.png){kind=icon}
English
- Year levels
- Standard 2 – Upper 6
- Test window
- April 2027
- How long
- 35 min – 1 hr
- Format
- Multiple choice
Your child, against an international standard — in their own classroom.
ICAS is an academic competition taken in 41 countries since 1981. It runs online at your child's school, supervised by their own teachers.
About ICAS
What ICAS is
- An academic competition developed in Australia, taken in 41 countries since 1981.
- Taken online, at your child's school.
- Five subjects — English, Mathematics, Science, Digital Technologies and Writing.
- Standard 2 to Upper 6.
Not the questions they've practised
ICAS asks children to work something out rather than remember it — to use what they know in a situation they have not seen before, to spot what matters in a problem, to weigh up an answer and explain why.
Some questions are meant to be hard.
Not a public exam
It does not affect your child's school results or their report card.
Everyone gets a certificate
Every child who takes part receives one, whatever they score.
At their own school
Online, in class time, supervised by their own teachers. Never at home.
Registration
How to register
Registration goes through your school — just two steps.
Ask your school if they run ICAS
Or look it up above. If they don't take part yet, tell us where your child goes to school and we'll approach them.
Ask how your school collects payment
Schools do this in one of two ways.
Most schools
Pay your school
The school registers everyone and collects the fees. There is nothing for you to do on this website. Pay the school however they ask.
Some schools
Pay online
Your school gives you its ICAS School Code, and you register and pay online.
Ask your school for the code — you cannot register without it.
Go to the Payment Portal
Only if your school uses the portal, and only with your School Code. It opens a separate site with its own login.
What happens next
Once you have paid, your school completes the registration. There is nothing further for you to do here.
Closer to the day, your school will tell your child when and where they will take each subject.
School not taking part?
If your child's school doesn't take part yet
ICAS runs through schools, so it isn't something you can sign up for on your own. Tell us where your child goes to school and what year they're in, and we'll get in touch with the school.
Ask us to approach your school
Fill in a few details about the school and your child's year level.
Nothing is sent in your name.
Fees and dates
Fees and dates
Taking part is voluntary, and families pay for it themselves.
| Subject | Early Bird to 28 Feb | Normal 1–28 Mar |
|---|---|---|
| English, Mathematics, Science, Digital Technologies | RM59 | RM70 |
| Writing | RM89 | RM100 |
Per subject, per student.
SK, SJK, SMK, SMJK, SMS
| Option | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Single subject | RM59RM89 Writing | Any one subject, per student |
| Bulk Package 1 | RM199 | English, Mathematics, Science, Digital Technologies |
| Bulk Package 2 | RM229 | English, Mathematics, Science, Writing |
Pricing for government schools does not change with timing — there is no Early Bird deadline to watch. Bulk packages are arranged by the school, not bought by families directly; they are shown here so you can see what your school is charging.
2027 dates
| Early Bird endsPrivate and international schools only | 28 February 2027 |
| Registration closes — all five subjects | 28 March 2027 |
| English, Mathematics, Science | April 2027 |
| Digital Technologies, Writing | April – May 2027 |
Registration closes on 28 March for all five subjects. That includes Digital Technologies and Writing, even though they are taken later, in April–May.
Subjects
The five subjects
Times vary with year level — the shortest are for the youngest students.
.png){kind=icon}
Mathematics
- Year levels
- Standard 2 – Upper 6
- Test window
- April 2027
- How long
- 35 min – 1 hr
- Format
- Multiple choice
.png){kind=icon}
Science
- Year levels
- Standard 2 – Upper 6
- Test window
- April 2027
- How long
- 45 min – 1 hr
- Format
- Multiple choice
.png){kind=icon}
Digital Technologies
- Year levels
- Standard 2 – Form 1
- Test window
- April – May 2027
- How long
- 30 – 40 min
- Format
- Multiple choice
.png){kind=icon}
Writing
- Year levels
- Standard 3 – Upper 6
- Test window
- April – May 2027
- How long
- 35 min
- Format
- One extended piece of writing
Which paper is my child's?
Each year level sits a different paper, from Intro to Paper J.
IntroS2
AS3
BS4
CS5
DS6
EF1
FF2
GF3
HF4
IF5 & L6
JU6
Writing starts at Paper A (Standard 3). Digital Technologies runs from Intro to Paper E (Standard 2 – Form 1). See the full year-level and format guide →
Test day
What test day is like
- At school, in class time, on a school device or their own.
- Supervised by their own teachers.
- Between half an hour and an hour, depending on the subject and year level.
- If they finish early they can check their answers; they do not leave the room.
Results
What your child receives
Every child who takes part gets a certificate. Above that, awards are based on how they scored against other Malaysian students in the same subject and year level.
| Medal | The top score in Malaysia for each subject and year level |
| High Distinction | Top 1% |
| Distinction | Next 10% |
| Credit | Next 25% |
| Merit | Next 10% |
| Participation | Every child who takes part |
You'll also get a report showing how your child did in each topic and skill, so you can see what they found easy and where they struggled.
Ask us anything
Join the parents group
A WhatsApp group for ICAS parents in Malaysia. Ask us anything — dates, subjects, how it works at your school.
Join on WhatsApp
FAQ
Questions parents ask
Does this affect my child's school results?
No. ICAS is not a public exam. It does not affect your child's school results or their report card.
Is it compulsory?
No. Taking part is voluntary, and families pay for it themselves.
My child is not a strong student — is it worth entering?
Every child who takes part gets a certificate, whatever they score. Some questions are meant to be hard, so children often score lower on ICAS than on a school test. The report shows what they found easy and where they struggled.
Can they use their own device?
Yes — ICAS is taken online at school, on a school device or their own. Your school will confirm what it allows.
What if they are sick on the day?
This varies by school, so ask your school.
When do results come out?
Results are released online after the test window. 2027 dates to be confirmed
Can I register directly without the school?
Not on this website. ICAS runs through schools. If your school uses the Payment Portal, you register and pay there with your school's ICAS School Code. If your school doesn't take part yet, tell us and we'll approach them.
What is the ICAS School Code and where do I get it?
It is a code your school gives you so you can register and pay through the Payment Portal. You cannot register there without it, so ask your school.
Do I get the questions back afterwards?
Your child's report shows how they did in each topic and skill. Return of the questions to be confirmed
Is there a discount for more than one subject?
Private and international schools pay per subject. Government-school bulk packages are arranged by the school — see fees and dates. Any other multi-subject discount to be confirmed
Contact
Still not sure?
Ask your child's school first — they will know whether they are taking part and how they are collecting payment. If you still need us: