Welcome to the official webpage of Officer Cadet School (OCS), a trusted national institution dedicated to shaping the future leaders of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and our nation.
Since our establishment in 1966, OCS has proudly nurtured generations of men and women into leaders of exceptional character, imbued with the unwavering dedication to serve Singapore.
At OCS, we uphold the highest standards of excellence, ensuring that our officers and senior military experts possess not only outstanding military, intellectual, and physical competencies, but also exhibit exemplary character and steadfast commitment to the values and ethos of the SAF. Our graduates emerge as leaders who inspire trust, demonstrate resilience, and embody the spirit of service to our nation.
Our commitment extends beyond mere education and training; we are deeply invested in cultivating leaders of strong character, equipped to shoulder the sacred responsibility of defending Singapore's sovereignty. Through a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum that blends the science and art of learning, growth, and development, we empower every cadet to realise their full potential and excel in their roles as guardians of our nation.
We invite you to embark on this transformative journey to cultivate confident, courageous, and compassionate leaders who are prepared to confront the evolving challenges of safeguarding Singapore and preserving our way of life. Join OCS where leadership begins and the legacy of exceptional character endures.
To Lead, To Excel, To Overcome!
COL Wong Pui Pin
Commander OCS
To develop selected young men and women to be professional military officers of the SAF.
To be a world class institution of training and education excellence that nurtures young men and women to be leaders dedicated to the service of the SAF and the Nation.
I am an officer of the Singapore Armed Forces.
My duty is to lead, to excel and to overcome.
I lead my men by example.
I answer for their training, morale and discipline.
I must excel in everything I do.
I serve with pride, honour and integrity.
I will overcome adversity with courage, fortitude and determination.
I dedicate my life to Singapore.
14 Feb 1966 to 17 Jun 1966
When Singapore gained her independence in 1965, she needed a military institute to train Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in military knowhow and the art of warfare. The Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) was therefore set up, in Feb 1966, to train leaders of men in the SAF. The area chosen for the institute was Pasir Laba, which mean “rich soil”.
Even as construction was underway at Pasir Laba for SAFTI, a core of 60 Officers and NCOs were selected to attend the first three-month Instructors’ Preparatory Course at Jurong Primary School. They were taught by a group of foreign advisors who were keen on rigorous training and advocated the doctrine of leading troops by example.
A recruitment campaign was mounted in May 1966 by the forerunner of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Interior and Defence. The selection process included written tests, IQ tests, interviews and physical fitness tests so that only the best were selected to qualify for Officer training. Out of 2500 young men, 300 were eventually selected to qualify for Officer training at Pasir Laba Camp on 1 Jun 1966. These fearless pioneers soon earned a reputation for their fighting spirit and SAFTI quickly grew to become a household name associated with excellence, ruggedness and tough training.
18 Jun 1966 to 25 Dec 1974
Dr Goh Keng Swee, then Minister of Defence, officiated the opening of SAFTI on 18 Jun 1966. The institute was presented with its formation sign of a torch (signifying education) and sword (denoting military training).
With the rapid build-up of combat and service elements in the SAF, SAFTI gradually grew to include special-to-arms training schools besides the School of Infantry Section Leaders. These include the schools of Artillery, Engineers, Armor, Signals, Infantry Weapons and Military Medicine. 117 out of the 300 cadets successfully commissioned as Officers of the Singapore Armed Forces on 16 Jul 1967 at SAFTI’s parade square. On 16 Jun 1968, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister, presented SAFTI its Colours in recognition of its progress and excellence in training within a short span of two years since inception. On 26 Aug 1972, Infantry Officer Cadet Course (IOCC) also witnessed the first intake of Women Service Officer.
As the number of companies to train Officer Cadets expanded further, the School of Infantry Officers was renamed Officer Cadet School (OCS) and the OCS HQ was set up to command administer the School on 1 Jun 1969.
26 Dec 1974 to 17 Oct 1980
OCS introduced the nine-month Standard Military Course (SMC) on 26 Dec 1974 to improve Officer training and provide the full-time NS Officer with a longer service period after commissioning. Selection of Officer Cadets for this course was made prior to their enlistment and based primarily on their academic qualifications and extra curricular activities. Scholarships were also open for application to encourage the better-qualified cadets for further training. This practice is continued today for talented young men and women who aspire for careers in the military. Another prominent development during the SMC phase was the introduction of overseas training in 1977. Due to the limited land area in Singapore, agreements were made with foreign countries to enable overseas training of our cadets.
1 Sep 1980 to 14 Mar 1990
OCS became OCS-SAFTI on 1 Jun 1980 and the nine-month Infantry Officer Cadet Course (IOCC) was introduced on 1 Sep 1980, emphasising the development of leadership qualities and competencies. SAFTI was linked to OCS, given its origin as the “cradle of commanders”, whilst the other schools were collectively referred to as Infantry Schools, Pasir Laba Camp.
The IOCC represented a first and conscious departure away from military traditions to focus on combat skills and operational readiness. Officer Cadets were selected only after Basic Military Training to better gauge their potential for leadership training.
