Parents often ask us whether Hong Kong universities are becoming harder to get into.
Looking only at scores, the answer seems to be yes. Put policy and places alongside the scores, though, and the picture is more nuanced — and more worth planning for. Here we use The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's (PolyU) published JUPAS figures and recent government policy to explain.
1. Scores: almost every comparable programme went up
PolyU publishes the results of students admitted through JUPAS, the joint admissions route for HKDSE students. We compared the 25 programmes with published figures in both 2024 and 2025 and unchanged names. 24 saw their median rise; only one fell.
| Programme | 2024 median | 2025 median | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computing and AI | 193.0 | 230.0 | +37.0 |
| Chinese History and Culture | 193.0 | 223.0 | +30.0 |
| Physiotherapy | 293.0 | 320.0 | +27.0 |
| Electrical Engineering | 195.0 | 215.0 | +20.0 |
| Radiography | 320.0 | 339.0 | +19.0 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 191.0 | 208.0 | +17.0 |
| Information and AI Engineering | 201.0 | 218.0 | +17.0 |
| Aviation Engineering | 195.0 | 210.0 | +15.0 |
| Biotechnology and Chemical Technology | 196.0 | 209.0 | +13.0 |
| Accounting and Finance | 178.0 | 185.5 | +7.5 |
The only decline was Occupational Therapy (293.0 to 278.0), which still sits in the university's top tier.
Three cautions when reading the data:
- Each programme uses its own scoring formula and subject weightings, so scores should not be compared across programmes — only year to year within one programme
- Some formulas change between years, which accounts for part of any rise
- These are JUPAS figures for HKDSE students. A Level and IB applicants apply through the Non-JUPAS route with no equivalent score, but the popularity of a given programme carries across routes
2. The most competitive areas
Ranking the 2025 medians shows two clusters:
Health professions. Radiography (339.0), Physiotherapy (320.0), Medical Laboratory Science (309.0), Occupational Therapy (278.0), Optometry (277.8) and Speech Therapy (264.3) lead the table, reflecting clear professional qualifications and career paths.
Computing, AI and engineering. Computing and AI reached 230.0, with Data Science and AI, Environmental Engineering, Information and AI Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at around 218–220. AI-related programmes moved up a level within a single year.
For international-curriculum students, this means evidence beyond grades matters more for these programmes: why this direction, what you have done and how deeply you understand it.
3. Places: more room for non-local students
While scores rise, the Hong Kong government continues to widen the space for non-local students at publicly funded universities:
| Academic year | Cap on non-local intake (as a share of local subsidised places) |
|---|---|
| Before 2024/25 | 20% |
| From 2024/25 | 40% |
| From 2026/27 | 50% |
Under the 2025 Policy Address, the cap rises from 40% to 50% from 2026/27, while around 15,000 local subsidised first-degree places each year remain unchanged. On that basis, the theoretical room for non-local students grows from roughly 6,000 to roughly 7,500 places. The 50% figure is a ceiling, not a target; universities will adjust gradually.
The 2026 Policy Address set a further target of around 100,000 non-local students in Hong Kong by 2029/30, up from about 80,000 in 2024/25.
4. Harder or easier?
Both are true:
- The bar for popular programmes is rising — grades that were enough last year may not be this year
- Overall opportunity is growing — more non-local places, and new and interdisciplinary programmes (PolyU published figures for several new schemes in 2025)
So the answer is neither "Hong Kong is too hard" nor "there are more places, apply anywhere". Choices matter more than ever:
- Look beyond the few hottest programmes. Related programmes at the same university are often more attainable and no weaker academically
- Build your range by programme, not only by university. Competition can differ sharply between programmes at the same institution
- Prepare evidence beyond grades early. The more popular the programme, the clearer your "why me, why this" needs to be
- Consider new and interdisciplinary programmes. They lack past data, but competition may not yet have caught up
We once advised Student Z, whose school suggested he give up on PolyU Mechanical Engineering. After reassessing his subject strengths and engineering evidence, he was admitted and enrolled. A year later, that programme's median rose another 17 points — the tougher the competition, the more a student needs an independent, specific assessment.
Sources and notes
- Scores: PolyU JUPAS (HKDSE) Admissions Figures 2024 and 2025, covering main-round offers and excluding STARS conditional offers; compiled by PrimeX for reference only
- Policy: Sing Tao: 2025 Policy Address raises non-local cap to 50%; Sing Tao: target of 100,000 non-local students by 2029/30; StudyIn.hk: 2026/27 non-local intake explained
- Admission outcomes depend on applicant numbers, institutional policy and individual applications; this analysis is not a guarantee of admission
