DSE and Joint Entrance Exams for Children with Hong Kong Status

Students holding a valid Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) and a Home Return Permit or a Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents may apply to mainland universities. The two main routes are the National Joint Entrance Examination (formally the Joint Entrance Examination for Overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Students, commonly known as the Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination) and the non-examination admission route based on the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE); this “joint entrance examination” is not the same as Hong Kong’s JUPAS university admissions scheme. The 2026 admissions prospectus stipulates that candidates from Hong Kong and Macau must simultaneously hold a Hong Kong or Macau resident identity card and a Home Return Permit or Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents. The information in this article is current as of 7 October 2026, and all rules cited are from the 2026 admissions prospectus and schemes.

What Is the National Joint Entrance Examination (Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination)?

The National Joint Entrance Examination is organised by the Joint Admissions Office and is the entrance examination through which mainland universities jointly admit overseas Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan students; it is separate from Hong Kong’s JUPAS university admissions scheme. In 2026, there are seven examination zones: Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong (including Guangzhou and Shenzhen), Hong Kong and Macau.

The examination has two streams: Science and Arts. The Science stream covers Chinese, Mathematics, English, Physics and Chemistry; the Arts stream covers Chinese, Mathematics, English, History and Geography. Each subject is marked out of 150, giving a total of 750 per stream. The examination content follows the Examination Syllabus (4th edition). The National Joint Entrance Examination does not organise unified examinations for physical education or arts subjects; candidates applying for such programmes must sit the specialist subject examination arranged by the university, whose time and venue are decided by the institution itself.

The 2026 admissions prospectus states that the examination will be held on 23 May (Saturday) and 24 May (Sunday). Candidates may choose to be issued a traditional Chinese or simplified Chinese paper.

Candidates who fail to meet the undergraduate admission threshold may be admitted to a preparatory course; after one year of study and passing the examination organised by the admitting university, those who qualify may progress to the undergraduate stage. The tuition and other fees paid upon enrolment and registration are charged at the same rate as for mainland students of the same university and programme. During their studies they enjoy the same medical security policy as mainland students, and participate in accordance with regulations in the basic medical insurance for urban residents where the university is located.

Does Your Child’s Status Meet the Eligibility Requirements?

The 2026 prospectus stipulates that candidates from Hong Kong and Macau must, at the time of application, hold two categories of document simultaneously: (1) a Home Return Permit or a Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents; and (2) a Hong Kong or Macau resident identity card. This clause lists only documents and does not mention any length-of-residence requirement or the term “permanent resident”.

When applying, a photo of the front and back of the personal document must be uploaded, and the document held must be valid. The official Q&A makes clear that failure to replace a Hong Kong adult identity card in time will affect application and examination. Except for those exempted or not required to register, Hong Kong residents aged 11 or above must register for and obtain an identity card; whether a newly arrived child in Hong Kong can apply therefore depends on whether they already hold a valid Hong Kong Identity Card and a Home Return Permit or Residence Permit.

On academic qualifications, candidates must have completed senior secondary education (which must be formal academic education), meaning they must have received senior secondary education at a senior high school recognised by the education authority; non-academic education experience does not satisfy the application requirements. The National Joint Entrance Examination does not restrict the location of the candidate’s graduating school, so graduating from a mainland senior high school is also acceptable.

A candidate who personally holds Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan resident status, even if neither parent is from Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan, may apply. Students currently enrolled at a university with ordinary higher education status, or students who have been admitted to a regular university and are retaining their admission qualification, may not apply.

For identity arrangements concerning dependants and coming to Hong Kong on a one-way permit, see Dependant visa routes and One-way permit and arrangements for children of permanent residents. For applications to verify permanent resident status after seven years, see Seven-year permanent residency route.

How Can DSE Results Be Used to Apply to Mainland Universities?

