In the 2027 Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC), students receive one certificate showing the subjects and the G1, G2 or G3 levels they actually sat. The three levels retain different grading scales. When a post-secondary admissions aggregate needs to combine results across levels, a specified grade-mapping table may be applied. This is not an automatic conversion of every grade into a supposedly equivalent curriculum level, and it does not change the level printed on the certificate.
This guide answers questions parents are likely to ask when a child offers mixed-level subjects: What does G3 B4 become at G2? Does G2 Grade 1 become G3 A1? Can a student combine G3 and G2 grades in an admission score? What happens when the family reads G1 letters beside G2 numbers? Every answer must begin with the actual official SEAB tables and the specific programme’s entry rules, not a guessed numerical shortcut.
- G1 uses grades A, B, C, D and E.
- G2 uses grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
- G3 uses A1, A2, B3, B4, C5, C6, D7, E8 and 9.
- G3 A1–B3 maps to G2 Grade 1; G3 B4–C6 maps to G2 Grade 2 when mapping is required.
- G2 Grades 1–3 map to G1 Grade A when mapping is required.
- Mapping works from a more demanding level to a less demanding level for specified progression calculations, not as a general permission to upgrade a lower-level grade.
- The first SEC examinations occur in 2027, with results expected in January 2028.
1. Start with the difference between a subject level and a grade
A subject level describes the curriculum and assessment standard: G1, G2 or G3. A grade describes the student’s result within the assessment at that subject level. ‘G3 Mathematics B4’ is therefore two pieces of information. The G3 tells us which syllabus the student sat. The B4 tells us how that examination performance was graded. Removing either part makes the record less informative.
For the first SEC cohort in 2027, SEAB says students will sit subjects at their respective G-levels, with the examination standards maintained from the corresponding former N(T), N(A) and O-Level standards. The SEC combines the certificates, not every paper into one undifferentiated examination.
A student might take G3 English Language and Mathematics, G2 Humanities and another G1 subject. They would receive a certificate reflecting that mixed subject profile. The child is not a ‘G2 candidate’ in every subject merely because one result is at G2.
2. The three grading scales at a glance
| SEC subject level | Grades shown for that level | Important interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| G1 | A, B, C, D, E | Letters describe performance at G1, not G3 |
| G2 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Numbers describe performance at G2 |
| G3 | A1, A2, B3, B4, C5, C6, D7, E8, 9 | Letter-and-number codes describe performance at G3 |
An easy mistake is to assume that the number 1 means the same thing wherever it appears. G2 Grade 1 is a result within the G2 curriculum. G3 A1 is a result within the G3 curriculum. They are both strong results relative to their respective assessment standards, but they are not automatically the same educational qualification.
A different mistake is to confuse PSLE Achievement Levels with SEC grades. PSLE AL1 is part of the primary-school examination system. G3 A1 is a secondary-school examination grade. Similar-looking digits do not make them interchangeable.
3. Official G3-to-G2 grade-mapping table
SEAB publishes the following mapping when an aggregate for a specified progression pathway needs a G3 subject result expressed on the G2 grade scale. This is the official mapping for the SEC framework, not a prediction of an individual student’s ability at a different level.
| Actual G3 result | Mapped G2 result |
|---|---|
| A1, A2, B3 | 1 |
| B4, C5, C6 | 2 |
| D7 | 3 |
| E8 | 4 |
| 9 | 5 |
Notice that several G3 grades can produce the same mapped G2 grade. A G3 A1 and a G3 B3 both map to G2 Grade 1 for the relevant calculation. That does not mean those two G3 results are identical; it means the progression formula intentionally groups them into the same band for a particular purpose.
Also notice that the table does not map any G3 grade to G2 Grade 6. Parents should not invent a sixth conversion category to fill the table. Use SEAB’s published entries exactly as provided.
4. Official G2-to-G1 grade-mapping table
SEAB also gives the following mapping for a situation in which a G2 result needs to be expressed on the G1 scale for a specified progression computation.
| Actual G2 result | Mapped G1 result |
|---|---|
| 1, 2 or 3 | A |
| 4 | B |
| 5 | C |
| 6 | D |
The table does not imply that a G1 Grade A is automatically equivalent to any one particular G2 grade in the reverse direction. It tells an admissions calculation how to interpret a more demanding G2 result if the calculation is expressed at G1. A reverse assumption would discard essential information about which syllabus the student actually completed.
5. What happens if an admission formula needs G3 mapped all the way to G1?
SEAB says the result is mapped in two stages: first from G3 to G2, then from the mapped G2 result to G1. For example, a G3 C5 becomes G2 Grade 2 under the first table; G2 Grade 2 then becomes G1 Grade A under the second table. That is the complete prescribed route.
