The Education Bureau welcomed on Monday the Ministry of Education’s announcement that 145 Chinese mainland higher education institutions will admit students from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region next school year.

The number of institutions participating in the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions increased by seven for the 2025/26 academic year, according to the EDB.

ALSO READ: Cross-border universities in high demand

The 145 institutions come from 21 provinces and municipalities and one autonomous region of the mainland and will accept applications from candidates sitting for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination next year.

"The mainland higher education institutions participating in the Admission Scheme admit Hong Kong students based on their HKDSE Examination results, hence exempting them from taking the Joint Entrance Examination for Mainland Institutions,” an EDB spokesman said in a statement.

The new participants in the Admission Scheme include Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology in Jiangsu province; the China Academy of Art and University of Nottingham Ningbo China in Zhejiang; and Foshan University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and the Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Guangdong.   

“The 145 participating higher education institutions offer various programs,” the spokesman said. “We encourage Hong Kong students to pursue further studies on the mainland through the Admission Scheme and seize the opportunity to learn about the country's latest social, economic and cultural landscape, and plan ahead for their future development.”

READ MORE: CUHK-Shenzhen set to nurture more high-caliber talent for nation

He said the EDB will continue discussions with mainland authorities to invite more renowned mainland institutions to participate in the Admission Scheme and provide students with multiple study pathways and opportunities.

"As in previous years, there is the School Principal Nomination Scheme under the Admission Scheme, and each secondary school can nominate up to eight students,” the spokesman said.

He said the minimum entrance requirement is "Attained" in the Citizenship and Social Development subject and a total score of 8 or above in the three core subjects--Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics--in the HKDSE Examination.