Does your teen want to attend a junior college after secondary school? Need more information about JC subjects and subject combinations?

Some students and their parents look into this as early as Secondary 2, as it gives a better perspective for choosing the Secondary 3 subject combination.

However, we would also like to emphasise that these days, it’s hard to know which subjects will lead to stable or well-paying careers. What matters more is that your teen is interested in what they’re learning — and has the ability to do it well.

Read on as we highlight some approaches to choosing a JC subject combination!

What subjects can students take in JC?

You can get a list of A-Level subjects and an overview of the A-Level curriculum on the Ministry of Education website. Subjects include:

• Languages
  • Mother Tongue Languages
  • Foreign Languages
• Humanities and the Arts
  • Art
  • China Studies in English
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • History
  • Literature in English
  • Management of Business
  • Mother Tongue Language & Literature
  • Music
  • Theatre Studies and Drama
• Mathematics and Sciences
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Principles of Accounting
• Knowledge Skills
  • General Paper
  • Project Work

How does the A-Level scoring system work?

From 2026, the A-Level scoring system will become more straightforward.

Students will minimally take three subjects at a more demanding level known as H2. Each H2 subject is worth a maximum of 20 “rank points” for local university admission, if you score an A. Students will also take a fourth subject at either the H2 level, or a less demanding level known as H1. An H1 subject is worth a maximum of 10 rank points if you score an A.

Regardless of stream, students are also required to take a contrasting subject. This means that Science students should take a Humanities or Arts subject, while Arts students should take a Maths or Science subject.

Apart from the above, students will take the General Paper, the Mother Tongue Language, and Project Work, which is now graded on a pass/fail basis. 

Like H1 subjects, the General Paper and MTL are also worth a maximum of 10 rank points.

For the 2026 A-Level scoring system, the maximum number of points is 70. Typically, this would be based on the score for the three best H2 subjects and the General Paper. H1 and MTL subjects will only be included in the score computation if they help to boost the student’s score.

Here’s how exam percentage scores translate to A-Level grades and rank points for university admission:

If your teen wants to pursue their university education locally, but they prefer the “big three” universities — NUS, NTU, and SMU — do have a look at the indicative grade profiles for these institutions. These profiles show you both the top and bottom 10% of entry grades. You’ll observe that for some courses, entry scores are straight As at the bottom 10% as well.

Will this information help your teen? If your teen tends to have ups and downs in their grades, looking at local university entry scores can be demoralising. Instead of focusing only on grades and cut-off points, it’s more constructive to have a conversation with your teen about what they enjoy learning, which subjects they feel more confident in, and where there’s room to improve their study habits. Following this, you can have a discussion about available pathways (apart from the “big three” local universities) and how they might suit your child.

What are the most popular JC subject combinations?

Typically, the JC subject combinations that we hear about are:

• PCME (example: H2 Physics, Chemistry, and Maths, and H1 Economics)
• BCME (example: H2 Biology, Chemistry, and Maths, and H1 Economics)
• GELM (example: H2 Geography, Economics, and Literature, and H1/H2 Maths)
• HELM (example: H2 History, Economics, and Literature, and H1/H2 Maths)

For teens who are still exploring their career interests and degree options, educators often recommend subjects like H2 Chemistry and H2 Maths, as these keep a wider variety of pathways open. But if your teen is stronger in the arts and doesn’t enjoy maths, it’s worth discussing whether H1 Maths might be more suitable, or if another contrasting subject would be a better fit.

The reality is that data and statistics now play a major role in the arts and creative industries, where many decisions are shaped by analytics. A solid grasp of maths or science can also give your teen access to creative roles in more technical areas, which are often less competitive.

If your teen has an interest in both the arts and sciences, they can consider a hybrid subject combination. Schools like Eunoia JC offer this option, where students take two subjects from each stream. Your teen can also find out more about less rigid university pathways such as SMU’s “deferred declaration of degree” programme, which allows a year of flexibility to explore different courses.

What else should students consider when choosing JC subject combinations?

It's tempting to choose subjects based on whether they are perceived as “easy to score in,” but interest matters too. Ideally, students should aim for a balance between subjects they enjoy and those they’re likely to do well in.

If your teen is keen on a subject combination that is less common, they may have to deal with scheduling issues, such as long breaks between classes. In such cases, do talk to your teen about staying focused on their academic goals and managing their time well.

If you're looking for more in-depth information on H1 vs. H2 topic coverage or the best JC subject combinations for different careers, there are free webinars online that are worth watching. Try to pick a longer webinar that is current and covers both science and arts subjects. (See an example.)

Just be aware that since many of these webinars are run by tuition centres, they often include a pitch to start tuition as early as possible. For an objective view on whether JC tuition is necessary, you can talk to educators in your network, or students who have recently completed the A-Levels.

Correction (15 September 2025): An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Project Work would only be graded pass/fail from 2026. In fact, it is already graded on a pass/fail basis.

Want to chat with other parents about JC subject combinations? Join the conversation on the KiasuParents forum!