- What is the average class size?
Between 20-25 with a smaller class size at the senior years.
-
How much will the school fees be? Will I be able to apply for financial help or a scholarship if I am not able to afford it?
The school fees is $300 per month for Singapore Citizens, $360 for Singapore Permanent Residents, $420 for Asean students and $450 for Non-Asean students. No student who has qualified will be deprived of admission to NUS High School due to financial difficulty as various scholarships are available. Visit our website on Financial Assistance: http://www.highsch.nus.edu.sg/financial.htm for more information.
-
Does the NUS High School follow MOE's school calendar?
Yes.
-
What are the school hours?
Our modules run from 8am to 5.30pm, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. As we are on a modular system, school hours will vary according to the modules students take. Therefore on some days, students may end their lessons earlier. However, all students are required to report to school at 7.45 am for flag raising and remain in school up to 1 pm. Students may leave school after their last lesson or 1 pm, whichever is later. Fridays afternoons are set aside for Co-curricula activities and Wednesdays are "lessonless" days where students will go on field trips or engage in independent/group research projects.
-
Will students under EESIS (Edusave Entrance Scholarships for Independent Schools) still get the same benefits if they join the High School?
Yes. Students currently under the EESIS will still enjoy independent school fees subsidy
-
Is hostel stay compulsory?
Hostel stay is compulsory only for Year 5 students. The fees for the NUS High School Residence is $70 per month. For more details on the Residence, please refer to the following website: http://www.highsch.nus.edu.sg/residence.htm
-
What support does the school provide for students who are weak in a particular subject?
With the mentorship scheme, students who exhibit difficulties in certain subjects will be identified at an early stage to help them cope. Subject teachers play an active role in providing the support required and peer tutoring is also very much encouraged.
-
Does the school include affective education in its curriculum?
Yes, it does. Our Affective Character Education (ACE) program supports the school’s aim of nurturing the whole individual who is responsible, compassionate, independent, enterprising and creative.
-
Does the school offer 2nd Language (Mother Tongue)?
Yes, following the 2nd language requirements as set out by Ministry of Education (MOE). NUS High School also offers 3rd languages in French and Japanese.
-
How does the school conduct CCAs for the students?
CCAs are integrated into the school's curriculum. They are compulsory and non-examinable.For the list of the CCAs offered in the school, please refer to our website at: http://www.highsch.nus.edu.sg/cca.htm
-
Does the school offer Humanities subjects in addition to Mathematics and Science?
Yes. NUS High School offers Humanities such as geography, history and English Literature as core, elective and enrichment modules. Besides the humanities modules, the school also offers modules in Arts and Music.
-
What are the other areas of focus in the curriculum?NUS High School has in place a strong emphasis on Values Education through the teaching of a second language (Mother Tongue), and its ACE Programme. The teaching of National Education takes on an experiential approach that helps develop students' sense of national pride and root them to Singapore. Co-curricular activities which include uniformed groups, clubs and societies, and sports would develop well-rounded individuals. Students would develop a deep sense of responsibility to the community through participation in community involvement programmes which would require them to reflect on and be engaged with social issues.
One main difference we have in the NUS High School is our Research Programme coined the AXIS programme. This programme is a school-wide programme which aims to nurture and increase core competencies to enable creativity and innovation in all our students. The main aim of the Research Programme is to complement classroom learning and cultivate a passion for independent learning by providing the student with a topic that matches his/her interests. Through this programme, our students had presented their research projects locally and overseas, networking and exchanging of scientific ideas with the best from other parts of the world.
-
What is the curriculum structure to be adopted by NUS High School?
The academic curriculum of NUS High School is modular. Students are required to read and fulfilla certain number of modules. Our modular system provides for rigour and depth and allows flexibility and breadth. Students who are academically very good can choose to accelerate. The curriculum also places strong emphasis on research and allows students the time and space to work on subject areas that they are interested in.
-
In addition to the NUS High Diploma, will the graduating students be taking any international exams?
The NUS High School Diploma comes with a detailed student portfolio highlighting the 4/6-year learning experience of the student. It will cover not only grades in tests and examinations, but a detailed description of the student's achievements in competitions, projects, research, etc. All students will sit for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) and a minimum of three Advance Placement (AP) Examination as these will provide the international benchmark should students seek university admission overseas (the A Levels, IB and SAT/AP are all international examinations). The SAT & AP are US-based and offered by the College Board ( http://www.collegeboard.com/splash). Most US universities recognise the SAT/AP for admission. In fact the AP may allow students to get exemption from reading Year-1 university courses.
