Revised syllabus · effective 1 January 2027
What changes in the 2027 RES exam syllabus?
CEA's revised RES syllabus applies to examinations from 1 January 2027. It adds three topics, removes Foreign Worker Housing and renames four topics. The two-paper, 2.5-hour format stays the same, while the revised course is at least 65 hours. A candidate with a still-valid older course certificate does not have to retake the course.
Last reviewed
Sitting in 2026
Study the current syllabus
The 31 October and 1 November 2026 papers use the outgoing syllabus. Do not drop Foreign Worker Housing or substitute 2027-only material.
Sitting from 1 January 2027
Study the revised syllabus
Add the three new topics, follow the expanded or renamed topic scopes, and remove Foreign Worker Housing from your revision plan.
Three new topics to add to your revision
- 01Professional practice, ethics and conduct
- 02Prevention of Money Laundering, Proliferation Financing and Terrorism Financing (PMLPFTF) obligations
- 03Green buildings and leases
CEA lists all three under Paper 2, Competency Unit 3. See the revised syllabus and transition FAQ on CEA (opens in a new tab).
What is removed or renamed?
Removed: Foreign Worker Housing
It remains examinable in the final 2026 sitting, but is not a topic in the revised syllabus from 2027.
| Current title | 2027 title |
|---|---|
| State Lands Act | State Lands Act and Land Betterment Charge Act |
| Negligence | Property torts |
| Marketing of special properties | Marketing of conservation properties |
| Leasing of private properties | Leasing of private residential properties |
A renamed heading can also carry changed learning outcomes. Use the revised learning-outcome list, not the title alone, when checking old notes against the 2027 syllabus.
What does not change?
2 papers
Paper 1 and Paper 2 remain separate.
2.5 hours
The duration of each paper is unchanged.
Same structure
60 Section A MCQs plus 20 case-study MCQs per paper.
Do existing candidates need another course?
No, provided your RES course completion certificate is still within its two-year validity period on your exam date. CEA says a bridging course is optional; self-study is allowed. But any examination from 1 January 2027 tests the revised syllabus, even if your original course covered the outgoing one.
A valid modular pass also remains valid: you retake only the paper you failed, within the same two-year course-certificate window. The paper you retake in 2027 will use the revised syllabus.
Keep practising the right syllabus as it changes
You can keep your revision organised through the changeover. RESglide checks which learning outcomes belong to each syllabus, retaining shared material and changing the questions available as the platform moves to the revised syllabus.
Practice currently follows the 2026 syllabus. RESglide switches automatically to the revised syllabus on 2 November 2026, after the final 2026 sitting. Until then, use the comparison above to plan any additional study for a 2027 exam.
Build understanding you can carry into your exam
Try original, source-verified questions with explanations you can trace to official sources. The public sample covers learning outcomes shared by both syllabuses.
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