Ten centres that teach Chinese or Higher Chinese to Integrated Programme students, compared on published fees, our cost per hour, group size, branches and trials, with how IP schools set Higher Chinese from Year 1 to Year 6, taken from MOE and school pages.
For an IP student, the best Chinese class is the one that knows how your child's school sets Higher Chinese, because no two IP schools test it the same way.
Adapted to the school: SLC at Marymount says it adapts IP Higher Chinese to 17 named IP schools, from Year 1 to Year 4.
An IP Chinese specialism: Chen Higher Chinese in Ang Mo Kio lists the Integrated Programme Chinese curriculum, and its lead teacher taught at Hwa Chong.
A separate IP class: Le Xue Education runs a Secondary Higher Chinese and IP class of 2 hours, capped at 10, and its founder taught at Catholic High, a SAP school with IP.
Sec 3 IP only: HCL Education has a course just for those students.
A printed price: HAO Chinese Tuition charges from S$900 before GST for 12 two-hour lessons, about S$37.50 an hour.
The smallest group: Tao Lee Chinese at Beauty World caps classes at 6.
North-east and west: Beijing Language School has ten branches, and its Higher Chinese course says lessons are adjusted to each IP student's school.
Only two of the ten print a secondary fee, so most rows below say "not published".
The 10 IP Chinese tuition centres compared
Centre
Best for
Branches (area)
IP or Higher Chinese class
Class size
Fees as published
Our per-hour estimate
Trial
Google rating on its own site
Beijing Language School
North-east and west families
10: Punggol (2), Sengkang, Rivervale (North-East), Jurong Point, Bukit Batok, Tengah (West), Canberra (North), Pasir Ris (East), Holland Grove (Central)
Higher Chinese Secondary Course, Sec 1 to 4, "designed for Secondary and IP students"
12
Not published
Not possible
Not published
Not shown
Chen Higher Chinese
A former Hwa Chong teacher
Ang Mo Kio (North-East), online
Integrated Programme Chinese curriculum listed as a specialism
"Healthy", no number
Not published
Not possible
Not published
Not shown
HAO Chinese Tuition
The lowest printed fee
6: Balestier (Central), Jurong East, Hong Kah North, Bukit Batok (West), Bedok Reservoir (East), Upper Serangoon (North-East)
Secondary G3 and Higher Chinese, Sec 1 to 4
Average 6 to 8
From S$900 before GST (S$981 with GST) for 12 lessons of 2 hours
About S$37.50, or S$40.88 with GST
A trial at no charge
Not shown
HCL Education
A Year 3 IP class
16 across all regions
S3 HCL (IP) for Sec 3 IP students, plus HCL at S1, S2 and S4
"Relatively small", no number
Not published
Not possible
Not published
Not shown
Hua Cheng Education Centre
Upper Thomson, Punggol and Hougang
8 secondary branches including Thomson Plaza (Central), Oasis Terraces, The Midtown (North-East), Parkway Centre (East)
Secondary Higher Chinese, Sec 1 to 4
Not published
Not published
Not possible
Not published
Not shown
Hua Yi Education
A capped class with a printed trial price
7: Jurong Green, West Coast (West), Upper Thomson, Bukit Timah (2) (Central), Parkway Parade (East), Kovan (North-East)
Sec 1 to 4 including Higher Chinese, Sec 3 prepared for "O-Level and IP streams"
Maximum 8
Term fee not published. Trial pack S$340 (Sec 1 to 2) or S$360 (Sec 3 to 4) for 4 lessons of 2 hours. S$50 registration, S$20 materials a term, S$100 refundable deposit
S$42.50 to S$45 on the trial pack
4-lesson trial pack as priced
Not shown
Le Xue Education
A dedicated Higher Chinese and IP class
4: Bishan, Queen's Road (Central), Kovan (North-East), Parkway Centre (East)
Secondary HCL/IP class
Maximum 10
Not published
Not possible
A trial at no charge
Not shown
SLC (School of Language and Communication)
Higher Chinese shaped to your IP school
Marymount (Central), online
IP Higher Chinese, Year 1 to 4, adapted to 17 named IP schools
Not published
Not published
Not possible
Not published
Not shown
Sophia Education
Families already at Sophia for other IP subjects
6: Dhoby Ghaut, Beauty World (Central), Kembangan (East), Hougang (North-East), Woodlands (North), Jurong East (West)
"Higher Chinese and IP Chinese"
Not published
Chinese fee shown only in an image we could not read. S$30 registration, no deposit
Not possible
Trial lesson, terms not stated. First-lesson money-back policy within 14 days
Not shown
Tao Lee Chinese
The smallest group
Beauty World Centre (Central)
Chinese, Higher Chinese and "GEP/IP/IB Higher Chinese"
Maximum 6
Not published
Not possible
Not published
Not shown
How we got the two estimates: HAO's S$900 buys 12 lessons of 2 hours, which is 24 hours, so S$37.50 an hour, or S$40.88 once 9% GST is added. Hua Yi's trial pack is 4 lessons of 2 hours, so S$340 works out to S$42.50 an hour and S$360 to S$45. Both are per student in a group, and both are our arithmetic, not the centres' figures.