A G3 D7 also maps to G2 Grade 3 and then to G1 Grade A. The results may sound surprising if they are read as classroom equivalence. They are not classroom equivalence. They are calculations defined to make certain progression routes possible, and they should be used only where an actual admission rule requires them.
Never start at G1 Grade A and attempt to work backward to claim the student has obtained a G3 A1, B3 or D7. The mapping tables do not authorise that conclusion.
6. Worked example: calculate the SEC ELMAB3 illustration
SEAB provides a worked subject profile showing how results are mapped to G2 for an ELMAB3-type progression computation. The profile contains G3 English Language at B4, G3 Mathematics at A1, G3 Science at B3, G2 Combined Humanities at Grade 2, G2 Chinese at Grade 5, and G1 Computing at Grade A.
| Actual SEC subject result | G2-valued result used in example |
|---|---|
| G3 English Language B4 | 2 |
| G3 Mathematics A1 | 1 |
| G3 Science B3 | 1 |
| G2 Combined Humanities 2 | 2 (no mapping required) |
| G2 Chinese 5 | 5 (no mapping required) |
| G1 Computing A | Not used in this ELMAB3 calculation |
The five relevant G2-valued results add to 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 5 = 11 in this illustrative calculation. SEAB’s example demonstrates the mapping mechanism. It does not establish that the fictional candidate will be accepted into a specific course, because admission still depends on the programme’s minimum subject requirements, current policies and actual allocation.
Note the exclusion of G1 Computing from this example. It is not that Computing lacks educational value. It is that a particular aggregate has a defined set of subjects and levels that can be counted. A family must not treat every subject on a certificate as freely interchangeable in every formula.
7. Why ‘converted score’ does not mean ‘converted subject’
After reading the mapping table, a parent might say, ‘My child’s G3 English B4 is a G2 Grade 2, so do we report that English was taken at G2?’ No. The SEC certificate still records G3 English B4. The mapped grade is used by an applicable calculation, not to rewrite the student’s examination history.
Another parent might say, ‘My child got G2 Mathematics 1, so that is the same as G3 Mathematics A1.’ Again, no. The official mapping only goes from the more demanding subject level to the less demanding one for specified computations. A G2 result is not a substitute for a course requirement that explicitly demands G3 Mathematics.
This distinction protects families from false hopes and unnecessary pessimism. It is encouraging that the framework recognises mixed-level achievement, but it remains honest about what has been taught and assessed.
8. Three different questions an admissions officer may need to answer
- Is the student eligible? Does the actual subject-level profile meet the programme’s minimum requirements?
- What is the aggregate? Which subjects count, and does any result require grade mapping under the applicable formula?
- Will the student receive a place? How does the applicant rank against available places and the year’s posting arrangements?
A student can meet a threshold without securing a competitive place. Another student might have a strong numerical aggregate but lack a required subject. A third could be eligible for more than one route and should compare programme fit rather than focus only on what the score appears to permit.
9. What about the Polytechnic Foundation Programme and ITE?
SEAB explicitly identifies ELMAB3 as an example of an aggregate that may require the higher-to-lower level mapping. The Polytechnic Foundation Programme and Higher Nitec progression routes have their own current entry conditions. The important practical task is to find the official requirements for the specific intake and compare them with the subject-level profile shown on the SEC.
Do not assume that an ELMAB3 result alone opens every PFP course, or that a G1 subject can always be counted wherever a G2 subject is required. Course eligibility is more detailed than the sum of five numbers. When in doubt, check the institution’s published subject requirements and ask the school counsellor to verify the route.
10. What about direct Polytechnic Year 1 admission in 2028?
MOE has announced that the revised ELR2B2 computation for Polytechnic Year 1 from the 2028 intake can include one G2 subject as the last ‘B’ subject, while the other four subjects are at G3. The net aggregate cut-off is revised from 26 to 22 points, with course-specific minimum entry requirements continuing to apply. This is an important but specific recognition of mixed-level subject profiles.
The rule does not mean that any combination of five G2 subjects is automatically eligible for Polytechnic Year 1. Nor does a strong mapped grade waive a required G3 subject. Parents should check the relevant intake’s official subject categories and posted instructions before performing the calculation.
11. What about Junior College and Millennia Institute?
For the 2028 intake, MOE’s revised Junior College admissions framework moves to an L1R4 computation using five subjects instead of the previous L1R5. The stated JC qualifying threshold becomes a gross aggregate of 16, subject to other applicable requirements. Millennia Institute also uses L1R4 from 2028 with a qualifying threshold of 20.
This does not create a universal rule that every G2 result can be mapped upward into a JC-eligible G3 result. Check the exact required subjects and levels for the student’s application year. A family should not infer eligibility for a specific route by extending a grade-mapping table beyond the purpose for which SEAB provides it.
