Does your child receive an Edusave award every year, or does this award seem hard to get?
Working towards an Edusave award is one way to motivate your child to study smart and take on new challenges in school. It helps to know exactly what awards there are, who they are for, and how much they are worth.
Below is a guide to the Edusave awards, grouped by education level, so you can find the ones your child may be eligible for.
The criteria and amounts listed are from the Ministry of Education (MOE). Always refer to the MOE website for the most accurate and updated information.
Key takeaways
There are several Edusave awards. Which ones apply depends on your child's education level.
A child can receive only one academic award (the Edusave Scholarship, Edusave Merit Bursary, or Good Progress Award) at a time.
Award amounts range from $100 to $500, depending on the award and level. The Edusave Scholarship for Independent Schools (ESIS) is worth up to $2,400 a year.
The Edusave Merit Bursary has an income cap: gross household income up to $9,000 or per capita income up to $2,250.
From November 2025, the Edusave Merit Bursary has been assessed automatically, so no application is needed.
How the Edusave awards work
MOE groups the awards into two types:
Academic awards
Edusave Scholarship
Edusave Merit Bursary
Edusave Good Progress Award
Edusave Scholarship for Independent Schools
Non-academic awards
Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service (EAGLES)
Edusave Character Award
Edusave Skills Award
A child is only eligible for one Edusave academic award, that is, the Scholarship, the Merit Bursary, or the Good Progress Award.
If your child receives the Edusave Merit Bursary after being awarded the Good Progress Award, they will receive a top-up to match the amount for the Edusave Merit Bursary.
For the Edusave Merit Bursary, eligible nominees are now automatically assessed based on their most recent household income available in government databases.
For secondary students, eligibility for the Scholarship, Merit Bursary, and Good Progress Award used to be based on a student's rank within their level and stream, e.g. Express. With the removal of streams, eligibility for students is based on their overall performance across different subjects.
How to work towards an award
If your child hopes to receive an Edusave award, especially one for conduct or leadership, a few steps can help:
Primary schools
Edusave Character Award
Up to 2% of students in each school who have demonstrated exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities through their behaviour and actions.
Edusave Scholarship
Students who are within the top 10% of their school's level and course in terms of academic performance, and have demonstrated good conduct.
Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service (EAGLES)
Primary 1 to 3: up to 5% of students from each school who have demonstrated good conduct and 21st Century Competencies in a consistent and exemplary manner.
Primary 4 to 6: up to 15% of students from each school who have demonstrated good conduct, and one or more of the following: (i) leadership qualities, (ii) service to community and schools, (iii) excellence in non-academic activities, or (iv) 21st Century Competencies, in a consistent and exemplary manner.
Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB)
Primary 1 and 2: students who are within the top 25% of their school's level, have consistently demonstrated positive learning dispositions in the course of the year, have demonstrated good conduct, and whose gross household income does not exceed $9,000 (or per capita income does not exceed $2,250).
Other levels: students who are within the top 25% of their school's level and course in terms of academic performance, have demonstrated good conduct, and whose gross household income does not exceed $9,000 (or per capita income does not exceed $2,250).
Edusave Good Progress Award (GPA)
Primary 2 and 3: students who are within the top 10% of their school's level who do not qualify for the Merit Bursary, but showed the greatest improvement in learning disposition in the course of the year and have demonstrated good conduct.
Other levels: students who are within the top 10% of their school's level and course in terms of improvement in academic performance, and have demonstrated good conduct.
Secondary schools
Edusave Character Award
Up to 2% of students in each school who have demonstrated exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities through their behaviour and actions.
Edusave Scholarship
For students in government, government-aided, and specialised schools who are within the top 10% of their school's level and course in terms of academic performance, and have demonstrated good conduct.
Edusave Skills Award
Up to 5% of students in the penultimate year and 15% of students in the graduating cohort from each course who have demonstrated excellent professional and soft skills throughout their course of study, and good conduct.
Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service (EAGLES)
Secondary schools: up to 15% of students from each school who have demonstrated good conduct, and one or more of the following: (i) leadership qualities, (ii) service to community and schools, (iii) excellence in non-academic activities, or (iv) 21st Century Competencies, in a consistent and exemplary manner.
Specialised schools, Crest Secondary and Spectra Secondary: up to 10% of students from each school who have demonstrated good conduct, and one or more of the following: (i) leadership qualities, (ii) service to community and schools, or (iii) excellence in non-academic activities.
Note: EAGLES in 21CC is not extended to Crest Secondary School, Spectra Secondary School, and specialised schools, as the enhancements to the Edusave Skills Award in these schools recognise similar competencies.
Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB)
Students who are within the top 25% of their school's level and course in terms of academic performance, have demonstrated good conduct, and whose gross household income does not exceed $9,000 (or per capita income does not exceed $2,250).
Edusave Good Progress Award (GPA)
Students who are within the top 10% of their school's level and course in terms of improvement in academic performance, and have demonstrated good conduct.
Junior College and Millennia Institute
Edusave Character Award
Up to 2% of students in each school who have demonstrated exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities through their behaviour and actions.
Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service (EAGLES)
Up to 15% of students from each school who have demonstrated good conduct, and one or more of the following: (i) leadership qualities, (ii) service to community and schools, (iii) excellence in non-academic activities, or (iv) 21st Century Competencies, in a consistent and exemplary manner.
Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB)
Students who are within the top 25% of their school's level and course in terms of academic performance, have demonstrated good conduct, and whose gross household income does not exceed $9,000 (or per capita income does not exceed $2,250).
Edusave Good Progress Award (GPA)
Students who are within the top 10% of their school's level and course in terms of improvement in academic performance, and have demonstrated good conduct.
ITE and polytechnics
Edusave Character Award
Up to 2% of students from ITE who have demonstrated exemplary character and outstanding personal qualities through their behaviour and actions.
Edusave Skills Award
Up to 5% of students in the penultimate year and 15% of students in the graduating cohort from each course who have demonstrated excellent professional and LifeSkills throughout their course of study, and good conduct.
Note: ITE and polytechnics aim to help students develop a set of 10 LifeSkills competencies, building on the 21st Century Competencies in school.
Edusave Award for Achievement, Good Leadership and Service (EAGLES)
Up to 10% of students from ITE who have demonstrated good conduct, and one or more of the following: (i) leadership qualities, (ii) service to community and schools, or (iii) excellence in non-academic activities.
Edusave Merit Bursary (EMB)
Students who are within the top 25% of their institution's level and course in terms of academic performance, have demonstrated good conduct, and whose gross household income does not exceed $9,000 (or per capita income does not exceed $2,250).
Edusave Good Progress Award (GPA)
Students who are within the top 10% of their institution's level and course in terms of improvement in academic performance, and have demonstrated good conduct.
Independent schools: Edusave Scholarship for Independent Schools (ESIS)
Scholarships of up to $2,400 per year are offered to top-performing Singaporean students at independent schools.
The ESIS is awarded at Secondary 1, Secondary 3, and Pre-University 1, and on a yearly basis.
ESIS (Secondary 1)
Awarded to the top one-third of students admitted to independent schools by PSLE score.
Students who meet the ESIS cut-off score and are admitted to independent schools under the Direct School Admission Exercise will also be offered the ESIS.
Students are awarded the ESIS for:
This is subject to their good progress and conduct each year.
ESIS (Secondary 3)
At the end of Secondary 2, students who have demonstrated consistently good academic performance over Secondary 1 and 2 may be selected for the ESIS award.
Students who are selected for ESIS (Secondary 3) will be awarded for:
This is subject to their good progress and conduct each year.
Students who already received an ESIS (Secondary 1) award will not be eligible.