Our one-to-one option, shown separately
This is our own service, so it is not one of the ten.
A seventh, Hua Cheng, links to a name on that list: its locations page says two of its branches became Choice Hua Sheng in July 2025.
1Teaches secondary Chinese at the IP levelThe centre's own site names an IP Chinese class, IP students, or a secondary Higher Chinese course.
2Has something a parent can checkA fee, a group size, a lesson length, a named teacher or a branch list on its own pages.
3Covers the islandEvery region has at least two of the ten, and the list mixes single-centre schools with chains.
4Nobody paidNo centre paid to be listed here, and none asked or was told about its place. The table runs alphabetically.
Where a centre's site names no MRT station, the station we give is the nearest one on the public MRT map, and we say so.
Left out, with reasons:
Future Academy: its IP page lists maths, sciences and English but not Chinese, and its only Chinese page is for PSLE.
Twinkle Stars Mandarin Centre: directory listings but no website of its own.
Hua Xia Language Centre: its site lists preschool, primary and adult programmes but no secondary class.
Choice Hua Sheng: no site of its own beyond the Hua Cheng note above.
Three of our ten, Chen Higher Chinese, HAO and HCL Education, are also on our Higher Chinese list, and Hua Yi Education is on our JC Chinese list, each written here for IP families.
The 10 centres in detail
Beijing Language School
A Chinese school founded in 2005 with a Higher Chinese Secondary Course for Sec 1 to 4 that its own page says is built for Secondary and IP students.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
12
Nearest MRT
Sengkang and Punggol
Suits: an IP student in Punggol, Sengkang or the west who wants a weekly class close to home and a group sorted by level.
May not suit: a family that wants a small group, since 12 is the largest stated size here, or anyone who wants a fee before calling.
The course FAQ says lessons are adjusted to each IP student's school requirements and weak areas. Lower secondary builds vocabulary, comprehension and writing habits, and upper secondary turns to the national paper: summary writing, email and composition, oral with current affairs, and sentence correction. Lessons run 1 hour 45 minutes for groups of 12, and secondary classes are sorted by ability.
Fees as published: Not published. Trial terms are not published.
Branches: Compass One, Sengkang (Sengkang MRT). Waterway Point (Punggol MRT) and Punggol Plaza. Rivervale Plaza. Jurong Point (Boon Lay MRT). Le Quest Mall, Bukit Batok. Plantation Plaza, Tengah. Canberra Plaza (Canberra MRT). Pasir Ris Mall (Pasir Ris MRT). Parksuites, 24 Holland Grove Road. The MRT names are our map reading.
Your FAQ says lessons follow each IP student's school requirements, so are students from different IP schools in the same group of 12?
Is there a separate group for Year 3 and 4 IP students whose school sets its own Higher Chinese paper?
Chen Higher Chinese
A Higher Chinese specialist whose home page lists the Integrated Programme Chinese curriculum among its specialisms.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
"Healthy", no number
Nearest MRT
Not published
Suits: a student at a SAP or IP school who wants a teacher who knows those schools from the inside, and who may need to switch between online and in-person weeks.
May not suit: a family that wants a fee or a group size in writing first, since neither is on the site.
