Facts checked against the official pages on 18 Oct 2026.
Before the AEIS, Primary school applicants must take the relevant Cambridge English Qualifications (CEQ) test run by Cambridge Assessment English. MOE's overview sets out the rules, and its age checker gives the required scores.
The rules MOE states
- When to take it: 12 months before the submission month of the AEIS application. For the 2026 AEIS, MOE says the CEQ test must be taken from July 2025.
- What to take: the paper-based or computer-based CEQ test suitable for the child's age.
- Where: at a Cambridge Assessment English authorised exam centre in any country.
- Booking: MOE says to check, when booking the test, whether the result will be released in time for the AEIS application.
- The score: the child must meet the required Cambridge English Scale (CES) score before submitting an application. The result is uploaded with the application.
- One result only: MOE will only consider the set of CEQ results submitted in the child's online application for the AEIS-Primary Mathematics test.
- What to upload: the statement of results. MOE says there is no need to submit the Cambridge English certificate.
The tests and scores the checker returns
We entered dates of birth in MOE's checker, with 2027 as the year of admission. These are the results for a child born on 1 June of each year.
| Born | Applying for | Cambridge test | Required CES score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Primary 2 | A2 Key for Schools | 100 and above |
| 2018 | Primary 3 | A2 Key for Schools | 120 and above |
| 2017 | Primary 4 | A2 Key for Schools | 130 and above |
| 2016 | Primary 5 (AEIS) | B1 Preliminary for Schools | 140 and above |
Timing for the 2027 AEIS
MOE's overview says the AEIS typically starts in July, and its pages list no application month for the 2027 AEIS. If it is July again, as in 2026, the 12-month rule would put the earliest eligible CEQ test date in July 2026.
What we could not confirm
- The application month for the 2027 AEIS. MOE's pages list none.
- How long results take for each version of the test. MOE tells families to ask when booking and gives no figures.
- Scores for dates of birth other than the ones we entered.
Sources