17 Sep 1990 to Present
With the SAFTI Military Institute Group-Breaking Ceremony on 9 Jun 1990, OCS entered a new era of excellence in officer training. The new 42-week Officer Cadet Course was formally inaugurated on 17 Sep 1990 by Lieutenant- General Winston WL Choo, then the Chief of Defence Force. The Officer Cadet Course was established to enable Cadets from the Army, Navy and Air Force to understand more of one another’s operations and to provide them with more opportunities to interact. With the implementation of the two-year NSF duration in 2004, the Officer Cadet Course (OCC) was revised and reduced from 42 weeks to 38 weeks. The first 38-week OCC intake on 21 Mar 2005 began with the two-week Common Leadership Module and ended with a three-week Joint Term. The Common Leadership Module is designed to imbue a common set of values, leadership skills and SAF ethos into the cadets, while the Joint Term is designed for networking and joint awareness, positioned at the end to engender more fruitful cross-service discussions.
In Jul 2020, a new wing for the Military Domain Expert was included. This new inclusion serves to groom leaders in C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) who will be responsible in safeguarding Singapore’s cyber security and information battlespace. With the inauguration of The Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) in Oct 2022, the course was renamed to Military Domain Expert Course (DIS).
Officer Cadet Course Curriculum
Cadets will generally experience four different phases in their OCC journey. During first two weeks in OCS, training will start on a common ground where all officer cadets train together and are imbued with a common set of values and experiences, with a focus on foundational leadership. Thereafter, officer cadets will be posted to respective Services for the next phases of training, where they will undergo more specialised vocational training, with continuous emphasis on combat fitness, warfighting competencies, military leadership and safety leadership. During the last 4 weeks of training in OCS, Officer Cadets from across the Services will gather again to share their vocational training and experiences with one another. The OCS journey will also culminate in a Combined Arms Training exercise. Cadets will also undergo leadership modules, eventually equipping themselves with the ability to effectively lead their men as a Commissioned Officer.
Army Officer Cadet Course
Highlights for Army Officer Cadet Course: Leadership Field Camp, Confidence Jump, Weapon Training and Live Firing, Field Exercises, Integrated Soldier Performance Programme, Urban Operations Training, Overseas Training, Combat Skills Badge, Combined Arms Training Exercise, Senior Bar Presentation, Senior Commander Engagement Sessions, Commissioning Parade.
Air Force Officer Cadet Course
Highlights for Air Force Officer Cadet Course: Leadership Field Camp, Confidence Jump, AFTC Specialisation Training, 16km Route March, Compass Course, Navigation Exercise, Jungle Survival Training, Visits to various Ops Commands, Senior Bar Presentation, Senior Commander Engagement Sessions, Commissioning Parade.
Midshipman Course
Highlights for Midshipman Course: Leadership Field Camp, Confidence Jump, Swimming Proficiency Test, Firefighting and Damage Control, Command Exercise (COMEX), Midshipmen Sea Training Deployment (includes Ports of Call, Weapon training and live firing, Bridge Watchkeeping, Leadership Development Events, Station Tests), Inter-Ship Term (includes ship board duty training), Senior Bar Presentation, Senior Commander Engagement Sessions, Commissioning Parade.
Military Domain Expert Course I (DIS) Service Term
Highlights: Leadership Challenge, Military Studies and Geopolitics, Introduction to DIS Sub-Domains (Intelligence, C4, Cyber, Digital, Electronic Protection and Psychological Defence), Senior Commander Engagement, Family Day, Resilience Exercise, Jungle Survival Field Camp, Summary Exercise, Senior Bar Presentation and Social Night.
As the saying goes, “Tough times don’t last, tough men do”. OCS cadets mark their milestones as they brave through daily in-camp and outfield training, ranging from Fitness, Warfighting competency training, Leadership and Safety. These training develop our future leaders specifically in the areas of Strong Heart, Strong Mind, Strong Body and Safety Leadership, where cadets will experience a holistic learning in preparation for their future role as an Officer.
The Commissioning Parade marks the end of every Officer Cadet’s rite of passage, and heralds the beginning of their journey as newly Commissioned Officers of the Singapore Armed Forces. In the presence of their loved ones, the graduating Officer Cadets receive their appointment, and commit themselves to discharging their duties with excellence.
The Commissioning Parade is a long-standing tradition of OCS which dates back to 16 Jul 1967, when the first batch of Officer Cadets was commissioned. The first commissioning Parade was held at the old SAFTI Parade Square at Pasir Laba. In Jan 1972, the Commissioning Parade for the 10th batch of Infantry Officer Cadets was held at the Padang where, for the first time, the public was invited to witness the significant event. Subsequent parades were held at the Padang or at sports complexes to bring the SAF closer to the public.
After SAFTI MI’s opening in 1995, the Commissioning Parade was held at its Parade Square in the following year (Jul 1996) and this has been continued ever since.
Officer Cadet School
500 Upper Jurong Road
Singapore 638364