HKU gates open a bit more for aspirants

For the first time, University of Hong Kong will lower its admission requirement for students who score Level 2 in Chinese or English amid pandemic-fueled disruptions.

That means students with lower Chinese or English language standards may still be admitted, but their overall admission score will be discounted 10 percent if they score Level 2 in the language papers.

For example, if a student scores 38.5 points in six subjects, including a Level 2 in Chinese, their score would go down to 34.65 after the 10 percent deduction. But they would still have a chance for admission to their preferred program, assuming the admission score would be 34.

HKU said the arrangement will allow flexibility for this year's Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination sitters, whose lessons have been disrupted by Covid.

Previously, the minimum requirement was Level 3 for Chinese and English, Level 2 for mathematics and liberal studies and Level 3 for two electives.

"If students can obtain the expected admissions score of their desired program after the 10 percent deduction, they have a considerable chance to be admitted to HKU through the flexible admissions arrangement," said Bennett Yim Chi-kin, director of undergraduate admissions and international student exchange.

He said HKU's expected admission scores, which Joint University Programmes Admissions System candidates can use for reference, will be announced late this month or early next month.

A student guidance consultant of Hok Yau Club, Ng Po-shing, said the new arrangement does not necessarily mean lowered admission requirements, given the deduction in the overall score.

"When you have one of the subjects scoring Level 2, the student must have attained higher scores in the remaining five subjects to meet the admission requirement of the respective subject after the marks deduction," he said.

Ng, taking a program with an expected admission score of 27 as an example, said the student would have to acquire a total of 30 points or above to have his or her application considered under the new arrangement.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology said it will continue to adopt flexible admissions arrangements for HKDSE students who perform well overall.

carine.chow@singtaonewscorp.com