Lower cut-offs for courses mean easier entry to Hong Kong universities as falling birth rate results in fewer applying
- Only 45,000 students sat for university entrance exams this year, a big drop from 70,000 in 2012
- Decline in quality of undergrads raises concerns over ability to cope with academic challenges
Hong Kong universities have recorded a decline in average admission scores for first-year students on even the most coveted courses – such as law, medicine and business – with fewer applicants meaning less competition for places.
A Post analysis found that at least four of the eight publicly funded local universities – Chinese University, the University of Science and Technology, City and Lingnan universities – recorded lower entry scores for more than half of their courses compared to last year.
About 45,000 secondary school leavers sat for university entrance exams this year, a 5 per cent drop from last year and the lowest number since 2012, when more than 70,000 took the tests.
Hong Kong’s falling birth rate is behind the decline in numbers, while the universities’ total intake of about 15,000 first-year students has remained unchanged for several years.
The proportion of students admitted to undergraduate programmes at local universities this year hit 37.5 per cent, a record high.