The 2026 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (DSE) saw a record 24 top scorers, with over one-third of secondary student candidates – around 16,000 – meeting the minimum university admission requirement.

The 16,000 students will compete for about 13,000 subsidized first-year undergraduate places via the Joint University Programmes Admissions System, meaning roughly 1.2 applicants per spot.

The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) announced this year's overall DSE candidate statistics on Tuesday, a day before the release of official results.

HKEAA Secretary General Wei Xiangdong said this year's DSE produced a record high 24 top scorers – the highest number ever. These students – 14 males and 10 females from 15 schools – achieved the top grade 5** in at least six out of eight subjects.

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Among them, 11 candidates – six males and five females – are "super top scorers", as they obtained 5** in the three core subjects (Chinese, English, Mathematics) and three electives, plus the math subject’s extended part, along with a pass in the Citizenship and Social Development subject.

In total, 46,344 secondary school candidates sat the DSE this year, up about 2.2 percent from last year. A total of 15,973 student candidates, or 36.8 percent of the category, have secured the minimum university admission requirement.

About 12,000 self-study candidates also took the exam.

Wei said the DSE result is widely recognized globally, offering students diverse academic and career pathways. He urged candidates to face the results with a positive attitude and plan their next steps based on their grades and aspirations.

Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com