School MattersNational Junior College vs St. Joseph's Institution
Compare recorded PSLE entry ranges, CCAs, DSA programmes and location, with intake years shown alongside the data.
At a glance
| Compare | National Junior College | St. Joseph's Institution |
|---|---|---|
| School type | Co-Ed School | Boys' School |
| Level | Secondary (S1-S4) | Secondary (S1-S4) |
| School tags | IP | IP |
| Zone | South | South |
| Address | 37 Hillcrest Road | 38 Malcolm Road |
| Nearest MRT | Botanic Gardens, Tan Kah Kee, Sixth Avenue | Stevens |
| Listed CCAs | 32 | 26 |
| DSA listings | 23 | 40 |
Differences to explore
- CCA
- The records share 1 CCA listing. National Junior College also lists Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys), Badminton (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Joseph's Institution also lists Badminton (Boys), Basketball (Boys), CROSS COUNTRY, 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 1 DSA programme listing. National Junior College also lists Art Elective Programme (AEP) (Girls and Boys), Basketball (Girls and Boys), Canoeing (Girls and Boys), Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys) and more, which do not appear in the other school's records. St. Joseph's Institution also lists Badminton (Boys), Badminton (Boys) - IP, Basketball (Boys), Basketball (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 National Junior College: Botanic Gardens, Tan Kah Kee, Sixth Avenue; for St. Joseph's Institution: Stevens. Compare the full journey from home, including transfers and the walk to school.
Recorded entry ranges
| Compare | National Junior College | St. Joseph's Institution |
|---|---|---|
| IP · Non-affiliated | 2026 · 5–8 | 2026 · 4–7 |
| PG3 · Non-affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 4–8 |
| PG3 · Affiliated | Not listed | 2026 · 7–12 |
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
National Junior College
National Junior College opened in January 1969 with 570 students and was officially opened in May 1970. MOE records its move to Hillcrest Road in 1995, a four-year Integrated Programme from 2004, and expansion to six years with Sec 1 admission in 2009. This profile concerns Junior High, the four secondary-stage years within that six-year route. Its learning experiences and activity choices should be distinguished from the two Senior High years, even though both stages share the college name and some programmes.
The current Junior High page describes interdisciplinary SPIRE work and Perspectives Tasks alongside languages, mathematics, integrated sciences, humanities, PE, art and music. JH1–2 pupils can take one or more electives, subject to selection and timetable fit. JH3–4 pupils normally take at most two; those taking triple science can take at most one. Examples include coding, forensic science and advanced science or mathematics. This offers room to explore, but not an unrestricted menu. Families can ask how choices, project deadlines and subject progression fit together across the four years.
St. Joseph's Institution
SJI began as St John’s School in 1852, a free boys’ school on Bras Basah Road established by the De La Salle Brothers. It took the St Joseph’s Institution name in 1855. In 1988 it became independent and moved to Malcolm Road; after a temporary Bishan relocation for redevelopment, it returned in 2017. The dual secondary pathway and co-educational post-secondary IB Diploma began in 2013. SJI International, established separately in 2007, should not be confused with this institution when checking fees, admissions or reviews. Historical free schooling also does not describe today’s independent-school charges.
The current SEC Programme page describes a four-year route preparing boys for Secondary Education Certificate examinations, with seven- or eight-subject combinations at upper secondary. SJI’s IP is a six-year route leading to the IB Diploma. Both pages describe a lower-secondary foundation in languages, humanities, sciences and mathematics, with inquiry and research. At Years 3–4, SEC pupils have Curriculum+, including project work and career encounters; IP pupils have Year 3 ArtScience and Year 4 Signum Fidei projects with external organisations. Confirm which route an offer covers and its progression conditions, rather than assuming secondary entry guarantees any later course or subject choice.
CCAs and programmes
National Junior College
- Audio Visual Aid (Girls and Boys)
- Badminton (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Community Service (Rotary-Sponsored) (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Girls and Boys)
- English Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Environmental Science (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Girls and Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Guzheng Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Indian Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Infocomm Technology (Media Production) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Language, Drama and Debating (Girls and Boys)
- Modern Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Netball (Girls)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls and Boys)
- Squash (Girls and Boys)
- String Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Table Tennis (Girls and Boys)
- Touch Rugby (Girls)
- Track and Field (Girls and Boys)
St. Joseph's Institution
- Badminton (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys)
- CROSS COUNTRY
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Chinese Culture and Language (Boys)
- Choir (Boys)
- Concert Band (Boys)
- Design and Innovation (Boys)
- English Drama (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Football (Boys)
- Guitar Ensemble (Boys)
- Hockey (Boys)
- Indian Culture and Language (Boys)
- Malay Culture and Language (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Air) (Boys)
- National Cadet Corps (NCC) (Land) (Boys)
- National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) (Boys)
- Pipe Band (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys)
- Scouts (Boys)
- St John Brigade (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at National Junior College
- Art Elective Programme (AEP) (Girls and Boys)
- Basketball (Girls and Boys)
- Canoeing (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Chinese Orchestra (Girls and Boys)
- Choir (Girls and Boys)
- Community Youth Leadership (Girls and Boys)
- Concert Band (Girls and Boys)
- Cross Country (Girls and Boys)
- Dragon Boat (Girls and Boys)
- English Drama (Girls and Boys)
- Floorball (Boys)
- Indian Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Language Elective Programme - Malay (MLEP) (Girls and Boys)
- Language Elective Programme - Tamil (TLEP) (Girls and Boys)
- Malay Dance (Girls and Boys)
- Rockwall Climbing (Girls and Boys)
- Science Research (Girls and Boys)
- Shooting (Girls and Boys)
- Softball (Girls and Boys)
- String Ensemble (Girls and Boys)
- Track and Field (Girls and Boys)
- Western Dance (Girls and Boys)
Listed DSA programmes at St. Joseph's Institution
- Badminton (Boys)
- Badminton (Boys) - IP
- Basketball (Boys)
- Basketball (Boys) - IP
- Canoeing (Boys)
- Canoeing (Boys) - IP
- Coding (Boys)
- Coding (Boys) - IP
- Cross Country (Boys)
- Cross Country (Boys) - IP
- Floorball (Boys)
- Floorball (Boys) - IP
- Football (Boys)
- Football (Boys) - IP
- Hockey (Boys)
- Hockey (Boys) - IP
- International Chess (Boys)
- International Chess (Boys) - IP
- Judo (Boys)
- Judo (Boys) - IP
- Leadership (Boys)
- Leadership (Boys) - IP
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Boys)
- Programming and 3D Modelling (Boys) - IP
- Robotics (Boys)
- Robotics (Boys) - IP
- Rugby (Boys)
- Rugby (Boys) - IP
- Sailing (Boys)
- Sailing (Boys) - IP
- Table Tennis (Boys)
- Table Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Taekwondo (Boys)
- Taekwondo (Boys) - IP
- Tennis (Boys)
- Tennis (Boys) - IP
- Track and Field (Boys)
- Track and Field (Boys) - IP
- Visual Arts (Boys)
- Visual Arts (Boys) - IP
Questions about these schools
How should I choose between National Junior College and St. Joseph's 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: National Junior College 2026 · 5–8; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 4–7. PG3 · Non-affiliated: National Junior College Not listed; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 4–8. PG3 · Affiliated: National Junior College Not listed; St. Joseph's Institution 2026 · 7–12.
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.