An undated file photo shows a general view of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Guangzhou campus, in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Six more Chinese mainland universities will enroll Hong Kong students based on their results in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) Examination from the 2024/25 academic year, expanding the number of such tertiary institutions to 138.

Last week, the Ministry of Education announced that the number of mainland tertiary education institutions participating in the Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions will be increased from 132 to 138 next year.

Welcoming the move on Thursday, the Hong Kong Education Bureau said the expansion will enable more Hong Kong students to learn about the country.

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The six mainland universities include the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Guangzhou campus, Southwest Jiaotong University in Sichuan province, and Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shaanxi province.

A spokesperson said the Hong Kong SAR government is encouraging more local students to further their studies on the mainland and learn more about the country’s social, economic and cultural development

Students who are interested in the scheme for the 2024/25 academic year can apply online from Mar 1 to 31, 2024, and review and confirm application verification results before April 10.

The expanded higher education institutions come from 21 mainland provinces and municipalities, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Under the scheme, the institutions will be able to enroll Hong Kong students based on their DSE results, instead of the results of the Joint Entrance Examination for Mainland Institutions — an exam that Hong Kong students who wish to study on the mainland should take under normal circumstances.

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Also, under the program, principals from every secondary school can nominate up to eight students for their achievements in non-academic areas. Students who are recommended by principals will have a different minimum entrance requirement.

A spokesperson from the Education Bureau said on Thursday that all 138 institutions offer various programs for Hong Kong students. The Hong Kong SAR government is encouraging more local students to further their studies on the mainland and learn more about the country’s social, economic and cultural development.

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The bureau will have further discussions with the mainland authorities and invite more mainland universities to join the program, providing Hong Kong students with multiple study pathways and opportunities to connect with the country’s development.

Students, teachers and parents can also participate in the Mainland Higher Education Expo 2024/25, jointly organized by the Ministry of Education and the EDB, on Dec 2 and Dec 3 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.