For administrative information on the 2025 DSA-Sec Exercise for admission to NYGH in 2026, please visit our school website.
Introduced in 2004, the DSA scheme provides students with the opportunity to seek admission to Nanyang Girls’ High School (NYGH), based on a diverse range of academic and non-academic achievements and talents that they can demonstrate beyond the PSLE.
Primary 6 students who wish to seek admission to NYGH based on their achievements and talents can consider applying through DSA. Otherwise, students will take part in the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise, whereby admission is based on their PSLE results.
Students who have been successfully allocated to NYGH via DSA will NOT be allowed to participate in the Secondary 1 Posting Exercise to opt for other secondary schools as places have already been reserved for them in NYGH. They will also NOT be allowed to transfer to another school after the release of the PSLE results. NYGH runs the six-year Integrated Programme in partnership with HCI. They are expected to honour the commitment to NYGH from Year 1 to 4 and to Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) from Year 5 to 6.
Students admitted to NYGH via talent areas related to aesthetics, sports and games are expected to honour the commitment in their respective CCAs from Year 1 to 4. They are allowed to choose another CCA in Year 5 to 6 if they are interested in a new CCA.
Students admitted to NYGH via DSA (Bilingualism, Mathematics, Science and Service Leadership) are expected to honour their commitment to participate in the respective domain’s programmes from Year 1 to 4 and prioritise these programmes over others.
Parents and students are encouraged to choose schools wisely based on the student’s aptitude and strengths, bearing in mind NYGH’s academic and non-academic requirements, and the programmes available to develop the area of talent.
NYGH will be offering the following talent areas in the 2025 DSA-Sec exercise for admission to Secondary 1 in 2026.
Bilingualism
To nurture the DSA (Bilingualism) students to be effectively bilingual and bicultural, the school offers programmes beyond the classroom. The Lower Secondary students will attend fortnightly NY Enrich lessons to further develop their communication skills as well as appreciation for culture and literature.
At upper secondary, it is mandatory for DSA (Bilingualism) students to read Literature in Chinese as part of the Chinese Language Elective Programme (CLEP). They will participate in CLEP either as an MOE scholar or non-scholar. For students who have broader interests, they can choose to additionally opt for the Humanities Programme (HP) or Bicultural Studies Programme (BSP). Students are selected into these two programmes based on their passion and aptitude.
Mathematics
The Mathematics Talent Development Programme for students who are admitted to our school via DSA-Mathematics offers an invigorating learning experience. Students will develop their passion, sharpen their problem solving skills and deepen their learning of Mathematics through a comprehensive four-year Olympiad training programme. They are given opportunities to take part in local and international Mathematics competitions. At upper secondary level, students are encouraged to participate in various research programmes such as Math Research Project where they will get to explore different areas of mathematical inquiry. These research projects deepen their knowledge and hone their critical thinking skills. They are also encouraged to apply for a study in Advanced Mathematics which is adapted from the Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry course by Stanford University Online High School.
Science
Students admitted to our school via DSA-Science are provided with a myriad of opportunities to hone their skills in research and enrich their learning in the various scientific disciplines beyond the core curriculum. They will get to learn from experts in external organisations and institutes of higher learning. At the lower secondary level, students will further their learning through the Nanyang Enrich Science programme. At upper secondary level, students are given various platforms to sharpen their skills of inquiry. They are expected to challenge themselves by taking up at least one Advanced Science course.
Service Leadership
The Service Leadership Direct School Admission (DSA) Programme seeks to nurture leaders who place service at the heart of leadership. Students will be provided with varied authentic learning experiences to develop their 21st century competencies and leadership qualities. The training sessions will cover concepts of leadership and give the students opportunities to work in teams with like minded students to identify needs in their community and devise solutions to meet those needs. Mentoring will be provided to develop the leadership potential of the students.
Aesthetics Talent Areas
Students with talent in performance and the arts may consider admission to our school through DSA talent areas related to aesthetics such as Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Dance, Chinese Orchestra, Concert Band, Guzheng Ensemble, String Ensemble, and Lion & Dragon Dance. We provide rich learning experiences in the respective CCAs, with various opportunities for students to hone their craft and showcase their skills. All Lower Secondary DSA students admitted through aesthetics talent areas will attend the fortnightly Talent Development programme that engages them in creative processes within and beyond their art form, thereby developing their confidence as performers, leaders and advocates of the arts. All students who gain admission via DSA should stay committed to their respective aesthetics CCAs for 4 years.
