Quick answer: Singapore has 17 established schools admitting students to six-year integrated pathways in the 2026 school landscape. Thirteen lead to Singapore-Cambridge A-Levels, three to the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and one—NUS High School of Mathematics and Science—to its own school diploma. The crucial parent question is not simply “Which school is famous?” but “Where will my child study in Years 5 and 6, what qualification will they take, and how can they enter the specific programme?”
A school that offers IP may also offer a separate SEC route. Moreover, NUS High School does not participate in ordinary Secondary 1 posting. The list and the admissions route therefore have to be read together. This directory is a dated planning snapshot, not a substitute for each school’s latest prospectus or MOE SchoolFinder.
The complete list: 17 schools and where each IP route leads
The following table groups each school’s early years with the programme or partner for the final two years. It is designed for the parent who needs to know whether a school choice is also a future junior-college or diploma choice. The list reflects established arrangements verified against MOE educational descriptions and school materials in November 2026. Confirm the cohort’s latest arrangements with the institution, particularly campus or admissions changes.
| IP school (early years) | Years 5–6 / destination | Final qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic High School | Eunoia Junior College | A-Level |
| CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School | Eunoia Junior College | A-Level |
| Singapore Chinese Girls’ School | Eunoia Junior College | A-Level |
| Cedar Girls’ Secondary School | Victoria Junior College | A-Level |
| Victoria School | Victoria Junior College | A-Level |
| Nanyang Girls’ High School | Hwa Chong Institution | A-Level |
| Hwa Chong Institution | Hwa Chong Institution | A-Level |
| Raffles Girls’ School | Raffles Institution | A-Level |
| Raffles Institution | Raffles Institution | A-Level |
| Dunman High School | Dunman High School | A-Level |
| National Junior College | National Junior College | A-Level |
| River Valley High School | River Valley High School | A-Level |
| Temasek Junior College | Temasek Junior College | A-Level |
| Methodist Girls’ School | Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | IB Diploma |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) | IB Diploma |
| St. Joseph’s Institution | St. Joseph’s Institution | IB Diploma |
| NUS High School of Mathematics and Science | NUS High School | NUS High School Diploma |
Do not read this table as a ranking. Each route has specific academic, co-curricular and practical characteristics. The fact that several schools end at the same junior college does not imply that their students experience identical first four years.
Why the final two-year destination is not a small detail
A family may discover that a Year 1 school choice also shapes the final two years of pre-university learning. Students from Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School proceed on the IP route to Eunoia Junior College. Victoria School and Cedar Girls’ students proceed to Victoria Junior College. Nanyang Girls’ High School students join the Hwa Chong Institution route; Raffles Girls’ School students join the Raffles Institution route. Methodist Girls’ School’s IP route leads to the IB Diploma at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).
Other schools deliver a six-year pathway within their own institution, such as Dunman High School, National Junior College, River Valley High School and Temasek Junior College. “Six-year” still has different practical implications for classmates, teachers, travel and timetable, especially when a school has a junior-college phase. Ask the institution where classes physically take place in Year 5 and whether the campus may change for your cohort.
This is not grounds for forcing a twelve-year-old to settle their eventual university course. It is grounds for understanding the route that the family is choosing.
IP does not mean every student at the school is in IP
Some institutions have an IP track alongside a mainstream SEC track. A pupil admitted through a mainstream track must not assume automatic inclusion in IP because the school’s name appears on an IP list. The programmes may have separate admission score ranges and different later qualifications. At a dual-track school, ask the admissions office to identify the student’s exact programme in writing.
This matters for the 2027 SEC arrangements as Full Subject-Based Banding replaces the old course labels. G1, G2 and G3 refer to subject levels in the mainstream route; they are not alternative names for IP. A G3 Mathematics student and an IP Mathematics student may both study challenging ideas, but their curricula and the eventual examination paths are organised differently. Read why IP, IB and Posting Groups are not interchangeable and IP versus Full SBB and SEC before comparing schools.
Two entry ranges at the same campus are not a database error. They can refer to different programmes. Always compare the correct row.
What A-Level IP schools are designed to do
In an A-Level endpoint, the first four years can be used for extended subject understanding and wider opportunities, while the final two years prepare students for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level qualification. Depending on the institution, Year 5 may mean moving to a partner junior college or remaining on a six-year campus. This affects how the student experiences the transition.
