[1] The examination is taken by school students upon the completion of their pre-university education at junior colleges (JC)s and centralised institutes, and is also open to private candidates.
The standards and grading for the subjects are determined by SEAB and MOE in consultation with Cambridge International Examinations, a subsidiary of UCLES.
All pre-university students in Singapore undertaking the Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examination are required to offer either of the subjects.
[4][5] General Paper aims to develop in students the ability to think critically, to construct cogent arguments and to communicate their ideas using clear, accurate and effective language.
[5] In early 2023, it was announced by the MOE that GP will be compulsory for all JC and MI (Millennia Institute) students, starting with the 2024 intake.
[4] Students are invariably required to sit for either H1 General Paper or H2 Knowledge and Inquiry, and may opt to elect any combination and number of H1 and H2 subjects, up to a maximum of twelve academic units (AUs).
[4] Under the Ministry of Education's regulations, students sitting for the A-Level in a junior college are required to take at least one subject that is from a contrasting discipline.
However, it will be decreased to 70 points from 2025 onwards, after which the "Project Work" (PW) and the fourth content-based subject (H1 or H2) will no longer be counted in the UAS calculations.