ELR2B2 Calculator (Polytechnic Admission)

O-Level / SEC grade points

Each counted subject scores its grade number; a lower total ELR2B2 is more competitive.

How ELR2B2 works

EL is your English Language grade (always counted). R2 are two subjects relevant to your chosen diploma course — MOE assigns each course an ELR2B2 type (A/B/C/D) that fixes which subjects qualify, so check your course on MOE CourseFinder. B2 are your two best remaining subjects. The raw total minus up to 2 CCA bonus points gives your net ELR2B2, and a net of 26 or lower (28 for the Diploma in Nursing) meets the general qualifying bar.

What changes from the 2028 polytechnic intake

The 26-or-lower bar above applies to the 2026 and 2027 Joint Admissions Exercise. From the 2028 intake (under Full Subject-Based Banding), your second Best subject (B2) can be taken at either G2 or G3, and MOE scores that slot on the G2-equivalent grade for every candidate (A1–B3 = 1, B4–C6 = 2, D7 = 3, E8 = 4) — while the general qualifying net ELR2B2 moves to 22 or lower (Diploma in Nursing: 24 or lower). The 4-point move tracks the maximum reduction the G2-equivalent B2 scoring can produce (an E8 falls from 8 points to 4), so it is a re-basing rather than a straightforwardly tougher bar — MOE has not published that characterisation itself. Use the toggle above to switch between the current and 2028 rules; in 2028 mode this calculator applies MOE's B2 mapping for you.

Common questions

How is the ELR2B2 aggregate calculated?

For the 2026 and 2027 JAE, ELR2B2 adds five O-Level / SEC subjects: English Language (EL), two subjects Relevant to your chosen polytechnic course (R2), and your two Best remaining subjects (B2). Each grade scores its number — A1 = 1 up to F9 = 9 — so a lower total is more competitive, with 5 (five A1s) the best possible. CCA bonus points are then subtracted to give your net ELR2B2. From the 2028 Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise the second Best subject is scored on the G2-equivalent grade instead (A1–B3 = 1, B4–C6 = 2, D7 = 3, E8 = 4) and grade 9 cannot be used at all — see the 2028 section below.

What ELR2B2 score do I need to get into a polytechnic?

For the Joint Admissions Exercise, a net ELR2B2 of 26 or lower is the aggregate bar for general polytechnic courses (the Diploma in Nursing allows up to 28) — but the aggregate alone is not enough. MOE requires you to meet both the aggregate and the minimum entry requirements (MER) of the course you are applying for. Individual diploma course cut-off points are competitive and usually much lower than 26, and they change each year — use this score to shortlist courses, then check current cut-offs and MERs on MOE CourseFinder.

Which subjects count as the 2 relevant subjects?

The two relevant subjects (R2) are course-specific — MOE assigns each polytechnic diploma course one of four ELR2B2 types (A, B, C or D), and the type fixes which O-Level / SEC subjects count as relevant. Check your target course on MOE CourseFinder. The best-two (B1, B2) are your two best remaining subjects, which can include elective subjects. One restriction to watch: you cannot count the grades of both Higher Mother Tongue and Mother Tongue of the same language.

How do CCA bonus points work for polytechnic admission?

You can earn up to 2 CCA bonus points: a CCA grade of Excellent (A1 or A2) gives 2 points and Good (B3 to C6) gives 1 point. These are subtracted from your raw ELR2B2 to give the net aggregate used for admission. There is no Higher Mother Tongue bonus for polytechnic admission.