School MattersCHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' 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 | CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | Hwa Chong Institution |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Girls' School | Co-Ed School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP · SAP · Autonomous | IP · SAP |
| Zone | North | West |
| Address | 501 Ang Mo Kio Street 13 | 661 Bukit Timah Road |
| Nearest MRT | Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Mayflower | Tan Kah Kee |
| Listed CCAs | 26 | 32 |
| DSA listings | 18 | 22 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 0 CCA listings. CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School also lists Art and Crafts (Girls), Artistic Gymnastics (Girls), Badminton (Girls), Chinese Culture and Language (Girls) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. Hwa Chong Institution also lists Audio Visual Aid (Boys), Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), Canoeing (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 0 DSA programme listings. CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School also lists Artistic Gymnastics (Girls), Artistic Gymnastics (Girls) - IP, Badminton (Girls), Badminton (Girls) - IP 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, Basketball (Boys) - IP, Bilingualism (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 CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School: Ang Mo Kio, Yio Chu Kang, Mayflower; for Hwa Chong Institution: Tan Kah Kee. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School | Hwa Chong Institution |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 4D–7M | 2026 · 4D–6M |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 6M–8M | Not listed |
| PG3 · Affiliated | 2026 · 7M–14 | 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
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School
St Nicholas began on 16 January 1933 as Victoria Girls’ School, a Chinese-medium primary school started by the Infant Jesus sisters with 40 pupils. Secondary classes followed in 1938–1939. The school became a SAP school in 1979, moved to Ang Mo Kio Street 13 in 1985 and introduced its Joint Integrated Programme in 2013. These milestones help explain the combination families encounter today: a Catholic school identity alongside a substantial Chinese-language and cultural programme.
The 2026 DSA notice distinguishes the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate Programme (SP) from the Joint Integrated Programme (JIP) for the 2027 intake. JIP students spend four years at St Nicholas before two at Eunoia Junior College and the A Levels. The school shares the JIP partnership with Catholic High and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School. The notice also requires applicants to offer Chinese or Higher Chinese in primary school, excluding those exempted from these subjects at PSLE.
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
CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School
- Art and Crafts (Girls)
- Artistic Gymnastics (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Girls)
- Chinese Dance (Girls)
- Chinese Drama (Girls)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls)
- Choir (Girls)
- Community Service (Girls)
- Concert Band (Girls)
- Debating and Public Speaking (Girls)
- English Drama (Girls)
- Environmental Science (Girls)
- Girl Guides (Girls)
- Hockey (Girls)
- Infocomm Technology (Computing) (Girls)
- Media Resource Library (Girls)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Girls)
- Netball (Girls)
- Publication (Girls)
- Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls)
- St John Brigade (Girls)
- String Ensemble (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Girls)
- Track and Field (Girls)
- Trampoline (Girls)
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 CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School
- Artistic Gymnastics (Girls)
- Artistic Gymnastics (Girls) - IP
- Badminton (Girls)
- Badminton (Girls) - IP
- Bilingualism (Girls)
- Bilingualism (Girls) - IP
- Hockey (Girls)
- Hockey (Girls) - IP
- Leadership (Girls)
- Leadership (Girls) - IP
- Netball (Girls)
- Netball (Girls) - IP
- Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls)
- Rhythmic Gymnastics (Girls) - IP
- Table Tennis (Girls)
- Table Tennis (Girls) - IP
- Track and Field (Girls)
- Track and Field (Girls) - 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 CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' 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: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 4D–7M; Hwa Chong Institution 2026 · 4D–6M. PG3 · Non-affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 6M–8M; Hwa Chong Institution Not listed. PG3 · Affiliated: CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' School 2026 · 7M–14; 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.