ESIS (Pre-University 1)
At the end of Secondary 4, students who are in the six-year programme and have demonstrated consistently good academic performance over Secondary 3 and 4 may be selected for the ESIS award.
Students in the O-Level programme will be informed of their eligibility along with their O-Level examination results.
Students who fulfil the following criteria are eligible to receive the ESIS (Pre-University 1) for two years, subject to good progress and conduct each year:
Students in the six-year programme who have not sat for the O-Level examinations and have been selected for the ESIS award.
Students in the O-Level programme who are within the top 5% of all students who sat for the O-Level examinations based on L1R5 scores before any bonus points. Students who meet the ESIS cut-off score and are admitted to an independent school under the Direct School Admission for Junior Colleges (DSA-JC) are also awarded.
Students who already received the ESIS (Secondary 1) for six years, or the ESIS (Secondary 3) for four years, will not be eligible.
ESIS (yearly award)
Students in the top 10% of their school cohort with good conduct will receive an ESIS based on their school examination results for the year. Students will be informed of their ESIS award through their schools at the beginning of the next academic year. Students who already received other types of ESIS will not be eligible.
ESIS award amount
The award value of the ESIS is up to $2,400 per year. The exact amount depends on whether your child receives other subsidies.
If your child is not receiving the MOE Independent School Bursary (ISB), they will be awarded the lesser of the following amounts:
$2,400 a year.
The total annual school fee minus the amount of school and standard miscellaneous fees that they would pay to attend a government or government-aided school.
If your child is receiving the ISB, they will be awarded the lesser of the following amounts:
$2,400 a year.
The total annual school fee minus the school fee subsidy provided under the ISB.
If your child is receiving scholarships or financial assistance from the School of the Arts (SOTA) or the Singapore Sports School (SSP), they will be awarded the lesser of the following amounts:
$2,400 a year.
The total annual school fee minus the school fee subsidy provided under scholarships and financial assistance offered by SOTA or SSP.
Special education schools
Edusave Achievement Award
For students in special education (SPED) schools who meet the school-based criteria for the award. The award amount varies across schools. Check with your child's school for details, such as how your child would receive the award monies.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Edusave Awards
How and when will my child receive the Edusave award?
Award recipients receive a notification letter from MOE, and an invitation letter from their Constituency Office with details of the award ceremony.
Students in special education schools will receive details from their school, and the ceremony is conducted by the school.
Award monies are paid via PayNow. Register your child for PayNow before the award ceremony by linking their Singapore NRIC or birth certificate number to a bank account. After the ceremony, the Constituency Office submits the attendance list to MOE, and MOE makes the PayNow payment within about one week of receiving it.
If you are unable to register for PayNow, or if the PayNow disbursement is unsuccessful, MOE will contact you to submit your child's bank details via FormSG, and the monies will be credited about two weeks to one month later.
Note that award monies are credited to your child's bank account, and will not be credited to a parent's personal bank account or given in cash.
The award ceremonies are held at these times each year:
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| Education level | Notification | Ceremony period | Direct credit notification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary, secondary, and specialised schools, junior colleges, and Millennia Institute | By mid-December | January to March | End April |
| Polytechnics | Mid-August | November to December | End January |
| ITE (Nitec) | From mid-March | May to June | End August |
| ITE (Higher Nitec) | Mid-August | November to December | End January |
For special education schools, the timeline varies, so check with your child's school.
What if my child cannot attend the Edusave award ceremony?
If your child is unable to attend the scheduled ceremony, approach your Constituency Office for advice on how to collect the Edusave award certificate and monies.
What is the CDC-CCC Education Merit Award?
The CDC-CCC Education Merit Award is a separate award administered by the People's Association (not MOE). It recognises students who have done well, but their household income exceeds the ceiling stipulated by the Edusave Merit Bursary.
Do check with your Constituency Office directly about these awards.
Please refer to the Ministry of Education's website for the most updated information about the Edusave awards and scholarships. To chat about this with other parents, visit the KiasuParents forum!