School MattersCatholic High School vs Hwa Chong Institution
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | Catholic High School | Hwa Chong Institution |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Boys' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | IP · SAP |
| Zone | North | West |
| Address | 9 Bishan Street 22 | 661 Bukit Timah Road |
| Nearest MRT | Bishan | Tan Kah Kee |
| Listed CCAs | 18 | 32 |
| DSA listings | 34 | 22 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 12 CCA listings. Catholic High School also lists Chinese Drama (Boys), Concert Band (Boys), Floorball (Boys), Modern Dance (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Hwa Chong Institution also lists Audio Visual Aid (Boys), Badminton (Boys), Canoeing (Boys), Chinese Chess (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- DSA programme
- The records share 10 DSA programme listings. Catholic High School also lists Basketball (Boys), Chinese Drama (Boys), Chinese Drama (Boys) - IP, Chinese Orchestra (Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Hwa Chong Institution also lists Art Elective Programme (Boys) - IP, Badminton (Boys) - IP, Canoeing (Boys) - IP, Chinese Language (Boys) - IP and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Listings may be incomplete; confirm availability with each school.
- The daily journey
- Nearby MRT stations listed for Catholic High School: Bishan; for Hwa Chong Institution: Tan Kah Kee. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | Catholic High School | Hwa Chong Institution |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | 2026 · 4D–6M |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6D–8M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7–12 | Not listed |
Each range belongs to the intake year and programme shown. Affiliated and non-affiliated ranges are separate. D, M and P are Higher Mother Tongue requirements. Past ranges do not guarantee admission.
Get to know each school
Catholic High School
Catholic High began in 1935 within the Church of St Peter and Paul at Queen Street, founded by Father Edward Becheras. It moved to Bishan in 1992. The school describes bilingualism as a founding principle and welcomes Catholic and non-Catholic pupils. This review concerns the secondary section: primary-school CCA, curriculum and camp reports cannot establish what a secondary pupil will experience, even though both sections share the school name and website.
The current secondary overview presents the Joint Integrated Programme and SEC Programme. IP pupils spend four years at Catholic High before progressing to Eunoia Junior College; SP pupils apply to post-secondary institutions using examination results and may choose junior college or polytechnic. The track is chosen during DSA or Secondary 1 posting. The page distinguishes CJC affiliation from EJC: SP pupils do not receive affiliation bonus points for EJC. Families should check the applicable admissions rules rather than assume an IP partnership guarantees an SP place.
Hwa Chong Institution
Hwa Chong Institution dates its roots to the Chinese High School, founded by Tan Kah Kee in 1919, and Hwa Chong Junior College, established in 1974. Their 2005 merger created the present institution: the former schools became its High School and College sections. The Chinese High became a SAP school in 1979 and independent in 1987; the college became independent in 2004. This distinction is useful when reading alumni accounts. A junior-college experience describes a later stage of the six-year pathway, rather than necessarily the daily experience of a new Secondary 1 pupil.
The September 2026 academic page organises the Integrated Programme into three stages: a general curriculum for exploring fields, deeper study in chosen areas, then consolidation towards Cambridge A Levels. Research tasks and projects can involve internal and external mentors. Sports, arts and service learning are also described as parts of the curriculum. The institution lists specialised programmes, including Art Elective, school-based gifted education and Science and Math Talent provisions. The general IP framework and a place in a particular specialist programme are separate matters; families need the entry and continuation requirements for the programme their child is considering.
CCAs and programmes
Catholic High School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Softball (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
Hwa Chong Institution
- Audio Visual Aid (Boys)
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Chinese Chess (Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Chinese Weiqi (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Cross Country (Boys)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Fencing (Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Boys)
- International Chess (Boys)
- Judo (Boys)
- Marching Band (Boys)
- Mathematics (Boys)
- Media Resource Library (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- Shooting (Boys)
- Singapore Youth Flying Club (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- String Ensemble (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Water Polo (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at Catholic High School
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Bilingualism (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Drama (Boys)
- Chinese Drama (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Boys) - IP
- Choir (Boys)
- Choir (Boys) - IP
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys) - IP
- English Drama (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys) - IP
- Humanities (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Mathematics (Boys) - IP
- Modern Dance (Boys)
- Modern Dance (Boys) - IP
- Music Elective Programme (Boys)
- Music Elective Programme (Boys) - IP
- Science (Boys) - IP
- Softball (Boys)
- Softball (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Boys)
- Volleyball (Boys) - IP
- Wushu (Boys)
- Wushu (Boys) - IP
Listed DSA programmes at Hwa Chong Institution
- Art Elective Programme (Boys) - IP
- Badminton (Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Bilingualism (Boys) - IP
- Canoeing (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Language (Boys) - IP
- Chinese Weiqi (Boys) - IP
- Cross Country (Boys) - IP
- Entrepreneurship (Boys) - IP
- Fencing (Boys) - IP
- Humanities (Boys) - IP
- Infocomm (Boys) - IP
- Judo (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Mathematics (Boys) - IP
- Science (Boys) - IP
- Shooting (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Volleyball (Boys) - IP
- Water Polo (Boys) - IP
- Wushu (Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between Catholic High School and Hwa Chong Institution?
Start with programmes, the CCAs your child wants and the actual journey from home. Visit both schools to assess the daily environment. Counts and past results alone do not establish which school fits your child.
How do their recorded PSLE entry ranges compare?
IP · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 4D–7M; Hwa Chong Institution 2026 · 4D–6M. PG3 · Non-affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 6D–8M; Hwa Chong Institution Not listed. PG3 · Affiliated: Catholic High School 2026 · 7–12; Hwa Chong Institution Not listed.
Do past admission records guarantee a place?
No. Ranges belong to the intake year and programme shown and can change. Keep affiliated and non-affiliated ranges separate and retain any D, M or P Higher Mother Tongue suffix.