What are A-Level rank points (RP) in Singapore?

Rank Points (RP) is the score used by NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, and SIT to assess A-Level applicants. Maximum is 90 points (UAS — University Admission Score). Each H2 subject contributes up to 20 points (A=20, B=17.5, C=15, D=12.5, E=10), GP/KI contributes up to 20, H1 subjects contribute up to 10.

What is the maximum A-Level rank points?

90 points. Achieved with: GP at A (20 pts) + 3 H2 subjects at A (3 × 20 = 60 pts) + Project Work at A (10 pts via H1 equivalent). Adding H3 distinctions adds bonus to specific course considerations but doesn't increase the base 90-point maximum.

What RP do I need for NUS Medicine?

Indicatively 88+ RP (close to perfect score), plus a strong portfolio interview and aptitude test (BMAT or equivalent). NUS Medicine is among the most competitive courses in Singapore. Most successful applicants have at least 87 RP with chemistry and biology as H2.

How is GP factored into RP?

GP (General Paper) counts as a half-H2 subject worth up to 20 points: A=20, B=17.5, C=15, D=12.5, E=10. GP is mandatory and is one of your '3+1' subjects in the 90-point UAS calculation. Knowledge & Inquiry (KI) is an H2 alternative — students taking KI replace GP with KI for the 20-point allocation.

Are A-Level rank points still used in 2026?

Yes, the 90-point Rank Points / University Admission Score system remains the primary academic input for local university admission. Some schemes (e.g. SMU's holistic admissions, NUS / NTU specific portfolios) consider non-academic factors, but RP forms the floor for shortlisting.

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A-Level Rank Points 2026: How RP Is Calculated for University Admission

verifiedBy Smart Calculator Editorial·Verified against official .gov.sg sources·20 May 2026

Complete A-Level rank points (RP) guide for Singapore 2026 — how the 90-point scale works, H1/H2/H3 weightings, and indicative course cut-offs at NUS, NTU, SMU.

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A-Level rank points are the academic currency of Singapore university admission — every NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, and SIT applicant has theirs computed against the published cut-offs. Understanding the 90-point scale and how each subject weight contributes is essential for course-choice decisions.

Use the A-Level Rank Points Calculator to model your exact UAS and explore "what if" course scenarios.

How A-Level rank points are computed

The University Admission Score (UAS) — colloquially "Rank Points" or "RP" — is calculated from your A-Level results:

Component	Subject	Maximum points
3 H2 subjects	e.g. Math, Physics, Chemistry	20 each (A=20, B=17.5, C=15, D=12.5, E=10)
1 H1 subject (or H2)	Compulsory contrasting subject	10 (or 20 if H2)
GP or KI	General Paper / Knowledge & Inquiry	20 (A=20, B=17.5, ..., E=10)
Project Work (PW)	All A-Level students	10 (A=10, B=8.75, C=7.5, D=6.25, E=5)

Total maximum = 20 × 3 (H2) + 10 (H1) + 20 (GP) + 10 (PW) = 90 points

If you take a 4th H2 (instead of H1), you get up to 80 points from H2s + 20 from GP = up to 100 points "raw", but UAS is capped at 90 — so the 4th H2 is used as the highest-scoring contrasting subject.

Subject grade points:

A = 20 (H2) / 10 (H1)
B = 17.5 / 8.75
C = 15 / 7.5
D = 12.5 / 6.25
E = 10 / 5
S (Sub-pass) = 5 / 2.5 (technically subpass; doesn't count for most courses)
U (Ungraded) = 0

Worked example: Strong JC student

Subject combination: Math + Physics + Chemistry + Economics (H2) + GP + PW

A-Level results:

H2 Math: A → 20
H2 Physics: A → 20
H2 Chemistry: A → 20
H2 Economics: B → 17.5
GP: B → 17.5
PW: A → 10

UAS = 20 + 20 + 20 + 17.5 + 17.5 + 10 = 105, capped at 90

So this student's UAS is 90 (or "AAAA/A/A" in old terminology — "perfect").

