Q: What is LEAPS 2.0 and how does it affect JAE or university admission? A: LEAPS 2.0 is MOE's framework for recognising a secondary school student's co-curricular development in four domains: Participation, Achievement, Leadership and Service. At the end of the graduating year, the school records the student's co-curricular attainment as Excellent, Good or Fair. Excellent converts to 2 bonus points and Good to 1 bonus point for admission to JC, polytechnic and ITE courses. MOE's LEAPS 2.0 documents do not mention university admission.
TL;DR: LEAPS matters at post-secondary admission. Excellent needs at least Level 3 in all four domains and Level 4 in one. Good needs at least Level 1 in all four plus one of three combinations. Fair gives no bonus points. Each domain has its own levels, set out in MOE's LEAPS 2.0 document.
Checked on 23 October 2026 against MOE's LEAPS 2.0 page and framework document, MOE's JAE pages and MOE's PSE pages.
Quick scoring map
Question
Short answer
What is recognised?
Participation, Achievement, Leadership and Service, each with Levels 1 to 5
What do you get?
A co-curricular attainment of Excellent, Good or Fair at the end of the graduating year
What does it change?
CCA bonus points: 2 for Excellent, 1 for Good, 0 for Fair
Admission to JC, polytechnic and ITE courses; for JC and MI from 2028, MOE's PSE page also lists CCA bonus points
Concrete example: why this matters
In the JAE, bonus points are subtracted from the L1R5 gross aggregate to give the net aggregate used for JC posting. If two students both have a raw L1R5 of 14, the student with an Excellent attainment has a net L1R5 of 12 before any other bonus points (MOE, JC admission).
What is LEAPS 2.0?
MOE says it introduced the LEAPS 2.0 framework "in secondary schools since 2014" to encourage students' holistic development in life skills, competencies and values (MOE LEAPS 2.0). LEAPS stands for Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service; LEAPS 2.0 builds on the earlier LEAPS system.
Students are recognised with levels of attainment in four domains: Participation, Achievement, Leadership and Service. "At the end of the graduating year, students' co-curricular attainment will be recognised according to Excellent/Good/Fair", and that attainment is converted to bonus points for admission to JC, polytechnic or ITE.
The four domains
Each domain has Levels 1 to 5. The descriptions below summarise Annex A of MOE's LEAPS 2.0 document; use the document itself for the full wording.
Participation
Recognises participation in one school-based CCA (a CCA organised within the school or endorsed by it), based on the number of years, attendance, and exemplary conduct and active contribution.
Level
MOE's description (summary)
Level 1
Any CCA for 2 years, at least 75% attendance each year
Level 2
Any CCA for 3 years, at least 75% attendance each year
Level 3
Any CCA for 4 years with 75% attendance; or any CCA for 3 years with 75% attendance and exemplary conduct and active contribution
Level 4
Any CCA for 5 years with 75% attendance; or any CCA for 4 years with exemplary conduct and active contribution; or the same CCA for 4 years with 75% attendance
Level 5
The same CCA for 4 years with 75% attendance and exemplary conduct and active contribution; or the same CCA for 5 years with 75% attendance
Achievement
Recognises representation (being selected and endorsed by the school, or an organisation the school endorses, to contribute, perform or compete) and accomplishment (awards at events where the student represents the school or an endorsed organisation). MOE says representation "need not be tied to his/her CCA in school", but self-representation, participation for personal enrichment and mass-participation events are not recognised.
Level
MOE's description (summary)
Level 1
Represented class, house or CCA at an intra-school event
Level 2
Represented the school or an external organisation at a local or international event for 1 year
Level 3
Represented for 2 years; or represented and achieved a Top 4 team or Top 8 individual placing (for 1 year)
Level 4
Represented for 3 years or more; or represented UG HQ at an international event; or Top 4 team or Top 8 individual placings for 2 years or more
Level 5
Represented Singapore Schools at a local or international competition; Singapore at an international event endorsed by national bodies; a National Project of Excellence or MOE at a local or international event; or UG HQ at an international competition. Accomplishment at this level adds a results condition
Leadership
Recognises formal appointments and also leadership modules, the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA), and leadership in student-initiated or student-led projects.
Level
Examples from MOE's table
Level 1
Completed 2 leadership modules of at least 3 hours each; Lance Corporal (or equivalent)
Level 2
Class Committee; committee for an approved student-initiated project; Lower Sec CCA Committee; NYAA Bronze; Corporal or Assistant Patrol Leader
Level 3
Class Chairperson; Prefect; Peer Support Leader; committee for school-wide events; Lower Sec CCA Executive Committee or Upper Sec CCA Committee; NYAA Silver and above; Sergeant or Patrol Leader
Level 4
Senior Prefect; Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson for school-wide events; Upper Sec CCA Executive Committee; Staff Sergeant or Senior Patrol Leader
Level 5
Executive Committee of the Student Council or Prefectorial Board; CCA Captain or Chairperson; Warrant Officer or Troop/Company Leader
Service
MOE says every secondary school student contributes at least 6 hours per school year to the community, and time spent planning, serving and reflecting on a Values-in-Action (VIA) project counts.
