Parent
HCIS was a surprisingly positive experience for our daughter. All of us are from mainstream schools in Singapore, and our daughter was also doing fairly well in primary and secondary school. In upper secondary, she discovered the IB programme and was keen to pursue the IB Diploma as it is well-rounded and gave much flexibility in the choice of subjects. The IB curriculum is a recognised qualification by universities overseas and in Singapore.
Coming in at IB1 (i.e. Year 5 at HCIS), we were initially concerned that it would be difficult to adjust as majority of the kids would have joined the school earlier. However, the annual camps at the start of the school year, as well as the nature of international schools which will a stream of incoming and outgoing students each year due to various reasons like family relocation or learning needs, were a fitting and conducive way for new students to ease in the environment. Students come from diverse backgrounds and it makes for an interesting learning experience. My daughter has made friends from all walks of life and from across different nationalities and growing up experiences. CAS projects are another opportunity for students to bond and to engage in meaningful endeavours.
HCIS provides strong academic grounding and teachers are competent in delivering the IB programme. We have seen many students improve and blossom regardless of their academic base. Teachers are dedicated and they try very hard. Everyone is challenged sufficiently academically. And HCIS produces a steady stream of 7s across both Humanities and STEM subjects at the IB.
Out of academics, my daughter had a great time her CCA group too - the ELDDS has a wonderful teacher in charge.
Yes the school does endeavour to instil discipline and respect among its students, and and the vibe may not be as free-flowing and liberal as what one may imagine an international school would be, but we are happy with the balance. We appreciate both the MOE mainstream schools, as well as HCIS which offers an alternative pathway which students can also blossom, in what is a fairly interesting environment that allows you to learn with Singaporeans and students from across Asia.
7 other reviews for Hwa Chong International School - (Reviews aren't verified )
Parent
I’m incredibly grateful to Hwa Chong International School for the holistic education it provided my son. When I chose HCIS for its IB program, I wanted him to experience a well-rounded education that emphasized not just academic excellence but also personal growth and leadership development.
HCIS delivered on all fronts. The school gave my son opportunities to lead, including serving as President of the Student Council, which helped him grow in confidence and responsibility. The teachers were exceptional—dedicated, supportive, and always encouraging him to reach his potential.
HCIS’s nurturing environment and rigorous curriculum helped my son achieve a perfect IB score, but more importantly, it shaped him into a resilient and well-rounded individual. I highly recommend HCIS for any parent seeking a school that balances academic rigor with character development.
Parent
I will be very honest here. My only daughter didnt do so well for her PSLE and she was booted out of her affiliated school. I was hoping to enrol her into a school where there are students from decent backgrounds like her primary schools as I do not want her to hang around with shady characters. I was from one of the top secondary schools in Singapore ( from the bottom ) so I understand the importance of PEER and FAMILY in their growing up years. I had none of those but I am willing to spend on a quality education for my child. In primary school, she was reserved and almost anti-social. She sticked to 1 or 2 friends and her life literally revolved around those 1-2 friends. No CCA, no interest in any extra activities. I also dint expect Hwa Chong International School to change her drastically after just 1 year. I cant say that she is out-going now but for sure she is extremely ... read full review
Parent
HCIS has truly transformed my son who loves sports, school and learning. My son has flourished under the patience and guidance of his teachers. He has embarked on this amazing journey where my husband and I have witness his transformation. He is more vocal, takes a stand on his opinions, disciplined and motivated. The school advocates a motto of 自强不息 - and I have seen how his friends and him provides support to one another.
They talk about university aspirations whether locally or overseas. They share notes and tips during the current exam period to support one another’s study revision. I like the study culture here where I have observed supportive friends who wants one another to excel , rather than an individualistic local style. I can see this in Year 3 evidently- where the steep learning curve elevates from Year 2 to Year 3 transition.
HCIS encourage independent learning an... read full review
Parent
My daughter is in Year 4 at HCIS and she has had a great experience with the school! She has been in many student leadership roles as well as being an athlete and a champion of green sustainability causes. We have found HCIS to have a very nurturing and strong support system for their students’ academic interests as well as extracurricular activities.
Being a competitive archer, my daughter sometimes has to go compete overseas. When she does have these overseas competitions, her teachers will help her record class lessons and give online assignments that she can work on between training. Her friends would help take notes and provide them to her when she gets back. And when she does need extra help to understand certain topics, she can just ask her teachers for help after school. We have never had to take any external tuition. In fact, it is highly discouraged by HCIS for stud... read full review
Student
(I'm not native so forgive my bad English) Terrible, the biggest scam in the world ever. I'm a Chinese student joined hcis this January. Starting from the curriculum, I honestly don't know much about moe schools but I feel hcis is nothing different from a moe school in terms of teaching style. On most classes we do nothing else but thick piles of worksheets.
Parent
Since my daughter was admitted to HCIS, she has shown significant improvement in her study habits, knowledge expansion, and self-discipline. HCIS starts subject-specific learning as early as Grades 9 and 10, giving students more opportunities to understand their strengths and weaknesses before choosing their IB subjects. This approach helps to avoid potential pitfalls during the IBDP stage and is highly effective.
Additionally, HCIS provides extra attention to students who transfer in mid-term. If a student struggles to keep up with a particular subject due to the transition, specialized tutoring is available. This demonstrates the school's genuine concern for the growth and well-being of each student.
Student
This school is the biggest joke an scam of all time, there is no different between his and a local government school besides the curriculum. Many people are fooled into thinking that HCIS has a "holistic" way of learning and are attracted by the high above average ib scores . What they do not tel you is that many students get kicked out with the only top students remaining to help boost the IB score , unlike other schools where every student is given an opportunity to do IB and hence may have a lower average IB score. If HCIS did not kick out underperforming students, their average IB score would be similar to other schools. Second of all and most importantly, teachers here are terrible, unprofessional , have little to no IB experience and qualification as most are coming from moe school and some even have zero teaching background which is atrocious that they are even allowed to... read full review