Candidates holding a permanent or non-permanent Hong Kong Identity Card, a Home Return Permit or a Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, and who sit the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) in the same year, may all apply under the 2026 Scheme for Mainland Universities to Admit Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Students; the documents must be valid. The HKDSE is open to students who have completed a three-year full-time senior secondary curriculum, and candidate performance is reported on Levels 1 to 5, with Level 5 being the highest.

Online application runs from 1 to 31 December 2025. Those who pass the review must pay an application fee of HK$460 to the China Education Exchange (Hong Kong and Macao) Centre by 31 January 2026; the payment and application confirmation results will be announced by 14 February; the Student Learning Profile must be uploaded by 14 June.

Except for the Principal’s Nomination Scheme and the arts and sports category, the minimum admission standard is “3, 3, 2, A”, meaning Level 3 or above in Chinese Language and English Language, Level 2 or above in Mathematics, and a pass in Citizenship and Social Development. The Principal’s Nomination Scheme allows eight places per school; candidates applying for arts and sports programmes have a minimum admission standard of “2, 2, 1, A”. Admitting universities may specify elective subject and level requirements, may interview candidates, and may also refer to the “Student Learning Profile”.

Each candidate may list four universities and, per university, four programme choices, which may be amended until 14 May. Admission takes place each July, and the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority sends results to the Joint Admissions Office in mid-July. The 2026 participating list comprises 165 mainland universities, and mainland universities’ admission of DSE students does not take up the regular university enrolment quotas set by the state. The entry-exit document held by a new student at the time of enrolment and registration must be valid for at least one year; the tuition fee standard is the same as for mainland students of the same university and programme.

The Joint Admissions Office application guide page lists the 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022 prospectuses; the DSE scheme is only listed on that page up to 2023, and the 2026 edition must be consulted via the PDF on the Hong Kong Education Bureau website.

How Does the Overseas Chinese Joint Entrance Examination Differ from the Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination?

Overseas Chinese students are a separate category of candidates, subject to identity conditions different from those for Hong Kong and Macau candidates. An overseas Chinese candidate must, together with one of their parents, have obtained long-term or permanent right of residence in the country of residence, and have resided continuously in that country for two years (accumulating no less than 18 months within those two years), with the candidate personally accumulating no less than 18 months of actual residence in that country in the two years before application (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026); or the candidate or one of their parents has not obtained long-term or permanent right of residence in the country of residence, but has obtained lawful residence status in that country for a continuous period of five years or more (including five years), accumulating no less than 30 months within those five years, and the candidate personally accumulated no less than 30 months of actual residence in that country in the five years before application (1 April 2021 to 31 March 2026). A Chinese citizen studying abroad or sent abroad on official business is not regarded as an overseas Chinese; a candidate who is personally an overseas Chinese but neither parent is an overseas Chinese may not apply.

Candidates holding a Hong Kong Identity Card follow the Hong Kong and Macau candidate category and do not need an overseas Chinese residence certificate. Overseas Chinese candidates undergo on-site confirmation of application, handled by the Guangzhou application point (Jinan University) in the Guangdong examination zone.

How Do the Three Routes — Joint Entrance Examination, DSE and the Mainland Gaokao — Compare?

The Ministry of Education and five other departments stipulate that eligible Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan students may gain admission by sitting the joint entrance examination for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions, or by passing the mainland unified gaokao, or by reaching the equivalent university admission standard through a unified examination such as the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education; the regulation also provides for “other admission methods approved by the Ministry of Education”. The three are parallel routes to admission.

Route	Eligible status	Admission standard	Choice arrangement
National Joint Entrance Examination (Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination)	Holders of a Hong Kong or Macau resident identity card and a Home Return Permit or Residence Permit	Examination: Chinese, Mathematics, English, plus two Science/Arts subjects; 150 marks per subject, 750 marks total	10 undergraduate university choices, 6 programme choices per university; 5 preparatory choices
DSE non-examination admission	Holders of a permanent or non-permanent Hong Kong Identity Card and a Home Return Permit or Residence Permit, who sit the DSE in the same year	Core subjects “3, 3, 2, A”	4 universities, 4 programme choices per university
Mainland unified gaokao	Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan students meeting eligibility	Pass the mainland unified gaokao	Not covered in this article

On tuition, both the National Joint Entrance Examination and DSE non-examination admission stipulate that fees are charged at the same rate as for mainland students of the same university and programme; the National Joint Entrance Examination prospectus additionally stipulates that students enjoy the same medical security policy as mainland students during their studies.