The lead teacher, Ms Chen, holds an NIE master's in Chinese Language education, has 13 years of teaching across primary, secondary, IB and IP levels, and taught at Hwa Chong Institution. The site names the schools its students come from, including Raffles Institution, Raffles Girls', Hwa Chong, Nanyang Girls', Dunman High, Catholic High and Victoria. Students choose between the Ang Mo Kio centre and online, and groups are kept to students of similar standard. One-to-one lessons are also offered.
Fees as published: Not published. The 2027 timetable, updated 7 November 2026, is posted as images for JC and secondary Higher Chinese and Chinese, and for primary. Trial terms are not published.
Branch: One centre, in an HDB block at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 (unit #01-1689), plus online lessons. The site names no MRT station, and it takes enquiries through a web form or Gmail address.
Is there a group made up only of IP students, or are IP and O-Level track students taught together?
Will Ms Chen teach the class herself, or another member of the team?
HAO Chinese Tuition
The only centre here that prints a full secondary fee.
Per hour, our estimate
About S$37.50, or S$40.88 with GST
Class size
Average 6 to 8
Nearest MRT
Jurong East and Bukit Batok
Suits: a family that wants to know the cost before the first call, or an IP student in the west who wants a group of about 6 to 8.
May not suit: a student who needs lessons built around a school-set IP paper, since nothing IP-specific is listed.
Its Secondary All-in-One Chinese Programme for Sec 1 to 4 offers G3 Chinese and Higher Chinese in 12-lesson terms of 2 hours, with an average of 6 to 8 students. The page does not mention IP classes, so it fits an IP student whose school paper is close to the national Higher Chinese format.
Fees as published: Secondary from S$900 before GST, S$981 with 9% GST, for 12 lessons of 2 hours. The word "from" means some classes cost more. A trial at no charge is offered through the enrolment form. Registration and deposit are not published.
Branches: Wai Wing Centre, 501 Balestier Road (head office). 2 Venture Drive, Jurong East (Jurong East MRT). Hong Kah North CC, 30 Bukit Batok Street 31. 638 Bukit Batok Central (Bukit Batok MRT). Block 744 Bedok Reservoir Road. Tai Peng Gardens, 1030A Upper Serangoon Road. The MRT names are our map reading.
What does a Higher Chinese term cost at this branch, against the "from S$900" figure?
Can the teacher use my child's school compositions instead of the centre's own topics for part of each term?
HCL Education
A Chinese school set up in December 2006 by Mr Wang Deqing, with 16 branches.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
"Relatively small", no number
Nearest MRT
Beauty World and Marine Parade
Suits: a Year 3 IP student, the year in which Victoria and ACS (Independent) set an end-of-year Higher Chinese or Mother Tongue exam, or a family that wants a branch near home almost anywhere.
May not suit: a Year 1, 2 or 4 IP student looking for an IP-only group, since the IP course is listed at Sec 3 only.
Its course list is one of the few to separate IP from the national track: at Sec 3 it runs HCL (O-Level), HCL (IP) and CL. The IP course is for Sec 3 IP students and aims to sharpen how they apply Higher Chinese. Higher Chinese and Chinese are also taught at S1, S2 and S4, and from P1 at primary, so a family can stay with one school through PSLE and into IP.
Fees as published: Not published. Class size is described only as a "relatively small" teacher-to-student ratio. Trial terms are not published.
Branches: Bishan Street 22. Thomson V2, 11 Sin Ming Road. Clementi West Street 2. Bukit Timah Plaza (Beauty World MRT). Anchorvale Drive, Sengkang. Marine Parade Central (Marine Parade MRT). Eastpoint Mall (Simei MRT). Zhongshan Mall. CPF Tampines Building (Tampines MRT). Buangkok Crescent. Central Plaza (Tiong Bahru MRT). Choa Chu Kang Street 51. Rivervale Mall. Hougang Street 21 (Kovan MRT). Nee Soon East CC, Yishun. The Woodgrove, Woodlands. The MRT names are our map reading.
Which branches run the S3 HCL (IP) class this year?
Does the IP class prepare for the school's own Year 3 exam or for the national paper?
