Hwa Chong International School is a private secondary school in Singapore, set on Bukit Timah Road in the centre of the city. It teaches a six year programme that begins with the junior years and Cambridge IGCSE and finishes with the two year IB Diploma. Unusually for an international school in Singapore it has no primary section, so it concentrates entirely on the secondary phase and on preparing students for university. It opened in 2005 and shares its origins with the long established Hwa Chong Institution, which gives it a Singaporean academic heritage that many newer international schools do not have.
Hwa Chong International School at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | Cambridge IGCSE in the junior years; IB Diploma Programme in the senior years |
| Stages | Secondary only, Years 1 to 6 (roughly ages 12 to 18) |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Accreditation | Authorised IB World School for the Diploma Programme; Cambridge International for IGCSE |
| Fee band | Mid to upper mid for Singapore |
| Campus area | Bukit Timah, central Singapore; boarding available |
Curriculum and academics
The school runs an integrated six year route to university. The junior years build towards Cambridge IGCSE, the internationally recognised set of subject examinations taken at the end of lower secondary, and the senior years are the IB Diploma Programme, the two year qualification that universities worldwide use for entry. Because the school controls the whole secondary path, the junior curriculum is designed to feed directly into the demands of the Diploma rather than to a different system.
The Diploma asks students to take six subjects across the disciplines alongside the core of theory of knowledge, the extended essay and creativity, activity and service. Mandarin is a strong feature of the school given its heritage, and bilingual ability is encouraged rather than treated as an add on. Parents weighing the Diploma against other routes can see how the city's IB schools compare in our guide to the best IB schools in Singapore, and read the programme in depth on our Singapore IB schools hub.
Budgeting the full cost of a place?
Our fee calculator adds registration, deposits, capital levies and transport to the headline tuition so you see the real annual cost before you apply.
Hwa Chong International School fees
Hwa Chong International School sits in the mid to upper mid range for Singapore. Our Singapore international school fees guide places the mid band at roughly SGD 24,000 to 35,000 a year and the upper mid band above that, and the school's published tuition falls broadly within SGD 30,000 to 35,000, with the IB years at the higher end. Treat these as guide figures and confirm the current schedule with the school.
Budget for the line items beyond tuition as well. Expect a non refundable application fee, an acceptance fee once a place is offered and a refundable security deposit, plus examination registration in the IGCSE and Diploma years and optional transport or boarding. Use our fee calculator to total the real annual cost before you commit.
Admissions
Entry is by application with prior school reports and an entrance assessment suited to the year group, since the school admits into a structured academic programme rather than open year round enrolment. As Hwa Chong receives Singapore government support it admits a meaningful share of Singaporean and permanent resident students alongside international families, which shapes the intake.
The most selective point is entry into Year 5, the start of the IB Diploma, where prior attainment and English need to support a demanding two year course. Families aiming for the Diploma should contact admissions early and ask about subject availability. Exact intake months are not published openly, so confirm the application window directly.
Location and who goes there
The campus is on Bukit Timah Road in central Singapore, close to Tan Kah Kee MRT and within easy reach of the Bukit Timah, Coronation and Sixth Avenue residential areas that many families choose. Boarding is available, which widens the catchment to students whose families are based outside Singapore or in the region. The cohort mixes international students with a strong local and regional contingent, and Mandarin is part of daily life on campus.
To see how Hwa Chong compares with other secondary and IB schools across the city, including fee tiers and where families settle, start from the Singapore city hub.
Hwa Chong International School reviews
We do not yet hold any verified parent reviews for Hwa Chong International School. GlobalSchoolGuide is an independent guide and no school pays to be listed, so we publish a rating only once we have collected enough verified first hand accounts to be fair to both the school and to families reading them. We would rather show nothing than show an invented score.
If your family has attended the school we would value your account of admissions, teaching, pastoral care and value for money. Share it through our school reviews hub and we will add verified contributions to this page.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Hwa Chong International School fees?
Hwa Chong International School sits in the mid to upper mid range for Singapore, with published tuition broadly SGD 30,000 to 35,000 a year and the IB years at the top of that span. Add an application fee, an acceptance fee and a refundable security deposit, and confirm the current schedule with the school.
What curriculum does Hwa Chong International School follow?
It runs a six year secondary programme. The junior years lead to Cambridge IGCSE and the senior years are the two year IB Diploma Programme. The school does not have a primary section.
Is Hwa Chong International School a good school?
Hwa Chong International School is an authorised IB World School with roots in the wider Hwa Chong family of schools. We do not publish ratings without verified reviews, so weigh the latest Diploma results, the academic pace and a campus visit.
When do Hwa Chong International School applications open?
The school admits to its junior and senior years through an application with prior school reports and an entrance assessment. Exact intake months are not published openly, so contact admissions early, especially for IB Diploma entry.
Where is Hwa Chong International School located?
The campus is on Bukit Timah Road in central Singapore, close to Tan Kah Kee MRT and the Bukit Timah and Coronation residential areas, with boarding available for older students.
