More than 8,700 final-year university students have applied to take an international English-language proficiency test, an increase of nearly 20% over last year.

The University Grants Committee said that after the successful launch of the Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme last year, 7,300 final-year students participated in the International English Language Testing System.

The committee sees the increase as encouraging. Since it is a voluntary scheme, it demonstrates that the students attach importance to their English proficiency.

A round of registration was carried out from mid-September to mid-October. The testing sessions will be run from November this year to May next year.