Accepting DSA applications for the following instruments: 弦乐 (Bowed strings), 阮 (Ruan), 柳琴 (Liuqin), 笙 (Sheng), 唢 (Suona), 笛子 (Dizi), 琵琶 (Pipa), 扬琴 (Yangqin), Cello, Double Bass, Percussion
Accepting DSA applications for the following instruments: Flute/Piccolo, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium, Saxophone
Accepting DSA applications for the following instruments: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
Accepting DSA applications for the following roles: 狮头 (the head), 狮尾 (the tail)
Note: reflected as Lion and Dragon Dance in the DSA-Sec Portal
Sports and Games Talent Areas
Students with strong athletic ability may consider admission to our school through talent areas related to sports and games such as Artistic Gymnastics, Badminton, Basketball, Netball, Softball, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball and Wushu. We provide opportunities for a broad-based quality education and the necessary environment to support the development of our student athletes. All Lower Secondary DSA students admitted through sports and games talent areas will attend the fortnightly Talent Development programme that imparts important knowledge to increase their likelihood of long-term athletic success and provides opportunities to develop leadership skills. All students who gain admission via DSA should stay committed to their respective sports CCAs for 4 years.
Important Dates
Questions about DSA?
NYGH DSA Hotline: 6508 3654 (Mon – Fri, 9am to 4pm)
NYGH DSA Email: nygh_dsa@nygh.edu.sg
Please note that the DSA hotline and email address will only be functional from 6 May to 9 September 2025. Please note that the hotline and email address will be removed after 9 September 2025.
NYGH DSA Email: nygh_dsa@nygh.edu.sg
Please note that the DSA email address will only be functional from May to September 2025.
For School Fees queries, please visit NYGH school website.
For general information on Direct School Admission for secondary schools, please visit the MOE website.
FAQs
Must my daughter join HCI for IP Year 5 and 6?
Yes, DSA is a 6-year commitment to the Integrated Programme run by NYGH (Year 1-4) and HCI (Year 5-6).
Can my daughter change her CCA in HCI if she enters NYGH through a CCA-related DSA talent area?
Yes, she can. The commitment to the CCA related to her talent area is only during her 4 years in NYGH. She can join other CCAs in HCI.
My daughter is a competent swimmer and has taken part and won in many overseas competitions. I understand NYGH does not offer swimming CCA. Would it still be possible to apply for DSA via swimming or might NYGH consider offering swimming as a CCA?
NYGH does not offer swimming CCA and hence does not offer DSA-swimming. However, it is possible that the child enters NYGH via the Sec 1 Posting or another DSA talent area, and the school could support her participation in swimming NSG if that is something she hopes to do. We encourage your daughter to consider her passion and to choose the school that she can best develop her talent in.
If my daughter enters NYGH through a DSA talent area, will she be able to participate in other special academic programmes as well?
Yes, if she belongs to a CCA-related talent area or the Service Leadership talent area and she qualifies for the special academic programmes.
No, if she belongs to the Bilingualism talent area as she has to read Literature in Chinese as part of the Chinese Language Elective Programme (CLEP) at Upper Secondary.
To help students manage their workload, they should only be in one special academic programme.
How many DSA vacancies are there for your school? What is the breakdown by talent area?
The admission quotas for DSA-Sec vary depending on school types. Integrated Programme (IP) schools generally admit about 30 % to 35 % of their Sec 1 IP intake through DSA-Sec. The allocation of DSA vacancies by talent area is at our school’s discretion, taking into account the quality of the talent pool and our ability to provide meaningful talent development opportunities for both DSA and non-DSA students in the same area.
If my daughter receives a confirmed offer from NYGH, what PSLE score does she need to secure her DSA placement?
She must qualify for Posting Group 3. Students with PSLE score of AL21 and 22 have the option to choose between Posting Group 2 or 3.