-
What textbooks will the students be using? Are they the same as those used by other schools?
A list of textbooks and other reading materials will be provided to the students. Students will be introduced to more reading materials on top of the recommended textbooks.
-
Will a student have a choice to exit NUS High School if he or she decides to do so?
If there are students who are not able to adapt to the school's teaching and learning structure, they can exit at the end of the 4th year.
- What is the graduation qualification when a student graduates from NUS High School and is it recognized by universities worldwide?
The NUS High School Diploma will be the school's graduation qualification. Currently, the Diploma is recognized as an admissible qualification by National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Warwick, King’s College London, University College London, Princeton University, Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Massachusett Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Cornell University and University of California Berkeley. The list will continue as we seek recognition from the top tier universities in the Australia.
-
Must NUS High School graduates enter NUS to obtain their higher education?
Although NUS High School is an entity of NUS in many ways, students will make their own decision on where they will go for their tertiary education after graduation. They will enter NUS by choice or head for top universities worldwide.
-
Does NUS High School education enhance my chances of getting into NUS?
Yes, but not because NUS High School graduates will be given any special privilege. The NUS High School curriculum will be designed to provide good training and a sound foundation, particularly in Science and Mathematics, and will be a good bridge between high school and tertiary curricula. Furthermore, students are encouraged to read NUS modules by Year 5.
-
Will NUS High School students get advanced placement at NUS?
Yes. The NUS High School curriculum makes provisions for students at Year 5 and Year 6 to read NUS modules directly or to enrol in project/research modules for credits. These credits will be recognised as NUS modular credits when the students seek admission to NUS. Take note that NUS High School students will not graduate in less than 6 years. They will stay for a full 6 years and take on NUS modules if they fulfil the pre-requisites to do so.
-
Will NUS High School graduates be able to seek admission to universities worldwide based on SAT and AP?
Most UK, US and Australian universities admit students based on SAT and/or AP scores.
Please refer to the following links to the various UK and Australian universities on the admission criteria based on AP/SAT.
- Can you elaborate more on Advanced Placement Tests?
Administered by The College Board based in the US, students can take the tests as and when they are ready to do so. The results from the different tests can be collated and used as the admission requirement for US colleges as well as UK and Australian universities. Special arrangements will be made for NUS High School students to take the tests which is conducted in May every year.
-
Why is NUS High School preparing its students for SAT?
SAT is internationally recognised as a benchmark for students seeking admission to universities both locally and overseas.
-
Will NUS High School students be able to take AP and SAT exams locally?
NUS High School will make the necessary arrangements for our students to sit for the SAT/AP. Instructions will be given for our students to register for these tests/examinations.
- How would the school help in providing a conducive learning environment for the students? What are the special features that would promote such an environment? Would such features promote cross-learning and creativity? How?
The function of the school building transcends its traditional role as a "passive container of activities" to become an active-participant in the learning process. This can be achieved via the suggested learning strategies e.g. an eco-pond, an observatory for astronomy, which will be worked into the architecture of the school, hence serving as platforms for additional learning.
The concourse with all the laboratories situated together creates a strong learning hub - a social nucleus with enough space to encourage a multitude of uses. Other "Hubs" have also been planned to promote interaction and encourage active learning. The creation of these learning spaces or "Hubs" is in tandem with the idea of creating spaces that offer opportunities for active, participatory and inter-disciplinary learning.
For the classrooms, the use of folding partitions allows for flexibility and adaptability, offering a multi-faceted learning environment, which supports a variety of curricula and learning styles. There are also many transition and courtyard spaces that can be "colonised" to support peer- or group-learning outside the classroom.
-
Are there handicap provisions within the school premises?
The school is handicap friendly. The science datum (concourse) located on level 3 is accessible by handicap ramp from the main vehicular drop-off and pedestrian entrance from Clementi Ave 1. Access to the other communal areas is also possible via lifts.
- Are there any other universities worldwide that have set up their own High Schools?
In the US, the National Consortium for Specialised Secondary Schools for Mathematics, Science & Technology (NCSSSMST http://www.ncsssmst.org/default.aspx) was established with 80 institutions which are joined by affiliated members from colleges, universities and corporations. In China, many universities have their affiliated high schools. In Thailand, several universities have also established their own high schools.
- Will NUS High School be linking up with other overseas high schools?
Yes. The school is planning to visit and explore ties with the top Math and Science high schools in several countries.
|
