Not selected in the ballot — what happens next?
If your child is not selected in a phase's ballot, they can usually continue into the next phase (for example, moving from an unsuccessful 2B into 2C). If your child is still not placed after 2C Supplementary, MOE will place them in a school that still has vacancies that year — parents do not choose which one.
Context
This is the question many families search for after a difficult ballot result, and the honest answer is that the process is not over at that point.
What this means for your family
What this means for your family: not being selected is not the same as having no school at all — it is closer to not getting your first choice. The real decisions at this point are whether to accept the school MOE assigns, whether to look at international schools or other routes, and whether to replan distance and phase for the following year — these are choices you can make, not something to just wait out.
Steps you can take now
- Check immediately whether your child has automatically moved to the next phase, or needs to register again.
- Look at that year's vacancy and application figures across schools to see which ones still have room.
- If you have concerns about the school MOE ultimately assigns, list the specific things you would want to check about it, rather than judging on impression alone.
- At the same time, weigh whether to bring international schools or a later transfer into the comparison, rather than only waiting to try the ballot again next year.
How to know you’re done
You know exactly where your child stands in the registration process, which school options are on the table, and what you plan to do next.
Sources and check dates
- SRC-MOE-P1-BALLOTING-2026 · checked 2026-07-24
- SRC-MOE-P1-CURRENT-VACANCIES-2026 · checked 2026-07-24