Hua Cheng Education Centre
A Chinese school with 16 locations, 8 of which run its Secondary Chinese Enrichment Course for Sec 1 to 4.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
Not published
IP or Higher Chinese class
Secondary Higher Chinese, Sec 1 to 4
Nearest MRT
Upper Thomson and Hougang
Suits: an IP student in Upper Thomson, Punggol, Hougang or the east who wants regular mock papers in Higher Chinese.
May not suit: a student whose school sets its own IP Higher Chinese exam, since the secondary page does not mention IP.
The course follows the MOE syllabus and national marking standards, with lessons of 1.5 to 2 hours and mock exams for both Chinese and Higher Chinese. Its locations page notes that the Bukit Timah Plaza and Century Square branches became Choice Hua Sheng in July 2025.
Fees as published: Not published. Class size and trial terms are not published. Enquiries go to a form or the enrolment email.
Branches running secondary: Thomson Plaza (Upper Thomson MRT), Rivervale CC, Oasis Terraces (Oasis LRT), One Punggol, The Midtown (Hougang MRT), Eastpoint Mall, Loyang Point and Parkway Centre (Marine Parade MRT). Eastpoint Mall is on the secondary page but not on the locations page, so check before visiting. The MRT and LRT names are our map reading.
Do your Higher Chinese mock papers follow the 2027 SEC Higher Chinese format?
Is the Higher Chinese group separate from the Express Chinese group at this branch?
Hua Yi Education
The only centre here whose secondary page names both tracks at Sec 3: it says students from the O-Level and IP streams get exam preparation matched to their own syllabus.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
Not published
IP or Higher Chinese class
Secondary Higher Chinese, Sec 1 to 4
Nearest MRT
Beauty World and Marine Parade
Suits: an IP student in the west or around Bukit Timah who wants a capped class and a price for the first month.
May not suit: a family that wants the full term fee in writing, since only the trial pack is priced.
Classes cap at 8 and run 2 hours a week, and online students join the live class. The founder, Ms Liu, holds an NIE master's in education and has about 20 years of PSLE and O-Level teaching. It also teaches JC H1 Chinese, so a student can carry on into Year 5.
Fees as published: A trial pack of 4 lessons of 2 hours costs S$340 for Sec 1 to 2 and S$360 for Sec 3 to 4. The term fee is not published. New students pay S$50 registration, S$20 a term for materials and a S$100 deposit, refunded after the last lesson. Withdrawal needs four weeks' notice.
Branches: Jurong Green CC, 6 Jurong West Avenue 1. 721 Clementi West Street 2. 2 Sin Ming Road, Upper Thomson. 733 Bukit Timah Road. Bukit Timah Plaza (Beauty World MRT). Parkway Parade (Marine Parade MRT). 988 Upper Serangoon Road (Kovan MRT). The page names Upper Thomson as one centre that teaches up to Sec 4. The MRT names are our map reading.
At Sec 3, how many of the group are IP students, and which schools?
Which branch runs the Higher Chinese group nearest us?
Le Xue Education
One of only two centres here with a course named for IP: its course list has a Secondary HCL/IP class of 2 hours, capped at 10, beside a separate Secondary Chinese class.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
Maximum 10
IP or Higher Chinese class
Secondary HCL/IP class
Nearest MRT
Kovan and Farrer Road
Suits: a Catholic High or other SAP school IP student who wants a dedicated Higher Chinese and IP group, in Bishan, Kovan, Queen's Road or Marine Parade.
May not suit: a family that wants a fee before visiting, or a student who prefers a group smaller than 10.
The founder and principal, Ms Vivien Le, taught at Catholic High, a SAP school with an IP track, and has over 22 years of O-Level Chinese teaching. The centre started in December 2012 and also runs preschool and primary classes on its 3R reading method.
Fees as published: Not published on the course page. A trial class at no charge is offered on the home page.
Branches: Block 284 Bishan Street 22 #01-199. Block 203 Hougang Street 21 #01-51 (Kovan MRT). Block 4 Queen's Road #02-123 (Farrer Road MRT). Parkway Centre, 1 Marine Parade Central #07-08 (Marine Parade MRT). The MRT names are our map reading.
