In a significant shift from decades-old policy, Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced that students applying to junior colleges (JCs) from 2028 onwards will be assessed based on five O-Level subjects instead of six.

The new admission criteria, known as L1R4, will replace the current L1R5 system introduced in 1989. Under L1R4, students will need to score 16 points or less across five subjects to qualify for JC admission, compared to the current requirement of 20 points or less across six subjects.