Catalysts were prepared by using incipient wetness impregnation method with 17 wt% Ni on a support (SiO2-Y2O3, Al2O3, SiO2-ZrO2, SiO2, TiO2, MgO) and the catalytic activity in the reductive amination of ethanol with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen was compared and evaluated. The catalysts used before and after the reaction were characterized using X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption, ethanol-temperature programmed desorption (EtOH-TPD), isopropanol-temperature programmed desorption (IPA-TPD), and hydrogen chemisorption etc. In the case of preparing ZrO2 and Y2O3 supports, the small amount of Si dissolution from the Pyrex reactor surface provoked the formation of mixed oxides SiO2-ZrO2 and SiO2-Y2O3. Among the catalysts used, Ni/SiO2-Y2O3 catalyst showed the best activity, and this good activity was closely related to the highest nickel dispersion, and low desorption temperature in EtOH-TPD and IPA-TPD. The low catalytic activity on Ni/MgO catalysts showed low activity due to the formation of NiO-MgO solid-solutions. In the case of Ni/TiO2, the reactivity was low due to the low nickel metal phase due to strong metal-support interaction. In the case of using a support as SiO2-Y2O3, Al2O3, SiO2-ZrO2, and SiO2, the selectivities of ethylamines and acetonitrile were not significantly different at similar ethanol conversion.