so ask your school for its date now.
Results usually come back to school candidates by April of the exam year.
A common problem is an old report. If your child's last assessment was in 2023 or earlier, book an updated one now, because psychologists often have waiting lists of several weeks.
Finding the right arrangements takes trial and error. Extra time only helps if your child knows how to pace it, and a reader pen only helps if your child is used to it. SEAB itself encourages students to trial their approved arrangements before the exam.
Many schools give arrangements only in major exams, such as the end-of-year, so the national exam can be the first time your child uses them under real conditions. Starting in P3 or P4 gives you two or three years to learn what truly helps before PSLE.
A symbol appears next to the subject, but your child's condition and the arrangement details do not. A "+" means the paper was taken with Access Arrangements, and a "#" means an exemption from part of the subject. SEAB does not print medical conditions on result slips or share them publicly.
If your child no longer needs an approved arrangement, the school must withdraw it at least five working days before the exam. Otherwise the certificate is still marked, even if the arrangement is not used.
Not for school candidates. Your child's school submits the application to SEAB. Your job is to get the right reports to the school on time. Only private GCE candidates apply directly through SEAB's Candidates Portal.
Usually about 25% more time. For a 1 hour 40 minute paper, that is about 25 minutes more. More than this needs a professional report explaining why.
Only if the current profile of needs is older than three years before the exam year. For PSLE 2027, reports dated 2024 or later are current. The original diagnosis report should also be included.
For learning disabilities, SEAB requires a diagnosis from a registered professional. The school's observations then show how the condition affects your child in class.
SEAB does not accept late applications, and you cannot then apply for special consideration for the same condition. That is why the February deadline matters so much.
A one-page checklist with the documents SEAB needs, questions to ask the school, and the month-by-month plan. Request your copy here and we will email it to you within 1 working day.
StruggleSmart helps Singapore parents check their reports, plan what to ask the school for, and hit every date before the deadline. Every plan is written for your child, in English or 华文.
考试特别安排（AA）是新加坡考试与评鉴局（SEAB）为有特殊教育需要的学生提供的考试支持，例如延长考试时间、读题员、代写员或独立考场。2027年小六会考（PSLE）的申请须由学校在2027年2月中旬前提交，逾期不受理。家长需要准备注册专业人士出具的诊断报告，以及三年内（2024年或以后）的评估报告。建议从小三开始尝试不同的安排，找出最适合孩子的方式。欢迎预约免费咨询。
Source: SEAB, Access Arrangements, checked 18 October 2026. Rules can change, so always confirm current requirements with SEAB and your child's school. This article is general information, not a diagnosis or professional advice.