SPSO 2026: Singapore Primary Science Olympiad Guide

Q: Is SPSO 2026 related to Direct School Admission?
A: NUS High's SPSO FAQ says no, SPSO is not related to the Direct School Admissions Exercise, although outstanding performance will be noted. Do not treat an SPSO result as a DSA entitlement or published selection criterion.

Quick facts
SPSO 2026 is for Primary 5 pupils and consists only of a Theory Round on 19 May 2026 at participants' own schools. It is a 75-minute paper with 30 single-answer multiple-choice questions and 10 questions with multiple correct responses. Only MOE primary schools register students. The 2026 fee is 25 Singapore dollars including GST and is non-refundable.

Last reviewed: 18 July 2026. The NUS High SPSO introduction, competition information, registration, awards, FAQ, and sample-question pages were checked as one set.

What SPSO is

The Singapore Primary Science Olympiad is an annual national competition organised by NUS High School of Mathematics and Science since 2009. It is open to pupils enrolled in Primary 5 in the competition year.

NUS High lists identifying Singapore's science representatives for the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad as one SPSO aim. The public SPSO pages checked do not publish a fixed "top 20, then 12" selection sequence, so the earlier version's numbers have been removed.

2026 date and venue

SPSO 2026 consists only of the Theory Round:

• date: 19 May 2026;
• venue: each participant's own school; and
• language: English.

The organiser's FAQ says theory results are released in July and schools are notified by email. Telephone result enquiries are not accepted.

Eligibility and registration

• A student must be enrolled in Primary 5 in 2026. The FAQ says age does not otherwise disqualify an enrolled Primary 5 pupil.
• Primary 6 pupils and pupils below Primary 5 cannot enter.
• Only MOE primary schools may register.
• Schools decide how many students to enter and whom to select.
• Individual and private registration is not available.
• The registration period was 20 February to 20 March 2026.
• The fee was 25 Singapore dollars per participant, including 9% GST.
• The fee is non-refundable after successful registration.

If a school does not participate or does not select a pupil, the official FAQ does not provide an alternative private route.

Theory paper format

The 2026 competition information page publishes:

• one round;
• 1 hour 15 minutes;

Reviewed by

Marcus Pang·Managing Director (Maths)