Understanding School Oversubscription
A primary school is "oversubscribed" when more children apply for places in a registration phase than there are vacancies available. When this happens, MOE conducts a computerised ballot — a random draw — to decide who gets a place. Understanding which schools are most competitive helps parents plan their registration strategy early.
How We Define Competitiveness
We look at Phase 2C — the open ballot phase available to all citizens and PRs — as the primary measure of oversubscription. Schools that ballot in Phase 2C are truly competitive: they have exhausted places for siblings, alumni, and volunteers before reaching the general public.
Schools that only ballot in Phase 2B or earlier are elite schools where even volunteers and community leaders compete for spots.
Schools That Balloted in Phase 2B (2024)
These schools are so popular that even Phase 2B (for parent volunteers) went to ballot in 2024, meaning there were more volunteer applicants than places:
- Nanyang Primary School — 55 vacancies in 2B, consistently oversubscribed
- Ai Tong School — SAP school in Bishan, heavily demanded by alumni community
- Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) — ACS alumni loyalty drives Phase 2A2 to capacity
- Rosyth School — GEP centre school in Serangoon, popular for academic reputation
- Henry Park Primary School — West Singapore's premier school, always competitive
Schools That Balloted in Phase 2C (2024)
Phase 2C balloting means the school has few vacancies left for the general public. If you live beyond 2km from any of these schools, your chances of securing a place through ballot are very low:
- Tao Nan School — Marine Parade SAP school, very few Phase 2C places
- Catholic High School (Primary) — Alumni-heavy SAP school in Bishan
- Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School — Bukit Timah, strong alumni network
- Queenstown Primary School — Central school, small intake drives competition
- St. Joseph's Institution Junior — Boys' Catholic school, strong Phase 2A preference
Distance Priority in Phase 2C
Even within Phase 2C, not all applicants are equal. MOE applies distance tiers:
- Singapore citizens living within 1km
- Singapore citizens living 1km–2km away
- Singapore citizens living beyond 2km
- Permanent residents (same distance tiers, after citizens)
For the most oversubscribed schools, places are often exhausted before reaching Category 3 (beyond 2km). If your child's school of choice is on this list, living close is critical.
Strategic Tips
- Check multiple years of data. A school that balloted in 2023 and 2024 will almost certainly ballot again. Use SGSchool's historical data to spot patterns.
- Consider less-known alternatives. Many excellent neighbourhood schools do not ballot at all in Phase 2C, giving your child a guaranteed place.
- Start volunteering 2–3 years early. For Phase 2B eligibility, 40 hours of volunteer service must be completed before the exercise. Starting when your child is 3–4 years old is not too early for popular schools.
- Use our distance search. Enter your postal code on SGSchool to instantly see which schools are within 1km and 2km of your home.