Is the HCL/IP group split by IP year, or taught as one secondary group?
Does Ms Le teach any secondary classes herself?
SLC (School of Language and Communication)
The most IP-specific Higher Chinese page we found.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
Not published
Nearest MRT
Marymount
Suits: an IP student who wants lessons matched to one school's papers, or a family going through Chinese DSA for a SAP IP school.
May not suit: a family that wants a fee, a group size or a teacher's name first, since none is published, or one that wants to walk in, since visits are by appointment.
SLC says its IP Higher Chinese support is adapted to different IP schools, covers Year 1 to Year 4, and names 17 of them, from ACS (Independent), Catholic High, Dunman High, Hwa Chong and Nanyang Girls' to Raffles Institution, River Valley High, St Joseph's and Victoria.
It also notes that Sec 3 and 4 IP school requirements differ. Beyond Higher Chinese, it runs a Chinese DSA Scholars class, a Bicultural Global Studies programme for IP and IB students, and online H1 Chinese and IB Chinese B.
Fees as published: Not published. Trial terms are not published.
Branch: 38 Jalan Pemimpin #03-07, near Marymount MRT Exit B, by appointment. Online classes across Singapore.
For my child's school, which Year 3 or Year 4 paper do you prepare for, the school's own exam or the national one?
Are groups formed by school or by IP year?
Sophia Education
A multi-subject centre whose Chinese page is headed "Higher Chinese and IP Chinese Tuition" and promises IP-specific techniques alongside O-Level Higher Chinese.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
Not published
IP or Higher Chinese class
"Higher Chinese and IP Chinese"
Nearest MRT
Dhoby Ghaut and Kembangan
Suits: a family already at Sophia for IP maths or science, near any of its six MRT-side branches.
May not suit: a family that wants a Chinese teacher's name, the Chinese fee in text, or a group size, since none is published.
It runs a Sec/IP track in maths, sciences and English too, which suits a family that wants one centre for several IP subjects. Its fee page says the listed fee includes GST, with no materials charge and no deposit.
Fees as published: The fee table is an image we could not read, so we cannot quote the Chinese rate. A S$30 registration fee applies to new students. A trial lesson is offered, and the Chinese page states a 14-day money-back policy if the first lesson disappoints.
Branches: Singapore Shopping Centre, 190 Clemenceau Avenue (Dhoby Ghaut MRT Exit B, 2 minutes). Kembangan Plaza, 18 Jalan Masjid (beside Kembangan MRT). Beauty World Plaza, 140 Upper Bukit Timah Road (behind Beauty World MRT). The Midtown, 1187 Upper Serangoon Road, Hougang. Woodsquare, 12 Woodlands Square. Jurong East CPF Building (beside Jurong East MRT). The MRT notes are the centre's own.
What does the IP Higher Chinese class cost a month, and how long is each lesson?
Who teaches it, and at which of the six branches?
Tao Lee Chinese
A small Chinese class at Beauty World Centre whose page offers Chinese, Higher Chinese and a class it calls "GEP/IP/IB Higher Chinese", following the MOE primary and secondary syllabus.
Per hour, our estimate
Not published
Class size
Maximum 6
Nearest MRT
Beauty World
Suits: a stronger IP student in the Bukit Timah area who wants a group of no more than 6 and stretch beyond the school text.
May not suit: a family that wants fees, lesson length or a teacher's qualifications in writing, since none is published.
Every class is a focus group of 6 at most, the smallest stated cap among the ten. Course details come from Teacher Li by phone, and the centre also answers HSK questions.
Fees as published: Not published. Trial terms are not published.
Branch: Beauty World Centre, 144 Upper Bukit Timah Road #B1-04 (Beauty World MRT, our map reading).
Is the GEP/IP/IB Higher Chinese group taught separately from the regular Higher Chinese group?
How long is each lesson, and what is the monthly fee?
How Chinese works in IP schools
The first thing to know: each IP school sets its own Chinese rules. MOE's Integrated Programme page says IP students do not sit the O-Level, now the SEC, in Secondary 4, and that the qualification at the end varies by school.
Mother Tongue is where most IP schools still use a national paper, but who takes Higher Chinese, when they sit it and what happens after a weak result differ from school to school. The examples below come from the schools' own pages, so check your child's school before choosing a class.