12. Results day: what to record before making decisions
- Photograph or save the official result details securely for the family’s records.
- Write down the exact subject name, G-level and grade for every subject.
- Identify the programmes and courses the student is genuinely interested in.
- Open each programme’s current minimum entry requirements.
- Only when the rules require it, apply the official grade-mapping table.
- Distinguish provisional calculations from an actual offer of admission.
- Check the official PSE or institution application instructions and deadline for that year.
The result day can be emotionally intense. Avoid making the student watch adults debate a converted aggregate as though that number captures their entire future. Scores help determine next steps, but they do not measure every strength, ambition or future capacity to learn.
13. The difference between a national exam grade and a school test
A Secondary 3 weighted assessment of 72% is not itself an SEC grade, and a school’s internal mark boundaries need not mirror national grade awarding. Schools may test a narrower set of topics and use different difficulties. Parents should use school assessments as feedback about current learning rather than convert each percentage into a speculative future SEC result.
Ask the student to explain where the marks were lost. Was a mathematical representation wrong? Did a Science explanation miss a mechanism? Was evidence from an English passage misread? The repair comes from the underlying mistake, not from the grade label.
14. How subject-level movement affects the eventual certificate
A child may begin Secondary 1 at one level and later move to another based on school processes and readiness. The eventual SEC subject entry reflects the examination level actually taken. An earlier Posting Group does not appear as a substitute for that subject-level information.
If the student is considering a move from G2 to G3, ask whether the new curriculum is manageable and whether it supports plausible post-secondary course prerequisites. If a current G3 subject has become unsustainably difficult, discuss targeted support and possible recalibration with the school. Neither choice should be driven solely by the imagined conversion table.
15. Avoid five common grade-mapping mistakes
- Treating a G2 Grade 1 as if it automatically were G3 A1.
- Changing the reported subject level on a certificate because an admissions computation maps its grade.
- Adding every SEC grade code directly into one total without applying the published formula.
- Assuming a grade conversion guarantees course admission.
- Using the right table for the wrong examination year, course or institution.
A sixth mistake is allowing the conversion discussion to overshadow the child’s learning. The purpose of the different levels is to make learning more responsive to the individual. Parents should examine whether the student is building mathematical understanding, language competence, scientific explanation and independent study habits. The exact grade computation becomes relevant at a particular admissions decision, not in every conversation at home.
16. What does it mean to be awarded an SEC certificate?
SEAB states that a certificate will be awarded where the candidate obtains E8 or better in a G3 subject, Grade 5 or better in a G2 subject, or Grade D or better in a G1 subject. This is a certificate-award condition stated by SEAB, not a claim that those grades satisfy every institution’s minimum entry requirements. A programme can set stricter requirements.
A G3 result of 9 appears in SEAB’s mapping table and maps to G2 Grade 5 when such mapping is required. That entry must not be used to pretend the original G3 grade met an E8-or-better standard. Keep the original grade, certificate conditions and admissions calculations separate.
17. Parent questions: quick answers
What does G3 B4 convert to at G2?
G3 B4 maps to G2 Grade 2 when the applicable admissions aggregate requires it. The subject remains a G3 subject on the certificate.
What does G3 C6 convert to at G2?
G3 C6 maps to G2 Grade 2 under the same official mapping table.
What does G2 Grade 3 convert to at G1?
G2 Grade 3 maps to G1 Grade A where a valid G2-to-G1 progression calculation calls for it.
Can I convert G2 Grade 1 into G3 A1?
No. The official table does not provide reverse mapping from G2 to G3.
Will my child’s SEC show the mapped grades instead of the actual ones?
The SEC shows the subjects and levels actually taken and the grades obtained. Mapping is for relevant progression computations.
Are all G1, G2 and G3 grades added together for polytechnic admission?
No. A specific aggregate formula selects qualifying subjects and applies relevant level restrictions and mapping. Check the official course rules for the intake.
When is the first SEC results day?
The first SEC examinations are in 2027 and SEAB says the results are released in January of the following year, meaning January 2028 for that cohort. The precise release date is announced nearer the time.
18. Official sources and routes through eduKateSG
- SEAB: SEC grades, grade-mapping tables, example and certificate rules
- MOE 2024: SEC and 2028 Polytechnic Year 1 criteria
- MOE 2025: revised JC and MI entry requirements
- MOE 2026: common Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise
- eduKateSG: SEC 2027 and post-secondary admissions in 2028
- eduKateSG: Posting Group versus subject level
- eduKateSG: Full SBB subject-level learning library
Checked 6 November 2026. This is an independent parent guide; SEAB and the post-secondary institutions govern their qualifications and admission processes. Do not substitute an illustrative aggregate for an official eligibility or posting decision.