The Education Bureau today said there is no evidence showing it is easier for local students taking international examinations to be admitted to University-Grants Committee (UGC) funded undergraduate programmes.

The bureau said it understands universities are committed to selecting the most deserving students irrespective of the academic qualifications held by local applicants, in a statement responding to media enquiries on university admission arrangements. 

It said international score comparison systems also show elite students of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) and other international examinations, such as the International Baccalaureate and the General Certificate of Education A Level, are equally outstanding.

Candidates of the HKDSE have been the major source of local students for UGC-funded undergraduate programmes, it added.

The share of students who gained admission to UGC-funded places through the Joint University Programmes Admission System (JUPAS) route stood at about 83% in the past three years without much fluctuation.

Among local students admitted via non-JUPAS routes, over half are sub-degree or degree holders. For the remainder, less than half are holders of non-local qualifications.