Out of the 55,000 candidates who took Hong Kong’s university entrance exams this year, about 1,000 were non-local students.
While authorities have recently updated the relevant regulations, they have long boasted about the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) as an internationally recognised curriculum and welcomed non-local students as private candidates.
The Post examines the revised regulations for DSE private candidates and the competitive landscape they face.
1. Who is qualified for DSE?
While the DSE exam is primarily designed for the high school curriculum taught in Hong Kong, it has never excluded non-local candidates, who can sign up for the exam as private candidates.
To be automatically eligible for the assessment as a private candidate, one must either have taken the exam before or be aged 19 or above.
If neither of the conditions is fulfilled, students may still apply for the exam if they have shown appropriate levels in an equivalent public exam or are studying in a stage equivalent to Form Six in the city.
Private candidates can generally register for all subjects available to school candidates, and they would have to travel to Hong Kong for the exam.
