Education platform publishes list of top 10 JCs in Singapore

SINGAPORE: On Monday (Jan 12), the Singapore-based global education rankings platform Schoolbell.net published a ranking of the top Junior Colleges (JCs) in Singapore for 2026 based on 2025 Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level L1R5 net cut-off points.

JCs offer two-year A-Level or International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes that prepare secondary school graduates for university.

Broken down, L1 means an examinee’s best score in a first language, which is usually English. However, if they performed better in a higher mother tongue, this score is considered. Meanwhile, R5 stands for the student’s best five scores from other relevant subjects. The net score is their gross L1R5 score minus any bonus points.

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Put simply, a lower Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level cut-off point, in terms of the L1R5 net aggregate score, suggests higher academic selectivity.

The most commonly accepted score for admission to JCs is between 7 and 14 points, and the lowest score likely to be accepted is between 15 and 20 points. To get into the top JCs, a student should get between 4 and 7 points.

“Junior college selection is one of the most important academic decisions for Singaporean students. By using the latest and most transparent O-Level admission data, our 2026 JC rankings provide families with a clear benchmark of academic selectivity and institutional standing,” a spokesperson for schoolbell.net said.

In ranking the top junior colleges in Singapore, the JCs were evaluated based on the cut-off points for Arts A-Level, Science A-Level, and IB streams.

Here is Schoolbell.net’s ranking for 2026:

1. Raffles Institution (Junior College)
   Arts A-Level: 5 | Science A-Level: 3
2. Hwa Chong Institution (Junior College)
   Arts A-Level: 5 | Science A-Level: 4
3. Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) (Junior College)
   IB: 5
4. Eunoia Junior College
   Arts A-Level: 6 | Science A-Level: 5
5. St. Joseph’s Institution (Junior College)
   IB: 6
6. Nanyang Junior College
   Arts A-Level: 7 | Science A-Level: 5
7. Victoria Junior College
   Arts A-Level: 8 | Science A-Level: 6
8. (Tie)
   Dunman High School (Junior College),
   National Junior College,
   Temasek Junior College
   Arts A-Level: 8 | Science A-Level: 7
9. (Tie)
   Anglo-Chinese Junior College,
   River Valley High School (Junior College)
   Arts A-Level: 9 | Science A-Level: 8
10. St. Andrew’s Junior College
    Arts A-Level: 10 | Science A-Level: 9

Students and their parents who are interested in learning more may find out about Schoolbell.net’s rankings here. /TISG

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