For students who have performed well in the GCE 'N' (Academic) Level examination and who would like to benefit from a more hands-on preparation at ITE, you may first enrol in a 2-year Higher Nitec course at ITE. You will subsequently be assured of a place in a related polytechnic course, provided you achieve the qualifying Grade Point Average (GPA) score in your 2-year Higher Nitec course.

The DPP caters only to Sec 4 'N' (Academic) students of the preceding cohort, i.e. only scores received by Sec 4 'N' (Academic) students at the GCE 'N' Level examinations in 2023 will be considered for application to the DPP 2024 intake.

Upon release of the GCE 'N' (Academic) Level results, Secondary 4 'N' (Academic) students may apply for the Direct Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP) based on their GCE 'N' (Academic) Level final examination results and school-based 'O' Level preliminary examination results (if applicable). Students can also combine their GCE 'N' (Academic) Level results and school-based 'O' Level preliminary examination results to apply for the DPP. Successful applicants will enrol in ITE in January 2024 for a 10-week preparatory course, before joining the 2-year Higher Nitec course in April 2024.

Click here to view the list of DPP Higher Nitec courses offered under Jan 2024 intake.

Qualifying Higher Nitec GPA for Progression to Polytechnics under DPP

In order to be assured of a place in the polytechnics, students must meet the qualifying 2-year Higher Nitec GPA as shown in the table below.

2-Year Higher Nitec CoursesFor Progression to 1st Year of Relevant Polytechnic Diploma Course*For Progression to 2nd Year of Relevant Polytechnic Diploma Course*
Applied Sciences #Raw Higher Nitec GPA ≥ 2.5
(excluding CCA bonus points^)
N.A.
Engineering or Info-Communications Technology #
Raw Higher Nitec GPA ≥ 2.5
(excluding CCA bonus points^)
Raw Higher Nitec GPA ≥ 3.5
(excluding CCA bonus points^)
Business & ServicesRaw Higher Nitec GPA ≥ 3.0
(excluding CCA bonus points^)
N.A.

# For 2-year Higher Nitec courses in Applied Sciences, Engineering or Info-Communications Technology, in addition to meeting the qualifying GPAs, students are required to take up and pass a Mathematics elective at ITE to be eligible for articulation into polytechnic courses under DPP. GCE 'N' (Academic) holders with at least a grade C in GCE 'O' Level Mathematics will be exempted from this requirement.

^ CCA grades will be used for computing the students' net GPA at ITE for selection and posting to a Polytechnic Diploma course.

* DPP students who successfully complete the 2-year Higher Nitec courses and attain the required minimum qualifying 2-year Higher Nitec GPA are guaranteed a place in the 1st Year of relevant Polytechnic Diploma courses that are mapped to their 2-year Higher Nitec courses. Students who meet the minimum qualifying GPA for 2nd Year entry are not guaranteed admission into Year 2 of one of the mapped courses. Admission is based on merit, subject to vacancies in the courses.

Offers for Higher Nitec courses under DPP

GCE 'N' (Academic) Level holders who have been offered a place under DPP and accepted the course offer will not be provided a place in Secondary 5 Normal (Academic) studies.

For the list of Polytechnic Diploma courses you can apply for under the Direct Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP), click here.