Record non-DSE admissions to Hong Kong’s universities spark calls for quotas

Hong Kong's public universities have admitted a record number of non-DSE students, with their intake rising by 63% over seven years to make up nearly 30% of the 15,000 government-funded places. Meanwhile, the number of DSE students admitted has dropped by 7%, with their proportion falling from 82% to 72%.

The drop in DSE admissions has led to higher admission scores, causing frustration among students who meet the median score but fail to secure a spot. Ng Po-shing, a student guidance consultant, noted that more students are complaining about not getting into certain programmes despite meeting the required scores.

The DSE is Hong Kong's main university entrance examination, and the SCMP analyzed data from the University Grants Committee (UGC) to identify the trends. Non-DSE admissions have shown an upward trend in both overall numbers and proportions, with admissions increasing from 2,706 in 2019-20 to 4,401 in 2025-26 (63% increase). Their share of total funded university places rose from 18% in 2019-20 to 22% in 2022-23 and reached 28% in 2025-26.

Conversely, DSE admissions have shown a declining trend, with the number of admitted candidates falling from 12,355 in 2019-20 to 11,503 in 2025-26 (7% decrease). Their share across the eight universities dropped from 82% to a low of 72% in 2025.

The trend suggests that students from non-DSE curricula often come from families with higher socio-economic backgrounds and better resources, leading universities to prefer admitting them over DSE students. This has resulted in universities favoring non-DSE students, potentially reinforcing their socio-economic status.

Education consultant Ng and Hong Kong Subsidised Secondary Schools Council chairwoman Lee Yi-ying called for a cap on non-DSE admissions to protect local interests and ensure a fair opportunity for DSE students. They suggested that at least 80% of places should be reserved for DSE candidates to maintain local competitiveness.