SOTA conducts ONE (1) Admission Exercise a year through the Talent Academy (TA). Please refer to the Non-DSA How To Apply tab for more information on the application process and the timeline to take note of.

Parents and pupils are encouraged to choose schools wisely based on the pupil's aptitudes and strengths, bearing in mind SOTA's academic and non-academic requirements, and the programmes available to develop the area of talent.

All shortlisted non-DSA applicants must complete all TA activities within the stipulated time. TA activities will include the following:

• Individual audition/portfolio presentation and interview

• Group activities

• Panel interview

• Online questionnaires

• Entrance tests for English and Mathematics (IBCP track), set at Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level, or

• English, Mathematics and Science (Year 5 IBDP track) set at the local secondary express level or Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level

• An entrance test fee of S$30.00 (Year 5 IBCP), or

• S$60.00 (Year 5 IBDP) is applicable

Applicants are not required to take the AEIS or SPERS test for admission to SOTA.

There is no TA Registration Fee applicable. There is an entrance test fee of S$30.00 or S$60.00 applicable for shortlisted Non-DSA Year 5 applicants.

Applicants may refer to the Secondary 4 Express or GCE ‘O’ level assessment books. Download the Preparation Notes and Checklist to learn more.

No, there isn't. SOTA only runs ONE (1) Admission Exercise each year.

Applicants applying to Year 5 may apply for either the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or the IB Career-related Programme (IBCP). Learn more about the programmes here: IBDP | IBCP

Students must have studied at least a year at Foundation level (years 1 to 3) in SOTA before entering Year 4 (Pre-IB level).

Applicants must meet the following:

• At least 16 years old (born in 2008), and

• Studying in a local International School and Completing Grade 10 by December 2024; or

• Returning Singaporean/Singapore Permanent Residents studying overseas and completing Grade 10 by December 2024; or

• International Students completing Grade 10 by December 2024 and will be able to start school in January 2025

No, you may only apply via the DSA-JC exercise.

The application is open to Singaporeans, Singapore Permanent-Residents, and Foreigners who meet the eligibility criteria stated in the answers of the previous 3 questions.

As you are applying for admission to Year 5, you must have advanced skills in the art form that you are applying for. Please refer to the Preparation Notes and Checklist for the details.

To gain admission into SOTA via Non-DSA, shortlisted applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Receive a Confirmed Offer for the final outcome of their Talent Academy application

2. Submit the Acceptance Form to SOTA by the given deadline

The art forms available for admission to Year 5 are:

IBDP track

• Dance

• Literary Arts (currently only at Standard Level)

• Film

• Music (Performance)

• Theatre

• Visual Arts

IBCP track

• Dance

• Music (Performance) or Music (Composition)

• Theatre

• Visual Arts

Applicants may apply to up to TWO (2) art forms only. Applicants may apply for ONE (1) IB track only.

Applicants only need to submit ONE (1) application for BOTH artforms.

Applicants may apply for up to TWO (2) art forms only.

Applicants only need to submit ONE (1) application for both art forms.

No. Applicants may only apply to ONE (1) IB track only.

No. You may only apply for ONE (1) instrument (including ‘voice’).

No. You may only apply to ONE (1) Music track only.

• Application is done online via the TA Portal. You will need to register for an account before you can log in to complete the application form.

• You must download the Preparation Notes and Checklist relevant to the art form that you are applying for to find out what you need to prepare for your portfolio submission, as well as the supporting documents required for submission.

• If you are applying to TWO (2) art forms, you only need to submit ONE (1) application. Choose the 2 art forms when prompted. You will not be able to go back and amend your choices once you have confirmed your selection(s).

• You will not be able to apply for a second art form if you have already chosen and confirmed an art form or have submitted an application for the first art form.

• You will not be able to cancel/withdraw your application once you have confirmed your selections.

• It takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete the entire application for one art form, provided that the portfolio submission and all supporting documents have been prepared in advance.

• Applicants are advised to submit their applications early, as the TA Portal may experience slower connectivity due to high traffic towards the close of the application period.

• Incomplete applications will be disqualified. Appeals for late submissions will not be considered.

• Please refer to the Non-DSA How To Apply tab for more information on application process and the timeline to take note of.

We regret that we are unable to provide in-person support. Please email us at sa@sota.edu.sg for assistance.

You may refer to the YouTube Help page for assistance.

You may refer to the Google Support page for assistance.

There are many free online websites you can use. Below are a few suggestions. Please note that SOTA is not affiliated to any of these sites. The links below will bring you to an external website not hosted by SOTA.

• Convert word document to PDF document (Link 1 or Link 2)

• Compress / Resize PDF documents (Link 1)

• Merge individual pdf documents into 1 document (Link 1)

No. All auditions, assessments, and interviews must be done during the TA dates indicated. All TA schedules will be arranged by SOTA and no change of dates is allowed. Please refer to the Non-DSA How To Apply tab for more information on the application process and the timeline to take note of. We regret that due to the nature of the audition activities, no auditions will take place outside of the TA window.

Log in to the TA Portal and:

• check the status of your shortlisting outcome, and

• download your TA Schedule to find out the TA dates/days that you are allocated to. Do note that these may take place over multiple days.

• check the ‘Announcement’ tab to learn more about your TA Schedule

• If you are shortlisted for 1 art form you will need to complete the following:

  • An art form solo audition/presentation and interview

  • Group activities

  • A panel interview

  • Online questionnaires

• If you are shortlisted for 2 art forms you will need to complete the following:

  • Two art forms solo auditions/presentations and interviews

  • Group activities

  • A panel interview (same interview for both shortlisted artforms, only required to take this ONCE)

  • Online questionnaires (same questionnaires for both shortlisted artforms, only required to take this ONCE)

• Shortlisted applicants must complete all their scheduled activities within the stipulated time. Absence during any part of the TA will disqualify the application.

No. All TA schedules are arranged by SOTA and no change of dates is allowed. Please refer to the Non-DSA How To Apply tab for more information on the application process and the timeline to take note of.

SOTA would have carefully considered each application, and as such, the decision is final.

All applications are carefully reviewed and considered by the selection panel according to a rigorous process. As such, the decision of the selection panel is final. The school reserves the right not to release the results and/or the reasons for non-selection of applicants. To ensure the continued rigour of the selection process, we regret that we are not able to provide any feedback.

You must log in to the TA Portal to check the status of your final TA outcome. Please refer to the Non-DSA How To Apply tab for more information on application process and the timeline to take note of.

Submit the Acceptance Form to SOTA by the deadline given in order to complete your registration to SOTA.

Yes. Absence during any part of the TA will disqualify the application. Shortlisted candidates must attend and complete all their scheduled activities. There will not be any make-up auditions.

We understand your request for feedback in order to help you improve in your artistic journey. The school maintains strict confidentiality about the audition procedures and criteria for the Talent Academy, to ensure and maintain the authenticity of performances and portfolios at future auditions. As such, we regret that we are unable to share any feedback.

Regrettably, no. Admission to the school is highly competitive, as such the School evaluates every candidate very carefully based on a rigorous assessment of all shortlisted candidates during the Talent Academy (TA). Candidates are assessed via solo auditions or portfolio presentations depending on the art form, as well as group workshops, exercises and interviews. We are only able to offer candidates who have performed consistently well across the assessed areas. The school would have thoroughly considered each candidate’s TA assessment and therefore, the decision is final.

No, you may not.