Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is DSA-Sec?
DSA-Sec is an admission exercise to allow participating schools to select
some Primary Six students for admission to Secondary One based on their
achievements and talents before the PSLE results are released.
For students, the DSA-Sec Exercise provides them the opportunity to demonstrate
a more diverse range of achievements and talents when seeking admission
to secondary schools.
Students successfully allocated to a school through the DSA-Sec will not
be allowed to participate in the Secondary 1 (S1) Posting to opt for secondary
schools or to transfer to another school after the release of the PSLE
results. Students who are not ready to commit to studying in a particular
school to develop their chosen talent areas may wish to consider the S1
Posting instead, in which students are admitted based on their PSLE scores.
2. What is the DSA process in 2024?
The selection exercise will be conducted in person with shortlisted students
in the DSA-Sec school. The session may consist of interview components
and/or performance tasks (e.g. demonstration of skills such as the applicant’s
individual movement ability for Sports, or performances of voice, dance
and/or instruments for Performing Arts).
For shortlisted students, the DSA-Sec school may request for the submission
of additional documents such as: (i) existing portfolios or (ii) write-ups
(e.g. personal statement, short essay), or CCA/VIA record.
3. What happens after my child has submitted a DSA application?
Performing Arts/Sports and Games
Short-listed applicants will be invited to
attend an audition or sports trial in the DSA-Sec school. The DSA selection
outcome will be determined by a panel comprising staff members and the
coaches/instructors for the respective talent areas.
The details of the audition or sports trial will be communicated in advance
to the shortlisted applicants. The interview will consist of a series of
questions to help the panel better understand the child’s motivation and
suitability.
Student Leadership & Uniformed Groups
Short-listed applicants for Student Leadership
& Uniformed Groups will be invited to attend an interview by a panel
of staff members to determine if they will be a good fit for the school.
4. How will the applicants be short-listed?
Applicants will be shortlisted based on their achievements and experience
in the selected talent area. Students should possess personal qualities
and strengths that are indicative of their potential in the relevant talent
areas. Applicants should include in their application any relevant certificates
or documentation that indicates their competencies or skills relevant to
their selected talent area.
5. After my child has submitted the application form, when will my child know if he/she has been short-listed for the interviews?
Only shortlisted applicants will be informed by the first two weeks of
July to attend an interview/audition/sports trial.
6. What do my child need to do during the audition or sports trial?
Performing Arts
At the Audition, applicants’ level of proficiency in the relevant talent areas will be assessed.
Sports and Games
At the selection trials, applicants’ level of proficiency for the specific
sport will be assessed. Applicants are to be dressed in appropriate sports
attire.
7. When is the selection and when will the outcome be known?
Selection for short-listed applicants will take place between 10 July
and 16 August.
All short-listed applicants will receive a reply of the selection outcome
via email by 5 September.
8. What happens after an applicant receives an offer?
Applicants with at least one confirmed offer or are on the waiting list
of at least one school that they applied for will get a School Preference
Form from their respective primary school. Applicants will then submit
their ranked school preferences via the DSA-Sec Internet System or through
their primary school.
Applicants may also withdraw from the DSA-Sec Exercise at this stage.
This means that they will go through the S1 Posting Exercise, together
with other non-DSA students.
9. When will applicants be informed of their DSA posting results?
Applicants will receive their DSA results, together with their PSLE results,
from their primary schools. If they are allocated a DSA school, they will
not be allowed to change schools or participate in the S1 Posting Exercise.
This is because the confirmation of a DSA offer is a commitment made by
the students to develop their talents and interests in that school.
However, if they have not been allocated a school through the DSA-Sec
Exercise, they will participate in the S1 Posting Exercise for their application
to secondary school.
10. If my child is offered a DSA-Sec place in a secondary school, does my child have to meet the school’s indicative cut-off point for Secondary One posting?
To be successfully admitted to a DSA-Sec school, your child's Primary
School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results must qualify them for a course
that the school offers.
11. How many applicants will be admitted under the DSA exercise for Hua Yi Sec School?
About 20% of the 2025 Secondary One cohort.
12. How many schools can my child apply to through the DSA-Sec portal?
Your child can indicate up to three choices during the application. For
each choice, your child needs to choose a secondary school and a talent
area from that school.
Of the three choices, a maximum of two choices can be from the same school
with different talent areas.
Your child is encouraged to consider his/her choices carefully and manage
the time and effort participating in multiple trials and interviews.
13. How many years do the DSA applicants need to commit to the CCA in Hua Yi?
They are expected to honour the commitment to the allocated CCA for the
entire duration of their schooling years in Hua Yi.
14. How many offers will my child receive from a DSA-Sec school if my child has applied to two talent areas from the same school?
If your child has applied to two talent areas in a school, the school
will make only one DSA offer in a specific talent area. The offer
will be made based on school's assessment of your child's talent and the
school's judgement on which talent area the school can better develop your
child in.
15. If my child with Wait List offer from School A indicates the school as a choice during School Preference Submission and is allocated to the school, does my child still have another chance to accept or reject the allocation?
By submitting the school preference, you have agreed for your child to
commit to the DSA-Sec school that is allocated to them. If your child is
successfully admitted via DSA-Sec, they will not be allowed to transfer
to another school or participate in the Secondary 1 posting to opt for
secondary schools after the release of PSLE results.
If you do not wish your child to commit to the DSA school, you should
not submit any school preference during the School Preference Submission.
16. My child only received one Wait List (WL) offer. Should my child still submit the preference since the chance of getting into that school may be quite slim?
Your child can submit his/her preference if he/she is still keen on admission
into the school via DSA-Sec. If the school has enough remaining DSA-Sec
places after the other students given Confirmed Offers have made their
choices, your child will be allocated to the school, provided that his/her
PSLE results qualify him/her for an academic course offered by the school.
If your child is successfully admitted, he/she will not be allowed to
transfer to another school after the release of PSLE results or participate
in Secondary 1 Posting to opt for secondary schools.
17. What should I do if my child’s application is unsuccessful in the DSA-Sec?
If your child is currently studying in an MOE school and unsuccessful
in DSA-Sec, they will participate in the centralised S1 Posting.
18. For more information you may refer to the following links to the MOE webpage on DSA:
Direct School Admission (DSA-Sec) | Ministry of Education
MOE DSA-Sec FAQ:
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) | MOE