Top 10 JCs at a Glance
Two years at junior college (JC) go by quickly, yet they shape much of what comes next: the A-Level subjects your child studies, the friends and Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) that fill their days, and the university courses they can apply for.
Most students enter a JC through the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) after their O-Level results, while some secure a place earlier through Direct School Admission (DSA-JC).
Singapore has no official JC ranking. The nearest thing to one is each JC's cut-off point from the last JAE, published by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The lower a JC's cut-off point, the better the O-Level results its students needed to get a place.
What Are JC Cut-Off Points?
JC cut-off points are the net L1R5 aggregate scores of the last students admitted to each JC's courses in the previous JAE. Most JCs have two, one for the Arts course and one for the Science course, and the Science cut-off point is usually the more demanding.
A lower score is better, so 6 is a harder cut-off point to meet than 10. MOE notes that these scores depend on each year's O-Level results and course choices, so they can shift from year to year.
How the L1R5 Aggregate Is Calculated
The L1R5 aggregate adds up the O-Level grades of six subjects, with an A1 counting as 1 point and an F9 as 9 points:
- L1 – English Language, or Higher Mother Tongue Language if it gives a better aggregate
- R1 – The best Humanities subject, such as History, Geography or Literature in English
- R2 – The best Mathematics or Science subject
- R3 – The best remaining Humanities, Mathematics or Science subject
- R4 and R5 – The two best remaining subjects
To qualify for a JC, students need a gross L1R5 aggregate of 20 or better, along with minimum grades in English, Mathematics and Mother Tongue Language.
Net Aggregate and Bonus Points
The net aggregate is the gross L1R5 aggregate minus any bonus points, and it is the score used for posting. Students can earn up to 4 bonus points in total:
- CCA – 2 points for an Excellent CCA grade, or 1 point for Good
- Affiliated secondary school – 2 points for students from an affiliated secondary school who list that JC's courses as their first choice, or as their first and second choices
- English and Higher Mother Tongue Language – 2 points for grades of A1 to C6
- Special Programme languages – 2 points for grades of A1 to C6 in Chinese (Special Programme), Malay (Special Programme) or Bahasa Indonesia
JC Admission Changes From 2028: L1R5 to L1R4
From the 2028 admission exercise, JC admission will use an L1R4 aggregate of five subjects, which must be 16 or better, and bonus points will be capped at 3. The change applies to students sitting the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) examinations in 2027, the first year of the new certificate.
L1R4 and L1R5 scores cannot be compared directly, so the cut-off points in the table will not apply from 2028.
Full List of Junior Colleges in Singapore by Cut-Off Point
In the 2026 JAE, Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution had the lowest cut-off points, at 3 for Science and 5 for Arts.
IB – Net L1R5 cut-off point for the IB Diploma course
MI – Millennia Institute's cut-off points use the L1R4 aggregate
20* – Vacancies remained after posting, so any eligible student could have been admitted
– – The JC does not offer that course
Cut-off points from the 2026 JAE, for students who sat the O-Levels in 2025 and entered JC or MI in 2026.
| Junior College | Arts | Science | IB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Serangoon Junior College | 10 | 9 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese Junior College | 9 | 7 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | – | – | 5 |
| Catholic Junior College | 12 | 11 | – |
| Dunman High School | 8 | 6 | – |
| Eunoia Junior College | 6 | 5 | – |
| Hwa Chong Institution | 5 | 3 | – |
| Jurong Pioneer Junior College | 14 | 14 | – |
| Millennia Institute | 20 Commerce: 20* |
20* | – |
| Nanyang Junior College | 7 | 5 | – |
| National Junior College | 8 | 6 | – |
| Raffles Institution | 5 | 3 | – |
| River Valley High School | 9 | 8 | – |
| St. Andrew's Junior College | 10 | 8 | – |
| St. Joseph's Institution | – | – | 6 |
| Tampines Meridian Junior College | 12 | 12 | – |
| Temasek Junior College | 7 | 7 | – |
| Victoria Junior College | 8 | 6 | – |
| Yishun Innova Junior College | 20* | 18 | – |
| Anderson Serangoon Junior College | 11 | 10 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese Junior College | 9 | 8 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | – | – | 5 |
| Catholic Junior College | 13 | 12 | – |
| Dunman High School | 8 | 7 | – |
| Eunoia Junior College | 6 | 5 | – |
