LCQ9: Application through JUPAS or non-JUPAS channels for admission to UGC-funded programmes
**********************************************************

     Following is a question by the Hon Ir Dr Hon Raymond Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (May 27):

Question:

     It is learnt that as the financial situation of the families of some of the students currently studying in overseas high schools or local international schools has deteriorated due to the financial tsunami, these students intend to abort their plan to study in overseas universities, and apply for admission to the local universities instead.  However, since these students generally do not possess the qualifications required for taking the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination, they are unable to apply for local universities through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS).  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

(a) the respective numbers and percentages of JUPAS and non-JUPAS students admitted by local universities in each of the past five years;

(b) given that the academic qualifications and achievements required by JUPAS and the non-JUPAS admission system are not the same, how the local universities can objectively choose between these two categories of applicants in making decisions on admitting students; and

(c) whether students of local mainstream secondary schools (particularly those with examination results not meeting the JUPAS requirements) may be admitted by local universities through the non-JUPAS admission system?

Reply:

President,

(a) The respective numbers and percentages of students admitted to the University Grants Committee (UGC) - funded First-Year-First-Degree (FYFD) places through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) and non-JUPAS routes in the 2004/05 - 2008/09 academic years are set out at Annex.

(b) Student admission is within the institutions' autonomy and the Administration does not intervene.  We understand that the institutions will give due consideration to the applications having regard to the merits of individual cases.

(c) Students studying non-Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination curricula in local secondary schools can submit their applications to the UGC-funded institutions direct through the non-JUPAS route.  However, according to the JUPAS Guide, non-school applicants who have obtained HKALE results as well as other qualifications can apply either through JUPAS or non-JUPAS channels for admission to UGC-funded programmes but not both channels.

Ends/Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:04

NNNN