Admission Criteria for Degree Holders
If you have the passion for teaching, strong personal attributes and values, and a university degree, you may apply to be an English medium teacher.
For polytechnic students and university undergraduates, you are encouraged to apply during the final semester of your final year studies.
General Education Officer (GEO/Teacher)
Successful candidates will be placed on the General Education Officer 1 (GEO 1) scale. This is the entry grade for teachers whose university degree meets the requirements for appointment. Degree holders who do not meet our requirements for appointment on the GEO 1 scale may be placed on the GEO 2 scale.
Teaching Level
Degree holders may teach at the following levels:
- Primary
- Secondary
- Junior Colleges (Graduates with good Honours degrees)
Teaching in a Primary School
While a general degree will suffice, it is preferred if you have read and majored in at least 1 teaching subject.
Candidates will have to undergo the 1-year Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Programme at NIE. You will undergo training in the methodology for teaching at the primary school level. Upon graduating from NIE, you will be required to serve a 3-year teaching bond. Besides teaching, trained teachers are also expected to take up Co-Curricular Activities and other duties at the principal’s request.
Teaching in a Secondary School
It is preferred that you majored in 2 teaching subjects in university. However, you may still be considered if you have only 1 teaching subject. For a subject to be considered a main teaching subject, it must be read as a major up to YEAR 3 of your degree programme. For the second teaching subject, you must have read it in Year 1 level or at least 2 modules of it in any of the 3 years at university.
Exception to the 2-subjects guideline: If you wish to teach any of the Mother Tongue Languages, you need to have read a major in the respective Mother Tongue Language. There is no need for a second teaching subject.
Degree holders with teaching subjects in Sciences, Humanities and Mathematics are strongly encouraged to teach at the secondary school level. Those with general degrees will teach at only the primary school level. If you have excellent grades in General Paper at ‘AO’ Level, you may be considered for teaching English Language at the Secondary level.
Secondary level teacher candidates will undergo a 1-year Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme at NIE. You will undergo training in the methodology for teaching at the secondary / JC level. Upon graduating from NIE, you will have to serve a 3-year bond. Besides teaching, trained teachers are also expected to take up Co-Curricular Activities and other duties at the principal’s request.
Teaching in a Junior College
Generally, graduates with Honours degrees are deployed to teach at the Junior College level. You will undergo a 1-year Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme at NIE, similar to Secondary level teacher training. You will undergo training in the methodology for teaching at the secondary / JC level. However, when teaching in a JC, you are likely to specialise in the teaching of only 1 subject. Upon graduating from NIE, you will have to serve a 3-year bond. Besides teaching, trained teachers are also expected to take up Co-Curricular Activities and other duties at the principal’s request.
If you wish to be a Mother Tongue Language (MTL) / Art / Music / Nutrition and Food Science (NFS) Teacher, the following criteria must be met:
Teaching Mother Tongue Language (MTL)
You must have read the MTL as a major in university. For secondary school teaching, NIE requires that you pass the Chinese / Malay / Tamil Language Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT) if you do not meet the exemption criteria.
Teaching Art at the Secondary Level
One of the following criteria must be met:
- A degree in Art
- Minimum Grade of “C” in Art at ‘A’ Level
- Professional Art Diploma from LaSalle / NAFA
Note: Admission is subject to a portfolio assessment by NIE
Teaching Music at the Secondary Level
One of the following criteria must be met:
- A degree in Music
- ABRSM Grade 7 for Practical or equivalent
- Pass in Music at ‘A’ Level or ‘O’ Level
- Professional Music qualification from LaSalle / NAFA
Note: Admission is subject to an audition by NIE
Teaching Nutrition and Food Science (NFS) at the Secondary Level
One of the following criteria must be met:
- A degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Culinary Arts Management or related field
- A degree from a reputable university with good grades in Food and Nutrition at ‘O’ Level
Application
Interested Applicants can apply online. Final year final semester students are also welcome to apply.
Shortlisted applicants will be asked to attend an interview. If selected, you will be sent for training at NIE during which you will be paid a monthly salary. Information on training and salary scales can be found on the respective web pages.
Upon completion of the 1-year training, you will be deployed to teach in schools, upon which you will begin serving a 3-year teaching bond.
If you wish to teach at the polytechnics, please approach them directly. The polytechnics conduct their own recruitment of lecturers.
Possible Teaching Subjects Based on Type of Degree
The following tables show the various teaching subjects that correspond to the subjects offered by the universities. These are only guidelines. The ministry has the right to allocate teaching subjects to a teacher based on the needs of the school and the teacher’s academic qualifications.
Arts and Social Sciences Faculty
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Studies | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| Chinese (Chinese Studies, Chinese Language) | Yes | Yes | Chinese Language |
| Communications and New Media | Yes | Yes | English Language / General Paper |
| Economics | Yes | Yes | Economics / English Language |
| English Language | Yes | Yes | English Language / General Paper |
| English Literature | Yes | Yes | English Literature / English Language |
| European Studies* | Yes | Yes | History / English Language |
| Geography | Yes | Yes | Geography / English Language |
| History | Yes | Yes | History / English Language |
| Information & Communications Management | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Japanese Studies | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Malay Studies | Yes | Yes | Malay Language |
| Philosophy | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| Political Science* | Yes | Yes | History / English Language |
| Psychology | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| Singapore Studies | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| Social Work | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Sociology | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| South Asian Studies | Yes | Yes | History / English Language |
| Southeast Asian Studies | Yes | Yes | History / English Language |
| Theatre Studies | Yes | Yes | English Literature / English Language |
* Preferably with History read at ‘A’ Level (for teaching at the Secondary or JC levels).