Higher Chinese is common, and SAP IP schools expect it
MOE's School Finder lists both the Integrated Programme and the Special Assistance Plan (SAP) for Catholic High, Dunman High, Hwa Chong Institution and Nanyang Girls' High, and lists Higher Chinese Language at all four.
Catholic High says on its ask.gov.sg page that its IP students take Higher Chinese in Years 1 and 2 and typically carry on in Years 3 and 4. A boy applying through Direct School Admission must be assessed as able to take Higher Chinese in Years 1 and 2, even if he did not take it at PSLE. Students exempted from Chinese at PSLE cannot apply to SAP schools, according to Catholic High.
School (as each states)
What it says about Chinese for IP students
Catholic High (SAP, IP)
Higher Chinese in Years 1 and 2, usually Years 3 and 4 too. Promotion from Year 1 to Year 4 needs an overall average of 60% and at least 50% in both English and Higher Chinese
Victoria School (IP)
MOE recognises the Year 3 end-of-year Higher Mother Tongue exam set by IP schools as equal to the national Mother Tongue paper. A D7 or better lets a student continue Higher Mother Tongue in Year 4
ACS (Independent) (IP, IB in Years 5 and 6)
Mother Tongue is taken at standard or higher level as a national exam subject. Higher Chinese students may sit the national Mother Tongue paper at the end of Year 3, then the Higher Mother Tongue paper in November of Year 4 (course outline for 2024 to 2025)
The point for tuition: a Year 3 IP student may face a school-set exam that counts like a national one, while a Sec 3 student on the national track does not. That is why HCL's S3 HCL (IP) class, Hua Yi's split Sec 3 preparation and SLC's school-by-school approach matter more than a general secondary Higher Chinese class. Our IP schools list shows which schools run IP.
If a Higher Chinese result is weak
Victoria School's assessment policy shows how one school handles it:
A Year 2 student is below D7 in Higher Mother TongueMoves to standard Mother Tongue in Year 3
A Year 3 student is below D7 in the school's end-of-year paperMoves to standard Mother Tongue and sits the national Mother Tongue paper in June the following year
An IP student wants to go on to Year 5Needs a D7 in Mother Tongue, an E8 in Higher Mother Tongue or a pass in Mother Tongue B at the national exam, which Victoria says is the same bar as for non-IP students entering JC
A student misses that barIs promoted to Victoria Junior College provisionally, takes H1 Mother Tongue and re-sits the national paper the next year, needing a D7
1Year 1 to 2School-set Higher Chinese. At Catholic High, at least 50% is needed for promotion
2Year 2 resultVictoria: below D7 in Higher Mother Tongue means standard Mother Tongue from Year 3
3Year 3Some schools set an end-of-year paper MOE treats as the national one (Victoria). Others let Higher Chinese students sit the national Mother Tongue paper (ACS Independent)
4Year 4Higher Chinese students sit the national Higher Mother Tongue paper in November at ACS (Independent)
5Year 5 entryD7 in Mother Tongue, E8 in Higher Mother Tongue or a pass in Mother Tongue B (Victoria)
6Year 5 to 6D7 or better in Higher Mother Tongue exempts a student from H1 Chinese (National JC, Catholic High)
Year 5 and 6: H1 Chinese, the exemption and IB
National JC's curriculum page says every JC student takes H1 Mother Tongue, unless they have a D7 or better in Higher Mother Tongue at the national exam, and that H2 Chinese Language and Literature may be taken instead of H1.
Catholic High says both its national-track and IP students who reach at least D7 in Higher Chinese are exempt from H1 Chinese in JC. So a solid Higher Chinese grade by Year 4 frees time in Year 5 for H2 subjects. Our JC Chinese list covers classes for students who do take H1.
Two points differ from the national track. Catholic High lists the 2 JC bonus points for a Higher Chinese pass under its national-track students only. And ACS (Independent) prepares its IP students for the IB Diploma in Years 5 and 6, not the A-Level, so H1 Chinese is not part of that route.
