The Advance Placement Scheme for Secondary Six Students will be continued for the 2003/04 academic year and onwards.

The University Grants Committee made the announcement today, adding that it also endorsed additional guidelines for institutions. 

Some highlights: 

* Participation in the Scheme is entirely voluntary.

* Participating institutions should draw up a common mechanism to ensure the Scheme is executed in an open and fair manner.

* A secondary six student will be qualified to apply for the Scheme if they have obtained at least six As in one HKCEE sitting, Grade C or above in Chinese Language, and Grade C or above in English (Syllabus B) (or Grade C in Syllabus A).

Committee Chairman Alice Lam the Scheme will provide flexibility for outstanding students to enter Committee-funded institutions a year earlier.

"While the duration of study is for participating institutions to decide, they are encouraged to put in place special arrangements such as additional credit requirements, special classes, attachments and exchange programmes, to ensure that the students admitted enjoy a full university education," Dr Lam said.

It is expected that institutions will soon announce recruitment arrangements based on the new guidelines.