| Hwa Chong Institution | 5 | 4 | – |
| Jurong Pioneer Junior College | 15 | 14 | – |
| Millennia Institute | 19 Commerce: 19 |
17 | – |
| Nanyang Junior College | 7 | 5 | – |
| National Junior College | 8 | 7 | – |
| Raffles Institution | 5 | 3 | – |
| River Valley High School | 9 | 8 | – |
| St. Andrew's Junior College | 10 | 9 | – |
| St. Joseph's Institution | – | – | 6 |
| Tampines Meridian Junior College | 13 | 12 | – |
| Temasek Junior College | 8 | 7 | – |
| Victoria Junior College | 8 | 6 | – |
| Yishun Innova Junior College | 19 | 18 | – |
| Anderson Serangoon Junior College | 11 | 10 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese Junior College | 9 | 8 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | – | – | 4 |
| Catholic Junior College | 13 | 12 | – |
| Dunman High School | 8 | 7 | – |
| Eunoia Junior College | 7 | 6 | – |
| Hwa Chong Institution | 5 | 4 | – |
| Jurong Pioneer Junior College | 15 | 14 | – |
| Millennia Institute | 19 Commerce: 19 |
17 | – |
| Nanyang Junior College | 6 | 5 | – |
| National Junior College | 8 | 7 | – |
| Raffles Institution | 5 | 4 | – |
| River Valley High School | 9 | 8 | – |
| St. Andrew's Junior College | 10 | 9 | – |
| St. Joseph's Institution | – | – | 6 |
| Tampines Meridian Junior College | 13 | 12 | – |
| Temasek Junior College | 8 | 7 | – |
| Victoria Junior College | 8 | 6 | – |
| Yishun Innova Junior College | 18 | 20 | – |
| Anderson Serangoon Junior College | 11 | 10 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese Junior College | 9 | 8 | – |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | – | – | 5 |
| Catholic Junior College | 14 | 13 | – |
| Dunman High School | 9 | 8 | – |
| Eunoia Junior College | 8 | 6 | – |
| Hwa Chong Institution | 5 | 4 | – |
| Jurong Pioneer Junior College | 17 | 14 | – |
| Millennia Institute | 20 Commerce: 19 |
17 | – |
| Nanyang Junior College | 6 | 5 | – |
| National Junior College | 8 | 7 | – |
| Raffles Institution | 5 | 4 | – |
| River Valley High School | 9 | 8 | – |
| St. Andrew's Junior College | 10 | 9 | – |
| St. Joseph's Institution | – | – | 7 |
| Tampines Meridian Junior College | 13 | 13 | – |
| Temasek Junior College | 9 | 8 | – |
| Victoria Junior College | 8 | 7 | – |
| Yishun Innova Junior College | 19 | 20 | – |
Source: MOE JAE course booklets (2023 to 2026 JAE)
Disclaimer: Cut-off points change every year with each cohort's results and choices, so check them against MOE's SchoolFinder or the JC's website before submitting your JAE choices.
Types of Junior Colleges in Singapore
Most JCs offer a two-year A-Level course to students admitted through the JAE. A few differ in who they admit or what they teach.
JCs With an Integrated Programme (IP)
JCs such as Raffles Institution, Hwa Chong Institution, National Junior College and Dunman High School also run a six-year Integrated Programme (IP).
Many of their Year 5 and 6 places go to IP students who skip the O-Level, so fewer places are open through the JAE.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Schools
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and St. Joseph's Institution admit O-Level students through the JAE to a two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma course instead of the A-Level.
Millennia Institute (MI)
Millennia Institute (MI) is a centralised institute offering a three-year A-Level course in Arts, Commerce or Science. It admits students with an L1R4 aggregate of 20 or better, and the extra year gives students more time to prepare for the A-Level.
How to Choose the Right JC
Your child's net aggregate narrows the list of JCs they can realistically enter. From there, the subject combinations each JC offers, the daily journey and the JC's culture decide which one suits them best.
1. A Realistic Shortlist for the JAE
Compare your child's net aggregate, after bonus points, with the cut-off point for the course they want at each JC in the table above. A JC whose cut-off point is near that score is a reasonable choice, and a few JCs that are easier to enter give your child a fallback.
JAE posting goes by net aggregate first and then by the order of choices on the form, so list them in your child's true order of preference. Students from an affiliated secondary school receive the 2 affiliation bonus points only if that JC's courses come first.
2. JC Subject Combinations and Requirements
Most JC students take three H2 subjects and one H1 subject, including at least one contrasting subject, such as a Humanities subject for a Science student. General Paper (GP) and Project Work are compulsory, and GP is counted with three H2 subjects in the University Admission Score that local universities, such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), use for admission.