Level
MOE's description (summary)
Level 1
At least 24 to less than 30 hours of service
Level 2
At least 30 to less than 36 hours; or at least one VIA project that impacts the school or community
Level 3
At least 36 hours; or at least two VIA projects; or at least 24 hours and one VIA project
Level 4
At least 24 hours and at least two VIA projects that impact the school or community
Level 5
At least 24 hours, at least one student-initiated VIA project that impacts the community beyond the school, and at least one other VIA project
Excellent, Good and Fair
Co-curricular attainment
MOE's rule
Bonus points
Excellent
A minimum Level 3 in all four domains, with at least Level 4 in one domain
2
Good
A minimum Level 1 in all four domains, with any one of: at least Level 2 in three domains; at least Level 2 in one domain and Level 3 in another; or at least Level 4 in one domain
1
Fair
Does not meet the Good criteria
0
There is no fourth grade. MOE's own examples show why "all four domains" matters: a student with Level 3 in Participation and Level 1 in Leadership and Service, but no Achievement level, is recognised as Fair.
How the bonus points are used
In the JAE (O-Level results, including the 2027 JAE)
MOE's JC admission page lists CCA bonus points of 2 for Excellent and 1 for Good, alongside other bonus points (English and Higher Mother Tongue Language grades, and Affiliated JC when the JC is your first, or first and second, choice).
For JC admission, "You can get a maximum of 4 bonus points from a combination of any of these types", with a possible additional 2 bonus points for a Language Elective Programme (MOE, JC admission).
MOE says CCA bonus points are used to calculate net aggregate scores "for determining polytechnic course eligibility and for JAE posting" (MOE JAE).
You do not apply for them. MOE asks students to check that the CCA attainment in their CCA record is accurate and to tell their school about any discrepancy. Private candidates and current or former JC, MI, polytechnic and ITE students who apply through the JAE keep their CCA bonus points.
Example: how bonus points change a JC aggregate
Student
Raw L1R5
Affiliated JC bonus
CCA bonus
Net L1R5
Student A
14
0
2 (Excellent)
12
Student B
14
2 (affiliated JC as first choice)
1 (Good)
11
Student C
14
0
0 (Fair)
14
In the PSE (from 2028, SEC route)
From 2028, students who sat the SEC apply through the Post-Secondary Admissions Exercise. MOE's PSE page for JC and MI lists the same CCA grades (Excellent and Good) as bonus-point types, but for L1R4 says "You get a maximum of 3 bonus points from a combination of any of these types" (MOE PSE: JC and MI). For SEC cohorts, check the PSE page for the year you apply.
MOE's LEAPS 2.0 page and document describe bonus points for JC, polytechnic and ITE admission only; they do not mention university admission. Universities run their own holistic or aptitude-based processes. NUS, for example, asks every applicant to list up to four achievements, co-curricular activities or non-academic activities and to answer short response questions; NTU's aptitude-based admissions ask for achievement details, short answers of no more than 200 words each and one or two appraisals.
"My child must hit Excellent to have a strong university application."
Excellent gives 2 bonus points at post-secondary admission. MOE's LEAPS documents do not link it to university admission. What matters there is what the student actually did and can show.
"We should change CCA just to improve the LEAPS attainment."
The Participation levels reward years in a CCA, and Level 5 requires the same CCA for 4 or 5 years. A late switch can cost those years. Decide based on the child's interest and the levels table above.
"Two points is too small to matter."
Two bonus points is the difference between a net L1R5 of 9 and 11. For students applying to competitive JCs, that can be material.
"Only my school CCA counts."
Participation counts one school-based CCA. Achievement can also recognise representing an organisation the school endorses, such as a community club or national association, as long as the school approves it.
Practical guidance
Stay in one CCA if it suits the child
Participation Levels 4 and 5 depend on years in a CCA, with the strongest levels for the same CCA over 4 or 5 years with at least 75% attendance.
Know which roles count for Leadership
Leadership levels follow named roles: for example, Class Chairperson or Prefect at Level 3, Senior Prefect or Upper Sec CCA Executive Committee at Level 4, and CCA Captain or Student Council Executive Committee at Level 5. Leadership modules and NYAA awards also count at lower levels.
Plan representation, not only results
Achievement Level 4 can come from representing the school or an endorsed organisation for 3 years or more, or from placings over 2 years or more. Ask the CCA teacher which events count.
Track service hours and VIA projects
Service levels combine hours and VIA projects. Level 5 needs a student-initiated VIA project that reaches beyond the school. For ideas, see our VIA project ideas guide.
Keep your own record
Keep a simple log of CCA years and attendance, roles, events represented, results, service hours and VIA projects, so you can check the CCA record your school holds before results day.
Frequently asked questions
What is LEAPS 2.0? MOE's framework for recognising secondary school students' co-curricular development in Participation, Achievement, Leadership and Service. The attainment (Excellent, Good or Fair) converts to 2, 1 or 0 bonus points for JC, polytechnic and ITE admission.
How many bonus points can LEAPS give? Up to 2, for Excellent. Good gives 1 and Fair gives 0. For JC admission in the JAE, CCA points combine with other bonus points up to a maximum of 4, plus a possible 2 for a Language Elective Programme; in the PSE from 2028, MOE's JC and MI page gives a maximum of 3.
Does LEAPS matter for university admission? MOE's LEAPS documents do not mention university admission. Universities assess applicants through their own processes.
What if the CCA record looks wrong? MOE asks students to inform their school immediately of any discrepancy in the CCA attainment in their CCA record, because it is used to calculate net aggregate scores. For other questions, MOE says to contact your child's school.
Does LEAPS 2.0 apply to IP students? MOE describes LEAPS 2.0 as a framework for secondary schools. IP students who stay in the six-year programme do not go through the JAE or PSE, so the bonus points matter mainly if a student leaves the IP. Check with the school how it records co-curricular attainment.
Can a student who was in a CCA for only one year achieve Excellent? Not under MOE's tables. Excellent needs at least Level 3 in every domain, and Participation Level 1 already requires 2 years in a CCA with at least 75% attendance each year.