An A-Level student may eventually take H1 and H2 subjects, with H3 opportunities subject to school criteria. These level labels should not be confused with IB Higher Level and Standard Level, and they are not G1/G2/G3. A student considering engineering, medicine, computing or humanities should later check subject prerequisites against university requirements. However, choosing an IP route at twelve years old is not equivalent to deciding those subjects immediately.
The safer early-year priorities are reading well, being comfortable with algebra, learning to explain evidence and managing work independently. Our guide to IP Year 4 to Year 5 subject decisions provides the next layer.
What the IB destination changes
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Methodist Girls’ School and St. Joseph’s Institution are familiar Singapore IP routes leading to the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The final two-year Diploma Programme combines six subjects with its core requirements. The IB uses Higher Level and Standard Level subject choices, as well as components such as Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service.
This matters in practice. A child who is strong in one subject may still need to sustain a wide range of work, maintain a research process and manage competing deadlines. Parents should examine the actual school’s subject offerings and teaching support, not assume all IB pathways have the same timetable or subject combination. Read the IB’s official Diploma curriculum to understand the qualification beyond advertising language.
The IB is a recognised pre-university credential, not a guarantee of admission to a university course. A relevant university may ask for particular subject levels or grades. That fact should shape long-term planning without turning early secondary school into perpetual university admissions rehearsal.
NUS High is the admissions exception every parent must understand
NUS High School of Mathematics and Science is a specialised six-year institution that awards the NUS High School Diploma. Its official Year 1 admissions information, updated in October 2026, says that it admits students through the DSA-Sec exercise and does not participate in the S1 Posting Exercise. If vacancies remain, it may conduct a separate Supplementary Intake Exercise after PSLE results, with its own deadlines and conditions. This is not the same as adding NUS High to the standard six school options.
NUS High’s admissions FAQ also explicitly states that the school has no Secondary 1 posting cut-off point because it does not use that exercise. An online table giving NUS High an ordinary S1 cut-off should therefore be treated with suspicion. See NUS High’s current Year 1 admissions page and official admissions FAQs.
A student interested in its specialised curriculum should ask about selection tests, the possible selection camp, interest in Mathematics and Science, and the time commitment. Admission to the institution and successful participation in the programme are matters for its own published rules.
A parent choosing between Eunoia, Victoria and single-campus routes
Compare the school years the child will actually experience. A student entering Catholic High School through IP is not making the same daily journey as a student entering CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School, even though both ultimately connect with Eunoia JC. Likewise, Victoria School and Cedar Girls’ can have different first-four-year settings despite a shared VJC destination. Friendships, travel, CCAs, school traditions and support systems may differ.
Ask the child to explain what they are looking forward to and what worries them. Then examine the actual programmes: teaching style, languages, research or elective opportunities, subject expectations, co-curricular commitments and the commute. A school should meet the learner’s strengths and needs, not merely a parent’s preferred label.
Where the child is uncertain, compare concrete weekly experiences instead of school prestige: morning journey; number of late activity days; available help when algebra is confusing; approach to projects; opportunities to explore interests. A suitable pathway should leave room for both achievement and ordinary adolescence.
Admission is programme-specific, not just school-specific
For most participating IP schools, families can consider entry through normal Secondary 1 posting where the relevant IP programme is available, or through the school’s DSA-Sec selection. These are different processes. DSA-Sec evaluates stated talent areas and has its own commitment rules; ordinary posting is based on PSLE results and the exercise’s posted school options. Some schools have additional direct entry points at later years, but these are school-specific and cannot be presumed.
Before applying, answer four questions: Does the school accept ordinary S1 posting into IP? Does it offer an IP DSA route for this cohort? If it also runs SEC, must we specify a track? If the child gets a DSA place, what is the length of commitment? Our companion general DSA-Sec guide and the new IP-specific DSA article address those choices. Do not treat an older brochure’s dates as the current exercise.
The best way to compare schools without misusing cut-off points
Cut-off points describe the last pupil admitted in a previous posting exercise, not a threshold predetermined in advance for the next cohort. A lower PSLE total is better, but a past IP range does not guarantee a place. SchoolFinder provides the official reference for programmes and indicative ranges; admissions notices and the new posting year’s results may change the picture.
