The Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise (JPSAE), first launched in 2006, aims to make available a rigorous and challenging polytechnic education to students with special aptitude and talents. Under the Exercise, polytechnics are prepared to exercise flexibility in student admission while maintaining a quality intake.

Polytechnics will consider students who demonstrate a strong passion or aptitude through work attachments, sustained involvement in course-related projects, outstanding performance in competitions like the Maths/Science Olympiad. In addition, students with outstanding talents/achievements in leadership, community service, entrepreneurship, sports, artistic and creative areas will be considered. Up to 5 percent of the polytechnics' annual intake of students can be admitted via the JPSAE.

Each polytechnic has the discretion to determine its modes of assessment of students' talents, including portfolios and interviews, among others. Each polytechnic will set its own respective selection criteria to ensure that only students who are able to cope with the rigours of a diploma education are admitted.