Combinations and their O-Level grade requirements differ between JCs, and some university courses require particular H2 subjects. Medicine at NUS, for example, requires H2 Chemistry and either H2 Biology or H2 Physics.
3. Distance From Home
Home address does not affect JAE posting. JC days often combine lectures, tutorials, CCAs and consultations with teachers, and they can end late.
A shorter journey leaves more time to rest and revise, especially in the second year, when the A-Level examination is near. It helps to check the travel time at the hours your child would actually travel, not just the distance on a map.
4. CCAs, Programmes and Open Houses
CCAs and special programmes differ from JC to JC. Language Elective Programmes in Chinese, Malay or Tamil, for example, run only at selected JCs, and students chosen for one get 2 extra bonus points on top of the usual cap of 4, provided they remain in the programme.
JC open houses usually take place in January, around the release of the O-Level results. They give your child a chance to hear subject combination talks, visit CCA booths and ask current students what a typical week is like, and many JCs also post their talks online.
Students strong in a sport, an art form or an academic area can also apply to some JCs through DSA-JC. Applications usually open in May of Secondary 4, and successful applicants are offered a place before the O-Level results, as long as they still meet the JC admission criteria.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Ministry of Education (MOE) does not publish a ranking of junior colleges (JCs), so no one can say for sure which JC is the top or best in Singapore. Parents usually compare cut-off points from the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) instead, which show how hard each JC is to enter, not how well it teaches. Based on these cut-off points, Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution have been the hardest JCs to get into.
The lowest JC cut-off points in the 2026 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) belonged to Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution, at a net L1R5 aggregate of 3 in Science and 5 in Arts. The net L1R5 aggregate is the total of six O-Level grades, minus any bonus points, and the cut-off point is the score of the last student admitted, so a lower number is harder to meet. Eunoia Junior College and Nanyang Junior College came next in Science, at 5.
The top 10 JCs in Singapore are those with the lowest cut-off points, which are the hardest to meet. By Science cut-off point in the 2026 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE), they were Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution at 3, Eunoia and Nanyang at 5, Dunman High School, National and Victoria at 6, Anglo-Chinese JC and Temasek at 7, and River Valley High School and St. Andrew's at 8. The top 3 were Raffles and Hwa Chong, joint first, then Eunoia, ahead of Nanyang on Arts, at 6 against 7.
A-Level results cannot be compared fairly across JCs, since the Ministry of Education (MOE) releases no results by college and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) reports national results only. Some JCs share their own figures on their websites or at open houses, but each counts them differently.
To be eligible for a JC, a student needs a gross L1R5 aggregate no higher than 20, which adds up English or Higher Mother Tongue Language and five other O-Level grades, and must reach minimum grades in three subjects: English, Mathematics and Mother Tongue Language. Getting into a particular JC can be much harder, as places go to applicants with the best net aggregates first. In the 2026 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE), cut-off points ranged from 3 at the most demanding JC courses to 20 at the least demanding.
JC cut-off points are released by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on the day the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) posting results come out, usually in early February. On that day, MOE updates its SchoolFinder website with each JC course's range of net aggregate scores from the exercise just completed. The same ranges then appear in MOE's JAE course booklet for the following year, as a reference for the next group of applicants.
In 2026, 18 schools in Singapore offer junior college (JC) courses to O-Level students through the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE). Sixteen teach the two-year A-Level course, and two, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and St. Joseph's Institution, teach the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma instead. Millennia Institute also teaches the A-Level, over three years. The number of JCs fell in 2019, when eight JCs merged into four, such as Anderson JC and Serangoon JC becoming Anderson Serangoon JC.
Direct School Admission for junior colleges (DSA-JC) lets students apply to a JC based on their talent in sports, Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) or specific academic areas, before they sit the O-Level examinations. Applications usually open in May, and each JC selects students through steps such as trials, interviews or tests before making offers ahead of the O-Levels. Students who accept an offer must still qualify for JC with their O-Level results, and they cannot then take part in the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE) or transfer to another JC.
The JC grading system follows the A-Level, where H1 and H2 subjects are graded A to E for a pass, S for a sub-pass and U for ungraded, and H3 subjects are graded Distinction, Merit or Pass. For university admission, each grade converts into rank points, with an A worth 20 points in an H2 subject and 10 in an H1 subject. From 2026, the University Admission Score (UAS) adds a student's best three H2 subjects and General Paper (GP), for a maximum of 70 points.