A parent should shortlist programmes, not collect school names indiscriminately. Read the school’s latest programme page, confirm the correct IP range, consider the child’s score and school preference order, and ensure the other school choices include credible alternatives. MOE’s guidance is to use all six options when participating in S1 posting and consider two or three schools where the child’s score is better than the indicative cut-off.
Financial support and fees also matter. Some IP institutions are independent schools, but fee categories and bursaries vary. Consult the IP fee and bursary guide rather than concluding that every IP family must pay the same amount.
Three realistic examples of choosing the right route
Example A: the keen young scientist. A pupil enjoys Mathematics competitions and independent experiments. They should compare the broad IP routes with NUS High’s specialised curriculum, while understanding that the latter has a separate DSA-led admissions process. The question is whether the child enjoys the work of exploring difficult ideas, not how many medals appear on their certificate.
Example B: the strong reader who loves performing arts. This child may thrive in a school with a demanding academic programme and an excellent CCA or arts environment. Parents should not assume an IB endpoint is automatically more suitable for creative children or an A-Level endpoint for technical ones. Examine the actual school’s curriculum and the child’s preferences.
Example C: the student who prefers clear milestones. A capable pupil may still learn best with shorter goals and a familiar examination structure. An SEC route could be a sensible choice rather than a failure to maximise a PSLE score. IP is a pathway with particular demands, not a universal definition of success.
The final school-selection checklist
Write down the exact early-years school, the Year 5–6 destination, qualification, admissions route, track, latest published fees, help available for students and estimated weekday journey. If any field is unknown, keep it marked unknown until the school or MOE supplies the answer.
Confirm whether the student is choosing an IP or an SEC offer, whether DSA commitments apply, and whether subject programmes or campus locations will change for that intake year. Attend an open house or use the school’s own information channels to ask questions. The best decision is not necessarily the school with the lowest historical entry score. It is the pathway that the student can understand, enter legitimately and sustain over time.
Frequently asked questions
How many IP schools are in Singapore?
The established 2026 landscape includes 17 schools on the six-year IP/specialised integrated-pathway list; always verify the current cohort against MOE and school websites.
Which IP schools lead to Eunoia JC?
Catholic High School, CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School and Singapore Chinese Girls’ School.
Which IP schools lead to Victoria JC?
Cedar Girls’ Secondary School and Victoria School.
Which IP schools lead to IB?
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Methodist Girls’ School and St. Joseph’s Institution.
Can NUS High be one of my six Secondary 1 choices?
No. NUS High does not participate in regular S1 posting; it uses DSA-Sec and may run a supplementary intake if vacancies exist.
Are all students in an IP-offering school enrolled in IP?
No. Some schools run a separate SEC programme; the exact offer and track matter.
Is there a single national IP syllabus?
No single identical Year 1–4 school-specific sequence can be assumed. Consult each school’s curriculum and learning expectations.
What is the best IP school?
There is no universal answer: programme, qualifications, school experience, wellbeing, commute and admissions fit all matter.
Read the connected Integrated Programme guides
- Integrated Programme Cut-Off Points for 2027: PSLE Scores and Six School Choices
- Integrated Programme DSA-Sec: Applications, Offers and Commitments for 2028 Entry
- Integrated Programme Struggles: Can a Student Transfer, Leave IP or Change Pathways?
- How IP Year 1 changes after PSLE
- How IP assessments and grades work
- How IP Year 4 moves to Year 5
- IP fees, financial assistance and family budget
- IP or SEC: which route fits your child?
Primary sources and verification boundary
- MOE SchoolFinder — current school and programme information
- MOE Choosing a Secondary School parent kit — six choices and historical score interpretation
- MOE secondary education and IP overview — programme purpose and qualifications
- MOE Direct School Admission — official admissions exercise
- NUS High Year 1 admissions — separate DSA and possible supplementary intake
- Raffles Institution admissions and MOE commitment notice — six-year expectation and transfer caveat
Information verified 6 November 2026. School-specific programmes, admission routes, fees, cutoff points, timelines and transfers may change. This independent educational guide does not replace current decisions and rules of MOE, SEAB or individual schools. Illustrations are examples, not admission guarantees.