Frequently Asked Questions

1. When was the SJI International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (IBDP) launched?

The SJI IBDP commenced and admitted its first intake in January 2013.

2. Who will be suitable for the SJI IBDP?

The SJI IBDP is suitable for students from 16 years old, who are academically able and have completed their secondary education on the GCE ‘O’ track or the Integrated Programme (IP) track.

3. What is the intake for the SJI IBDP in 2014?

As announced by MOE, the annual intake for 2013 – 2015 will be limited to 80 students from SJI and other secondary schools, based on their GCE ‘O’ Level L1R5 score.

4. Why did SJI keep the initial intake at 80 students?

SJI has kept the initial intake at 80 students to ensure the school offers a high quality IBDP, as well as develop its capabilities and expertise in running the IBDP. By keeping the initial intakes small (relative to the typical JC intakes), SJI will be able to recruit highly qualified and experienced international teachers over the years to teach the IBDP while the existing teachers build up their expertise to teach the IBDP by working alongside these experienced international teachers recruited by SJI.

IB schools tend to be small. Typically, the intake for IB schools internationally tends to be about 100 per intake. Hence, with an intake of 80, SJI has sufficient scale to offer a high quality IBDP with sufficient subject options to cater to students’ interests.

SJI continues to develop its capabilities, expertise and facilities to meet the demands for its IBDP. By 2017, SJI will be accepting 275 students per year in the IBDP, with 110 students admitted based on their GCE ‘O’ Level L1R5 scores, alongside the 165 students from the SJI Integrated Programme (IP) track (i.e. those students who did not sit for their GCE ‘O’ Level at end of Year/Secondary 4).

5. What will be the subsequent intakes for the SJI IBDP?

The intake for SJI IBDP from 2013 – 2015 will remain at 80 students per year.

In 2016, the intake for the IBDP will be increased to 140, which will admit the pioneer batch of 60 students from the SJI IP track, together with another 80 students to be admitted based on their GCE ‘O’ Level L1R5 scores.

From 2017 onwards, the intake for the IBDP will be about 165 students from the SJI IP track, and 110 students to be admitted based on their GCE ‘O’ Level L1R5 scores, thereby increasing the intake to 275.

6. Will SJI Secondary 4 students from the O-level track receive bonus points for admission into the SJI IBDP?

Under MOE policy, SJI Secondary 4 students from the O-level track will not receive bonus points for preferential entry into SJI IBDP. This is consistent with the current practice in other schools with similar programmes.

7. Will be there be Direct School Admission (DSA) for admission into SJI IBDP?

Yes, there will be DSA for high performance students into SJI IBDP. Interested students may apply online at http://app.sji.edu.sg/ibdp_dsa from 2 May 2013.

The SJI IBDP DSA is for academically strong students who have shown high achievements in areas such as sports, the arts, leadership and service. Selection will be based on:
a) Academic and CCA records
b) Leadership and service records
c) Situational tests
d) Interview

8. Why is SJI offering the IB Diploma instead of the A-levels?

The mission of SJI is to help students to “learn how to learn” and to “learn how to live” so as to nurture “Persons of Integrity” and “Persons for Others”. SJI is well known for nurturing its students into leaders whose focus is on service to community and looking out for “the last, the lost and the least”.

The goals of the IBDP are in strong alignment with SJI’s brand of education as described. Like the A-levels, the IBDP curriculum is also broad-based in its academic offering and has a strong focus on learning how to learn, which will be the key to creating new knowledge, wealth and competitive advantage. It takes a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural and humanistic perspective that will not merely be concerned with acquiring knowledge but also to learn how to live as the students will be helped to understand issues from varied perspectives and to assess the impact of new knowledge on human society. It has a built-in component on service where the students are expected to participate in “creativity, action, service”.

SJI is also encouraged by the highly positive experience of the IB Diploma Programme at SJI International which has produced graduates who are confident, articulate, and thinking young men and women who have graduated to win places in highly competitive faculties like medicine, dentistry and law in local universities, and in top overseas universities such as Harvard University and Imperial College London. Hence, SJI is very confident of offering a successful IP track leading to the IBDP.

In addition, SJI has engaged a group of highly qualified and experienced international and local teachers to teach its students and prepare them well for the IBDP.

9. What are the school fees for the SJI IB Diploma Programme?

With effect from 2013, the school fees/miscellaneous fees per month for students are as follows:

10. Are there any scholarships and financial assistance schemes available for students?

SJI offers Scholarships and Merit Bursaries ranging from $3000 to $7400 to support top-performing students to continue their education at SJI in the IBDP. More information on these Scholarships and Bursaries are available on the SJI website: http://www.sji.edu.sg/ibdp.

SJI is also prepared to help every Singaporean student whose parents cannot afford the school fees. The SJI Family Assistance Scheme is available to those who do not qualify for the schemes provided by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

MOE Financial Assistance Scheme

1. The MOE Independent Schools Bursary is for Singapore citizens only and is subject to eligibility criteria revisions and verification of documentary evidence.
2. The total fee subsidy received by a MOE Scholarship recipient granted the Independent Schools Bursary is capped at full fee subsidy less government school and standard miscellaneous fees.
3. Students can apply for the MOE Independent Schools Bursary in any month of the year. The bursary granted will take effect from the month the application is approved and cannot be backdated to January.

11. Is the IBDP recognized for admission into university programmes such as Law and Medicine at the Singapore universities?

Yes. Please refer to the admission pages of the respective universities’ websites. See, for example, NUS website at http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply/apply.html.

12. Is the IBDP recognized for scholarship applications?

Yes. See, for example, PSC website at http://www1.pscgateway.gov.sg/inter/.

13. Where can I find more information about the IBDP?

Information on the IB Diploma programme offered at SJI can be found at the SJI website at: http://www.sji.edu.sg/ibdp.

More information about the IBDP can also be found at the website of the International Baccalaureate Organization at: http://www.ibo.org.

Queries regarding the SJI IBDP can be emailed to: ibdp_admissions@sji.edu.sg.