Worked example: Solid student with one weakness

H2 Math: B → 17.5
H2 Physics: B → 17.5
H2 Chemistry: A → 20
H1 Economics: B → 8.75
GP: B → 17.5
PW: A → 10

UAS = 17.5 + 17.5 + 20 + 8.75 + 17.5 + 10 = 91.25, capped at 90

Or with 4 × H2:

H2 Math: B → 17.5
H2 Physics: B → 17.5
H2 Chemistry: A → 20
H2 Economics: B → 17.5 (the new "best contrasting")
GP: B → 17.5
PW: A → 10

UAS = 17.5 + 17.5 + 20 + 17.5 + 17.5 + 10 = 100, capped at 90

For both, the UAS is 90 — but admission committees see the raw subject grades, and course-specific selection may favour the 4-H2 combination.

Indicative course cut-offs (2026 cohort entry)

Based on the 2025 admissions cycle:

NUS — most competitive

Course	UAS cut-off
Medicine (MBBS)	88+
Dentistry	87+
Law	86+
Pharmacy	84+
Computer Science	84+
Business + Computer Science DDP	86+
Data Science & Analytics	82+
Engineering Sciences (ESP)	80+
Economics	79+
Sciences (most)	78+
Arts & Social Sciences (general)	75+

NTU

Course	UAS cut-off
Medicine (LKCMedicine)	88+
Renaissance Engineering Programme	86+
Business + Computer Science DDP	85+
Computer Science	83+
Engineering (most)	78+
Economics	78+
Communication Studies	75+

SMU

Course	UAS cut-off
Law	85+
Business + Computer Science DDP	85+
Computer Science	81+
Business (general)	78+
Economics	76+
Social Sciences	73+

SUTD, SIT, NUS (Yale-NUS)

SUTD: typically 75+ across courses
SIT: 70–80 depending on course
Yale-NUS: holistic admissions; UAS is one input, not the only one (closes 2025 cohort)

These are indicative — a few subject-specific or special talent cases admit below.

Subject-specific requirements

UAS is necessary but not sufficient. Many courses require specific H2 subjects:

Medicine (MBBS): H2 Chemistry + H2 Biology (or H2 Math)
Pharmacy: H2 Chemistry + H2 Biology
Engineering: H2 Math + H2 Physics
Computer Science: H2 Math
Law: No specific subject prerequisites; high UAS preferred
Architecture: Portfolio + H2 Math
Music / Theatre: Audition + portfolio

So a student with UAS 87 but no H2 Chemistry doesn't qualify for Medicine, even though the UAS exceeds the cut-off.

H3 subjects

H3 (Higher 3) is an advanced supplementary subject taken by top students. It does NOT contribute to the 90-point UAS calculation directly — but it's used for:

Special programs: Some scholarships (PSC, MOE) factor in H3 distinctions
Specific course waivers: Some advanced placement at NUS / NTU based on H3 performance
Tie-breaker: When multiple students have UAS 90 competing for limited course places

H3 grades are reported separately from the main A-Level qualifications.

Project Work and GP — often the overlooked points

Many JC students focus on H2 subjects and treat GP / PW as afterthoughts. But:

GP is worth up to 20 points — same as a single H2 subject. A B in GP costs you 2.5 points; A is essential for top courses.
PW is worth up to 10 points — the difference between a PW A and PW C is 2.5 points (significant for borderline courses).

For a UAS-90 candidate, they need A in GP and PW. Anything less doesn't fit into the 90-point cap.

When UAS isn't enough

Beyond the cut-off, top courses use additional inputs:

Medicine: BMAT (Biomedical Admissions Test) or similar aptitude test
Law: No additional test (yet); strong personal statement
Computer Science (some schemes): Olympiad / coding contest history
Architecture / Design: Portfolio review
Liberal Arts (Yale-NUS legacy): Holistic interview + essay

For these courses, UAS cut-off is the entry filter — but the final selection is portfolio-based.

Common A-Level RP mistakes

Treating UAS 90 as the absolute target. For most courses, UAS 80–82 is sufficient. Pushing for 90 when 82 gets you in is wasted effort.
Forgetting subject prerequisites. A high UAS without H2 Chem doesn't qualify for Medicine.
Underweighting GP and PW. Those 30 points (20 + 10) are the same as two H2 subjects.
Using H1 vs H2 incorrectly. Some students take 4 × H2; some take 3 H2 + 1 H1. The 4 × H2 gives more flexibility but is a heavier workload.
Ignoring subject combination strategic value. "H2 Math + H2 Econs" opens more business / quant courses than "H2 GP + H2 Lit" for the same UAS.