The national Higher Chinese paper from 2027
School pages still call it the O-Level paper. From 2027 the national Higher Chinese paper for Sec 4 is SEAB's SEC syllabus K355. Ask your child's school which paper and which sitting its Year 4 students take.
K355 paper
Length
Share of 200 marks
Inside the paper
1, writing
2 hours
80 (40%)
Pick 1 of 2 practical tasks, 220+ characters, for 20 marks. Pick 1 of 3 essay titles, 500+ characters, for 60 marks. A SEAB-listed dictionary may be used
2, language use and reading
1 hour 45 minutes
80 (40%)
Cloze on a short passage and correcting faulty sentences, 10 marks each. A first reading task for 10, a second across two texts for 38, and condensing set paragraphs into roughly 80 characters for 12
3, oral
Around 20 minutes
40 (20%)
Watch a video and make notes for 10 minutes, speak for up to 2 minutes for 20, then discuss with the examiner for 20
Higher Chinese mark Catholic High needs for IP promotion, Years 1 to 4
50%
Year 3 grade Victoria needs to keep Higher Mother Tongue in Year 4
D7
Lowest Higher Mother Tongue grade that still allows Year 5 entry at Victoria
An IP student's Higher Chinese paper may be written by the school, so the question is how closely a class can follow it.
Point
IP Chinese centre class
Private IP Chinese tutor
Cost per hour
S$37.50 (HAO, before GST) to S$45 (Hua Yi trial pack) where a price is published, plus registration or deposit
Years 1 to 2: S$30 to S$85. Years 3 to 4: S$35 to S$95. By tutor type, on our rate card
Group
6 to 12 where stated
One student
Follows the school paper
Partly. SLC, Beijing and Hua Yi say they adapt to IP schools
Fully, using the school's own papers and timetable
Oral practice
Shared across the group
Every video oral and discussion is your child's
Suits
A steady student who likes peers and a fixed slot
A student near the 50% promotion line, below D7, or aiming for the H1 exemption
A worked example for one month of weekly lessons. At HAO, 4 lessons of 2 hours come to about S$300 before GST, on its S$900 term of 12. At Hua Yi, the 4-lesson trial pack is S$340 or S$360. One-to-one is costed at 1.5 hours a week, 6 hours a month.
One month of IP Chinese help, group class or one-to-one (S$)
HAO, 4 two-hour lessonsS$300About S$300 before GST
Hua Yi, 4-lesson trial packS$340 to S$360S$340 or S$360
Part-time tutor, Years 1 and 2S$180 to S$2706 hours a month
Part-time tutor, Years 3 and 4S$210 to S$2706 hours a month
Full-time tutor, Years 1 and 2S$270 to S$3606 hours a month
Full-time tutor, Years 3 and 4S$270 to S$3906 hours a month
0200400
IP Chinese tuition centres by area
We sorted branches into regions ourselves. Check each centre's entry for the exact address.
Chen (Ang Mo Kio), Beijing (Sengkang, Punggol, Rivervale), Hua Cheng (Oasis Terraces, One Punggol, Rivervale, The Midtown), Le Xue (Kovan), Hua Yi (Kovan), Sophia (Hougang), HAO (Upper Serangoon), HCL (Sengkang, Buangkok, Kovan, Rivervale)
East
Le Xue (Parkway Centre), Hua Cheng (Parkway Centre, Loyang Point), Hua Yi (Parkway Parade), Sophia (Kembangan), HAO (Bedok Reservoir), Beijing (Pasir Ris), HCL (Marine Parade, Eastpoint, Tampines)
West
Beijing (Jurong Point, Bukit Batok, Tengah), HAO (Jurong East, Bukit Batok, Hong Kah North), Hua Yi (Jurong Green, West Coast), Sophia (Jurong East), HCL (Clementi, Choa Chu Kang)
Central
SLC (Marymount), Tao Lee (Beauty World), Le Xue (Bishan, Queen's Road), Hua Cheng (Thomson Plaza), Hua Yi (Upper Thomson, Bukit Timah), Sophia (Dhoby Ghaut, Beauty World), HAO (Balestier), Beijing (Holland Grove), HCL (Bishan, Sin Ming, Bukit Timah, Tiong Bahru, Zhongshan Mall)
Online
Chen (online or in person), SLC (online across Singapore), Hua Yi (online students join the live class)
How to choose an IP Chinese class
1Read the school's rulesFind out whether your child takes Higher Chinese, the promotion mark and which Year 3 or Year 4 paper is set. The school's own FAQ or assessment policy usually says.