Application and Examination Timeline (2026)

For the 2026 National Joint Entrance Examination, application runs from 1 to 31 March, with online application from 1 to 15 March and application confirmation from 11 to 31 March. A combination of online application and application confirmation is used, with Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan candidates completing confirmation online. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan candidates holding Hong Kong/Macau academic qualifications must sit the examination in the location of their graduating school (Hong Kong or Macau); those who choose to sit it in Hong Kong and have their confirmation approved must pay the examination fee on time as required by the application point, or they will not be allowed to sit the examination.

The responsible body for application confirmation in the Hong Kong zone is the International and Professional Examinations Division of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. The examination fee for the mainland (China) zone is RMB 550 per person, which is non-refundable once paid; the prospectus does not state the fee amount for the Hong Kong zone.

On results and admission, the 2026 National Joint Entrance Examination results will be released on 21 June; the period for submitting choices is 9:00 on 27 June to 15:00 on 30 June, with 15:00 to 17:00 on 30 June reserved for confirming choices only. Admission is divided into two batches — undergraduate and preparatory — with undergraduate filled before preparatory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Documents Do Hong Kong Residents Need to Sit the Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination?

Conclusion: One must simultaneously hold a Hong Kong or Macau resident identity card and a Home Return Permit or a Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents. Conditions: both documents must be valid, and a photo of the front and back must be uploaded at application.

Can DSE Be Used to Apply Directly to Mainland Universities?

Conclusion: Yes, through the non-examination application under the 2026 Scheme for Mainland Universities to Admit Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Students. Conditions: one must hold a permanent or non-permanent Hong Kong Identity Card, a Home Return Permit or Residence Permit, and sit the DSE in the same year, meeting the minimum admission standard of “3, 3, 2, A” (or “2, 2, 1, A” for arts and sports).

What Subjects Does the Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination Cover?

Conclusion: It is divided into Science and Arts streams, each covering five subjects. Conditions: the Science stream covers Chinese, Mathematics, English, Physics and Chemistry; the Arts stream covers Chinese, Mathematics, English, History and Geography; each subject is marked out of 150.

Can a Non-Permanent Resident Identity Card Be Used to Apply?

Conclusion: The National Joint Entrance Examination prospectus lists only “Hong Kong or Macau resident identity card” without distinguishing permanent from non-permanent; the DSE non-examination scheme explicitly includes non-permanent identity cards. Conditions: one must simultaneously hold a Home Return Permit or Residence Permit, and the documents must be valid.

Are the Overseas Chinese Joint Entrance Examination and the Hong Kong–Macau–Taiwan Joint Entrance Examination the Same Examination?

Conclusion: No, the identity conditions differ. Conditions: an overseas Chinese student must, together with one parent, hold right of residence in the country of residence and meet the residence-day requirements; candidates holding a Hong Kong Identity Card follow the Hong Kong and Macau candidate category and do not need an overseas Chinese residence certificate.

What Are the Admission Cut-off Scores for the National Joint Entrance Examination?

Conclusion: In 2026, the minimum line for the ordinary undergraduate category is 430 for Arts and 445 for Science. Conditions: some institutions apply a higher line of 515 for Arts and 535 for Science; the preparatory batch is 410 for Arts and 425 for Science (Jinan University: 495 for Arts and 515 for Science).

Official Sources

This article is a compilation of policy information and does not constitute legal advice; policies are subject to the latest announcements by official bodies such as the Joint Admissions Office and the Education Bureau.