Engineering Faculty in NUS
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bioengineering | Yes | Yes | Biology / Mathematics |
| Chemical Engineering | Yes | Yes | Chemistry / Mathematics / Physics / Design and Technology |
| Civil Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Physics / Design and Technology |
| Computer Engineering | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / Design and Technology / Mathematics / Physics |
| Electrical Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Physics / Design and Technology |
| Engineering Science | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / Design and Technology / Mathematics |
| Environmental Engineering | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / Design and Technology / Mathematics |
| Industrial and Systems Engineering | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / Design and Technology / Mathematics |
| Materials Science & Engineering | Yes | Yes | Physics / Mathematics / Chemistry |
| Mechanical Engineering | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / Design and Technology / Mathematics |
Science Faculty in NUS
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | Yes | Yes | Mathematics |
| Chemistry | Yes | Yes | Chemistry |
| Computational Biology | No | Yes | English, Maths Science in primary school |
| Life Sciences (with concentration in Biology) | Yes | Yes | Biology |
| Life Sciences (with concentration in Biomedical Science) | Yes | Yes | Biology |
| Life Sciences (with concentration in Molecular & Cell Biology) | Yes | Yes | Biology |
| Mathematics | Yes | Yes | Mathematics |
| Physics | Yes | Yes | Physics |
| Physics (with concentration in Applied Physics) | Yes | Yes | Physics |
| Quantitative Finance | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Statistics | Yes | Yes | Mathematics |
| Statistics (with concentration in Biostatics) | Yes | Yes | Mathematics |
Applied Science
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Chemistry | Yes | Yes | Chemistry |
| Food Science & Technology | Yes | Yes | Nutrition and Food Science |
Pharmacy
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | Yes | Yes | Chemistry / Biology |
Other Faculties in NUS
Business
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Business Administration (with Accounting Specialisation) | Yes | Yes | Accounting |
Computing
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computational Biology | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Computer Science | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Information Systems | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Electronics Commerce | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Computer Engineering | Yes | Yes | Computer Applications / Design and Technology / Physics / Mathematics |
| Communications and Media | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
Dentistry
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Surgery | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
Design and Environment
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Yes | Yes | Art |
| Building & Real Estate | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Project and Facilities Management | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Industrial Design | Yes | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school and Design and Technology in secondary school |
Law
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | Yes | Yes | English Language |
Medicine
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Yes | Yes | Biology / Chemistry |
| Surgery | Yes | Yes | Biology / Chemistry |
| Nursing | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
Music
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Yes | Yes | Music |
Faculties in NTU
Accountancy and Business
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountancy | Yes | Yes | Accounts / English Language |
| Business | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Business & Computing | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
Art, Design and Media
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art, Design & Media | Yes | Yes | Art |
Communication Studies
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communications Studies | Yes | Yes | English Language / General Paper |
Engineering
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | Yes | Yes | Physics / Mathematics |
| BioEngineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Biology |
| Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Biology / Chemistry |
| Civil Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / D&T / Physics |
| Computer Engineering | Yes | Yes | Physics / Mathematics / Design and Technology / Computer Applications |
| Computer Science | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Design and Technology / Physics |
| Environment Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Chemistry |
| Maritime Studies | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Materials Engineering | Yes | Yes | Physics / Mathematics / Chemistry |
| Mechanical Engineering | Yes | Yes | Mathematics / Design and Technology / Physics |
Humanities
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Yes | Yes | Chinese Language |
| Economics | Yes | Yes | Economics |
| English | Yes | Yes | English Language / English Literature |
| Linguistics and Multilingual Studies | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| Psychology | Yes | Yes | English Language |
| Sociology | Yes | Yes | English Language |
Science
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry & Biological Chemistry | Yes | Yes | Chemistry / Biology |
| Mathematical Science | Yes | Yes | Mathematics |
| Mathematics and Economics | Yes | Yes | Mathematics |
| Physical Sciences | Yes | Yes | Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics |
| Physics & Applied Physics | Yes | Yes | Physics / Mathematics |
| Biological Science | Yes | Yes | Biology |
| Biomedical Science & Traditional Medicine | Yes | Yes | Biology |
Sport Science
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport Science and Management | Yes | Yes | Physical Education |
Faculties in SMU
| Subject | Sec / JC Teaching | Pri Teaching | Possible Teaching Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountancy | Yes | Yes | Accounts / English Language |
| Business Management | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Economics | Yes | Yes | Economics /English Language |
| Information Systems Management | No | Yes | English, Maths, Science in primary school |
| Social Science | Yes | Yes | English, Maths, Science or Humanities subjects |