Nanyang Junior College was founded in 1978 as Singapore's third government-aided junior college, with funding and support from the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) which also oversees the development of Hwa Chong Junior College (present Hwa Chong Institution (College Section) ).
The College has been quoted locally as the most flexible college in terms of its availability of subject combinations, and allowing deserving students to undertake elective programmes even without relevant backgrounds. The College consistently recognised for its academic performance since the 1980s, and was consistently ranked as the top value-added junior college throughout the 1990s and 2000s.
Nanyang Junior College is currently the top non-Integrated Programme junior college in Singapore, and has nurtured six Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarship holders in the past decade, one of the highest records among the nation's established institutions.
Nanyang Junior College in the early years of its establishment.