Analysis by the Post shows number of candidates outside regular school route achieving Level 5** rose sharply in 2025
The number of non-day school candidates achieving the highest grades across various subjects in Hong Kong’s university entrance exams has significantly increased over the past two years amid a growing trend of mainland Chinese students taking the tests, the Post has found.
An analysis by the Post of official data showed that the number of non-day school candidates securing Level 5**, the highest grade in the seven-tier system of Hong Kong’s Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE), had increased at a much faster rate than those from the regular pathway, resulting in a growing share of top scores between 2023 and 2025.
Non-day school candidates comprise mainland pupils, independent repeaters, retakers, evening school students and inmates. All except evening school students can register to sit the exams as private candidates.
More than a quarter of the 2,700 private candidates enrolled in the DSE through a special entry route in 2025.
