JC cut-off points decrease for 2026 O-level students, tutor warns of more competition in future
An upper secondary tutor has expressed shock over the latest Junior College (JC) cut-off points (COPs), warning that it may now be significantly harder for students to enter top JCs in Singapore.
In a TikTok video posted on Wednesday (4 Feb), Mr Emilio Huang, an upper secondary chemistry tutor and founder of Dojo Education, broke down the newly observed COP trends for the 2026 JC intake and shared advice for students navigating the tougher landscape.
Top JC cut-off points drop, Higher Mother Tongue becomes mandatory
In the video, Mr Huang referenced a Reddit post analysing the latest JC COPs and highlighted that several schools had lowered their entry thresholds.
Source: dojostudyclub on TikTok
He pointed out that both Raffles Institution (RI) and Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) recorded a Science stream COP of 3.
Under the current system, students can only achieve a nett score of 2 if they take Higher Mother Tongue and qualify for the one-point bonus deduction. This effectively means students who did not take Higher Mother Tongue are unable to meet the entry criteria for RI or HCI.
“If you’re aiming for Raffles or Hwa Chong…if you don’t take Higher Mother Tongue, you literally can’t get in,” Mr Huang said.
He also reminded students to maximise bonus point deductions through co-curricular activities (CCAs), urging them to “attend CCAs to get the minus two points”.
Source: dojostudyclub on TikTok
‘Every school is a good school,’ says tutor
Despite the increasingly competitive figures, Mr Huang struck a reassuring tone when speaking to MS News.
“It’s definitely stressful for those taking the O-Levels in the future, and unfortunate for those who took them in 2025,” he shared said, noting that many of his students ended up in their second, third, or even fifth choice JC.
Still, he emphasised that outcomes are not defined solely by school name.
“It’s cliché, but every school is a good school, especially in JC. Even if students can’t get into their top choice, at the end of the day, every school experience is what you make of it.”
He added that although official data has yet to be released, JC pathways appear to be growing in popularity, which could explain the sharper competition.
“Don’t panic. If you’re studying for your O-Levels in the future, do your best, and it will pay off,” he said.
Netizens debate fairness and impact of lower COPs
The video sparked lively discussion online, with netizens weighing in on how the lower COPs could affect students.
One commenter pointed out that students who were not offered Higher Mother Tongue could be disadvantaged through no fault of their own.
Source: dojostudyclub on TikTok
Another felt that such stringent cut-off points were not unusual, suggesting schools were simply reverting to past norms.
Source: dojostudyclub on TikTok
Others argued that differences between JCs are minimal, and that consistent effort matters more than entry scores.
Source: dojostudyclub on TikTok
Some also noted that COPs vary from year to year, depending on cohort performance.
Source: dojostudyclub on TikTok
Also Read: S’pore JC admission to be based on 5 O-level subjects instead of 6 from 2028
S’pore JC admission to be based on 5 O-level subjects instead of 6 from 2028
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Featured image adapted from dojostudyclub on TikTok.
