Universities.sg | FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding the Data
What is IGP (Indicative Grade Profile)?
IGP shows the A-level scores of students admitted last year. The 10th percentile = bottom 10% of admitted students. The 90th percentile = top 10%. These are NOT minimum requirements - they show what scores actually got in.
What does the GES (Graduate Employment Survey) measure?
GES tracks jobs and salaries 6 months after graduation. Metrics: employment rate (% with any job), full-time permanent rate (% with stable jobs), basic salary (before bonuses), gross salary (total pay). Shows median, mean, 25th and 75th percentiles.
How current is the data on this site?
IGP data: 2024 admissions (AY2024/25). GES data: 2025 survey (2024 graduates). Updated annually March-May when new data releases.
Why are some courses missing GES data?
Small cohorts (data suppressed for privacy), new programmes (no graduates yet), or course name changes that break our matching. About 70% of IGP courses have matched GES data.
Why are some courses not shown on the site?
We only build a page for a programme when there is something real to show - admission stats, employment outcomes, or an editorial write-up. That covers 112 of the 284 programmes we track. The rest, including discontinued and duplicate listings, still appear in the comparison tools but without their own page.
A-Level Rank Points & Calculator
How does the 70-point A-level scoring system work?
3 H2 subjects (20 points each) + GP (10 points) = 70 max. Grade points: A=20, B=17.5, C=15, D=12.5, E=10, S=5, U=0. H1/GP points are halved. PW is pass/fail only.
How are MTL (Mother Tongue Language) bonus points handled?
MTL only counts if it improves your score. Calculator tests: base only (70 max), base + 4th subject (÷80×70), base + MTL (÷80×70), all subjects (÷90×70). Takes the highest.
What about the 4th H2 or H1 subject?
4th subject included only if it helps. H2 worth up to 20 points, H1 up to 10. With 4th subject: total ÷ 80 × 70. Perfect 4-subject score (80) still = 70 rank points after normalization.
How is old IGP data (90-point system) converted?
Pre-2024 data converted: assume GP grade C, then (3 H2 + H1 + GP) ÷ 80 × 70. Example: AAA/A ≈ 67.8 points. See methodology for details.
Does the calculator account for bonus points or discretionary admissions?
No. Shows base academic score only. Unis may add bonus points for leadership/sports/arts. Many courses have interviews or portfolios. Your score shows academic competitiveness, not guaranteed admission.
Polytechnic Applicants
How do polytechnic GPA cutoffs work?
Same as IGP - 10th percentile = bottom 10% admitted, 90th = top 10%. Not minimum requirements. Some courses need specific diplomas. Only ~31% of programmes publish poly data.
Can I compare my GPA against university cutoffs on this site?
Yes. Poly GPA tool shows which courses match your GPA (0-4.0 scale). Remember: meeting GPA doesn't guarantee admission - diploma relevance matters.
Using the Site
How does course eligibility matching work?
Calculator compares your score to 10th percentile IGP. "Eligible" = you meet/exceed it. "Competitive" = within 5 points. Actual admission depends on competition and interviews.
Can I compare multiple courses side by side?
Yes. Compare tool shows 2 courses side-by-side: IGP, GPA, employment, salaries, 10-year trends. All six universities included.
What is the Graduate Prospects Explorer?
Prospects tool charts employment and salary trends 2013-2025. Compare up to 5 courses. See which fields are rising or declining over time.
How do I report a data error or provide feedback?
Use the feedback form. Include: course name, university, wrong data point, link to official source if possible.
Data Quality & Transparency
How is data quality ensured?
All data from official sources (unis, MOE). No estimates. Pipeline validates and flags issues. Manual overrides for special cases. See methodology for details.
Still have questions? Check our glossary for definitions of key terms, or visit our methodology page for technical details about data processing.