How Local HKDSE Candidates Apply to the Five Hong Kong Universities — The Full JUPAS Walkthrough

# How Local HKDSE Candidates Apply to the Five Hong Kong Universities — The Full JUPAS Walkthrough

The bottom line: A local candidate holding Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) results submits one application through JUPAS (the Joint University Programmes Admissions System) to be considered by all eight UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong — including HKU, CUHK, HKUST, CityU, and PolyU. Each applicant may rank up to 20 programme choices split across five bands — Band A through E. After the HKDSE results are released, the system allocates places automatically based on the applicant's ranked preferences and their results; there is no need to apply to each university separately. JUPAS website^※ For the 2026/27 academic year, the government-set tuition fee for local students is a uniform HK$47,000 per year. Government gazette on tuition fees^※

# What is JUPAS? Who should use it, and how many universities can you apply to?

JUPAS (the Joint University Programmes Admissions System) is the primary route through which local HKDSE candidates apply for UGC-funded degree programmes. Its official definition describes it as the principal application route "to assist local students with Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination results (past and/or current) to apply for admission" to funded degree programmes. The participating institutions include nine bodies — the eight UGC-funded universities plus the funded programmes at Hong Kong Metropolitan University — which encompass HKU, CUHK, HKUST, CityU, and PolyU. Applicants need only submit a single application to be considered for all participating programmes. JUPAS website^※

You should use this route if you meet all three of the following conditions:

• You hold HKDSE results (both current-year candidates and past sitters are eligible);
• You have local student status (non-local candidates and those with international qualifications do not use JUPAS — see the note below);
• You are applying for UGC-funded bachelor's degree programmes (self-financed programmes and sub-degree programmes have separate routes).

Note: JUPAS is an exclusive channel for local students. Candidates holding mainland China gaokao results, IB, A-Levels, SATs, or other qualifications do not use JUPAS, and should use each university’s Non-JUPAS or mainland China gaokao route instead. This is the most frequent point of confusion. The minimum entry requirements, band sorting strategy, and allocation mechanism discussed below apply only to JUPAS applicants.

# What does the minimum entry bar "332A33" mean?

The "General University Entrance Requirements" for undergraduate programmes at these institutions are most commonly expressed as "332A33" — the minimum grade combination across four core subjects and two elective subjects. Here's a breakdown:

CUHK’s website lists this exact combination as its "Minimum University Requirements" — Chinese and English at Level 3, Mathematics at Level 2, Citizenship and Social Development at Attained, plus two electives each at Level 3. CUHK Minimum University Requirements^※

# How to rank your 20 choices — Band A–E and sorting strategy

This is the most strategic, and also the most commonly misunderstood, part of JUPAS. Applicants can select a maximum of 20 programme choices. Based on the priority order you set, the system automatically groups them into five bands, A through E. JUPAS Programme Choices^※ The mapping between bands and choice order is fixed:

Why do these bands matter? According to JUPAS’s official explanation, before the formal selection results are released, institutions can only see which Band you placed a programme in, not the precise intra-band ranking. An applicant who has placed a programme in Band A is taken to have a genuine interest in it and will receive higher priority during selection. JUPAS Actual Priority of Programme Choices^※ In practical terms:

• The three Band A slots are the most precious. Some programmes will prioritize, or even only consider, applicants who place them in Band A. Putting a programme you truly want — and whose requirements you can meet — in Band A significantly raises your chances.
• Intra-band ordering is "temporarily invisible" to institutions. Before results are out, institutions only see whether you placed them in Band A, B, etc., not whether they are your No. 1 or No. 3. However, the formal selection and final allocation are still processed according to your true order, so your internal ranking must honestly reflect your preferences.
• The full choice order is only revealed to institutions after the Main Round results are published. Before that point, the system keeps it confidential from each university, preventing you from being treated differently because of "where you ranked them". JUPAS Actual Priority of Programme Choices^※

In practice, a common and prudent approach is a three-tier "aspirational – target – safety" structure: Band A for aspirational choices (desirable programmes you have a fighting chance of reaching), Bands B and C for target choices (aligned with your predicted results), and Bands D and E for safety choices (to guarantee a place somewhere). How exactly you allocate choices will depend on your target programme’s historical admission scores and your own predicted grades. This guide explains the mechanism only; it is not a substitute for professional academic advising.

# Allocation after HKDSE results — re-ranking, the Main Round, and Clearing

HKDSE written and oral examinations take place across March to May of the Secondary 6 school year, with results released in mid-July. The JUPAS allocation process is built around results release and has three critical steps:

1. Pre-exam revision period. After submitting your application and before the exams, the system opens a window for revising your programme choices: you can add, delete, and re-rank. JUPAS Programme Choices^※
2. Post-results re-rank. Around the day HKDSE results are released, JUPAS typically provides a window to revise your programme choices after you know your results. This is your last chance to reorder your preferences based on your actual scores — and it is critical. If you do better than expected, you can add more aggressive aspirational choices; if you fall short, you can reinforce your safety net. JUPAS Programme Choices^※
3. Main Round allocation and Clearing. After the re-rank window closes, each institution carries out formal selection based on your results and preference order. Main Round offers are announced around early August. Programmes that still have vacancies then proceed to a Clearing stage, allowing applicants who did not receive an offer or want to switch to compete for the remaining places.

Note: The above describes the structure of the JUPAS allocation cycle. The exact annual dates — results release day, re-rank deadline, Main Round announcement day — are adjusted slightly each year. The online application schedule published on JUPAS’s official website for the given year is the sole definitive source. JUPAS Programme Choices^※ Universities such as HKU also maintain their own JUPAS admissions pages, which list their programmes' specific selection criteria and scoring methods, and are worth consulting in tandem. HKU JUPAS^※

# Local student tuition fees and financial aid

Tuition fees for local students are the lowest of the five main pathways, and are set uniformly by the government across all five institutions. After a freeze of over 20 years, the annual local-student fee was adjusted from the original HK$42,100 to HK$44,500 in 2025/26, HK$47,000 in 2026/27, and HK$49,500 in 2027/28 — an annual increase of roughly 5.5%, identical across all five universities. Government gazette on tuition fees^※ This is far below the non-local undergraduate tuition of approximately HK$190,000–250,000 per year — one of the most concrete benefits of local-student status.

Regarding financial aid, local students on full-time UGC-funded programmes can apply to the government's student finance office (the Student Finance Office, under the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency) for means-tested grants and low-interest loans, assessed against household financial circumstances. Additionally, the universities and individual faculties offer their own scholarships, bursaries, and work-study schemes. For specific plans, amounts, and application methods, refer to the announcements published by your enrolling institution’s Office of Student Affairs or Scholarships and Financial Aid for that academic year.

Note: The tuition and financial aid systems for JUPAS local students and non-local students are separate. Do not apply the HK$47,000 local fee to mainland China gaokao or international-qualification applicants — those groups pay non-local tuition. See Mainland China Gaokao Pathways to the Five Universities and International Qualifications & Non-JUPAS.

# What does a JUPAS year look like? Timeline for local students

Here is a calendar-ready timeline weaving the above steps together (for an application for autumn intake; minor annual adjustments apply):