2Find the weak paperWriting, comprehension with the summary, or the video oral. Ask for the last marked script.
3Match the class to the paperA school-set Year 3 exam needs a class that knows it. A national Year 4 paper needs K355 practice.
4Price it per hourDivide the fee by the hours, then add registration, deposit and GST, as in our table.
5Sit one lessonCheck whether the group is IP only, and whether every student gets oral practice.
6Review after the next school examIf the weak paper has not moved in a term, ask for a plan or change.
Trial-lesson checklist
Is this group made up of IP students, and from which schools?
Does the teacher know my child's school's Year 3 and Year 4 arrangements?
How often does each student do a full video oral and discussion?
Are compositions marked against the school's scheme or the national one?
What is the fee per lesson, and how long is each lesson?
Is there a registration fee or deposit, and how much notice is needed to stop?
It is Chinese or Higher Chinese tuition for students in the six-year Integrated Programme, who skip the Sec 4 national exams but usually still sit a Mother Tongue paper. Good IP classes follow the school's own Higher Chinese papers as well as the national format, since each IP school sets its own route.
Do IP students take a national Chinese exam?
Usually, yes. ACS (Independent) enters Higher Chinese students for the national Higher Mother Tongue paper in November of Year 4, and Victoria says MOE recognises the Year 3 Higher Mother Tongue exam set by IP schools as equal to the national Mother Tongue paper. The details differ by school, so check yours.
Must IP students take Higher Chinese?
It depends on the school. Catholic High, a SAP school, says its IP students take Higher Chinese in Years 1 and 2 and usually in Years 3 and 4, and need at least 50% in it to be promoted. Other IP schools offer it to students who qualify.
What happens if my child does badly in IP Higher Chinese?
At Victoria, a Year 3 student below D7 in the school's Higher Mother Tongue paper switches to standard Mother Tongue and sits the national paper the following June. Other schools have their own rules, set out in each school's assessment policy.
Does IP Higher Chinese exempt my child from H1 Chinese?
A D7 or better in the national Higher Mother Tongue paper exempts a student from H1 Mother Tongue in JC, according to National JC. Catholic High says this applies to its IP students as well as its national-track students.
Do IP students get the 2 JC bonus points for Higher Chinese?
Catholic High lists the 2 bonus points for a Higher Chinese pass under its national-track students only. MOE describes the IP as a six-year course, so IP students go on to Year 5 within it instead of applying to JCs with an aggregate.
Which IP Chinese tuition centres publish their fees?
HAO Chinese Tuition charges from S$900 before GST for 12 secondary lessons of 2 hours, about S$37.50 an hour. Hua Yi Education prices a 4-lesson trial pack at S$340 for Sec 1 to 2 and S$360 for Sec 3 to 4. The other eight give fees on enquiry, or in Sophia's case in an image.
Which centre has a class just for Year 3 IP students?
HCL Education runs an S3 HCL (IP) course for Sec 3 IP students, and Hua Yi Education prepares its Sec 3 students separately for the O-Level and IP syllabuses. SLC covers IP Year 1 to Year 4 and adapts lessons to the school.
How much does a private IP Chinese tutor cost?
On our rate card, Years 1 and 2 cost S$30 to S$85 an hour and Years 3 and 4 cost S$35 to S$95, depending on whether the tutor is part-time, full-time or ex-MOE. Years 5 and 6 cost S$45 to S$130.
Written by Theon Teo, Founder and Mathematics Tutor, The Singapore Syllabus. DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore, Game Development & Computer Science · 3 years' Mathematics teaching (Primary & Secondary). More about Theon
For 2027. Free to ask.
IP Higher Chinese home tutor for 2027
Tell us about your child in the IP in 2027. 3 to 12 tutor profiles on WhatsApp within 16 hours, and you choose.
No contract and no minimum number of lessons. The first lesson is a paid trial at the tutor's rate. Rated 4.9 on Google.
