If a bereavement affects your ability to sit or complete an SEC paper, contact your school or SEAB as soon as possible. Name the affected paper and ask how to report the circumstances and whether special consideration is available.
SEAB’s published GCE guidance asks for the death certificate and information about the deceased person’s relationship to the candidate. Confirm the evidence and deadline for your own 2027 Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) sitting.
- Report the first affected component promptly.
- Use your school’s official contact or SEAB’s private-candidate route.
- Ask what evidence is needed and where to send it securely.
- Check the deadline for each affected paper.
Give the examination details in the first message
Say which subject and component are affected, when they take place and whether you sat the paper or expect to miss it. If several papers are involved, list their codes and dates. You can start with the examination details and ask where to provide the private information.
A parent or trusted adult can help gather the timetable and make the initial contact. Check whether the school or SEAB needs anything directly from the candidate before the application can proceed.
Ask how to submit evidence securely
SEAB’s GCE FAQ identifies the death certificate and the candidate’s relationship to the person who died. Use the official route for providing those details. If the document is still being arranged or was issued overseas, tell the school or SEAB promptly and ask what procedure applies.
Keep the document and the candidate’s identification details out of public channels. If asked for a short account, explain which paper was affected and how the circumstances affected attendance or completion.
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Keep a record of the papers and the submission
A report to the school or centre and an application may be separate steps. Ask whether a submission is required, when it must be made and who sends it. Keep any acknowledgement so you can follow up on the correct application.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I wait until I have the certificate before contacting the school?
Report the affected paper promptly and ask how to handle evidence that is still being arranged.
Can one application cover several papers?
Identify all affected papers and ask how the current process handles multiple components.
Does reporting a bereavement guarantee special consideration?
SEAB assesses the evidence and applicable criteria for the sitting.