Public universities admit 65 non-local DSE pupils last year, a fivefold jump since 2022

The number of non-local students admitted to Hong Kong’s public universities with Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) qualifications has risen fivefold in four years, according to the Education Bureau.

By comparison, the number of local DSE candidates who qualified for those universities fell by 5 per cent over the same period, the bureau said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, universities admitted more students with non-DSE certificates who paid higher tuition fees, sparking concerns regarding social mobility.

According to a reply from the bureau to the legislature’s Finance Committee, which is currently vetting the city’s latest budget, the number of non-local DSE candidates entering public universities rose from 13 in 2022-23 to 20 in 2023-24. The figure more than doubled to 43 the following year and hit 65 in 2025-26.

The number of non-local students admitted into university with non-DSE qualifications rose by 15 per cent over the four years.

The number of local students who received places at public universities after taking the DSE dropped from 12,178 in 2022-23 to 11,501 in the current school year, marking a 5 per cent decline.

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