Public school students are losing spots at Asia's No.1 university

Public school students in Hong Kong are finding it increasingly difficult to secure spots at the country's top university, the University of Hong Kong, according to a recent report. The South China Morning Post analyzed admissions data from 2019-20 to 2025-26, revealing a sharp decline in the share of first-year admissions from DSE, the standard exam taken by nearly all public school pupils.

DSE admissions fell by 7% over the seven-year period, dropping from 82% to 72% of total first-year placements. At the University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the DSE share of first-year admissions has plummeted to around 60%, the lowest among the eight institutions. The rising number of students opting for alternative routes, such as the International Baccalaureate or GCE A-levels, has led to a 156% and 87% increase in admissions through those paths, respectively.

This shift has resulted in a squeeze on DSE candidates, driving up admission scores and widening social inequality, as those who can afford international or private schools gain an edge. Some stakeholders have called for a reservation of at least 80% of publicly funded places for DSE students, arguing that the exam remains a credible credential for universities.

However, the Education Bureau dismissed these concerns, maintaining that the DSE remains a valuable indicator, with over 70% of students still entering publicly funded universities on DSE results. The government has also announced a plan to increase the proportion of non-local undergraduate enrollments at the eight universities to 50% of local places from 2026-27, despite the cap not affecting the 15,000 locally-funded places.