How JUPAS Works: The Complete Guide for HKDSE Students
Key takeaways
- JUPAS is the single application route for HKDSE students applying to full-time government-funded undergraduate programmes at the eight UGC-funded universities and Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
- You submit one application listing up to 20 programme choices, ranked in priority bands, and universities consider you for each based on your HKDSE results.
- The main offer round comes after HKDSE results are released in July; subsequent rounds continue into August.
- Programme-specific requirements sit on top of the general entrance requirements — check each programme before choosing it.
If you are sitting the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) and want a full-time, government-funded bachelor's degree in Hong Kong, JUPAS — the Joint University Programmes Admissions System — is almost certainly how you will apply. One online application covers the nine participating institutions, and your HKDSE results drive the whole process.
Who JUPAS is for
JUPAS serves students applying on the strength of HKDSE results. The participating institutions are the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee — the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lingnan University and the Education University of Hong Kong — plus Hong Kong Metropolitan University, which participates with its self-financing programmes.
If you are applying with IB, GCE A-Levels or other non-HKDSE qualifications, you use the direct (non-JUPAS) route instead — see our guide to non-JUPAS applications.
How programme choices and banding work
On your JUPAS application you list up to 20 programme choices across the institutions, in order of preference. Choices are grouped into five priority bands (A, B, C, D and E) of up to five programmes each. Band A is where your real ambitions should sit, because universities can see the band level of each choice and weigh their interview and offer decisions accordingly.
Rank programmes honestly by your own preference, not by guesswork about cut-off scores. A Band A choice you genuinely want beats a 'safe' choice you would regret.
Entrance requirements: general and programme-specific
Every institution sets general entrance requirements — typically Level 3 in Chinese and English, Level 2 in the mathematics compulsory part and one other subject, plus a second elective at a specified level. On top of that, many programmes set their own subject requirements: a science programme may require specified HKDSE electives, and so on.
Use our programme database to browse all JUPAS programmes with their catalogue numbers (the JS codes), then verify requirements on each programme's official page before finalising your choices.
How offers are made
After HKDSE results are released in July, JUPAS conducts the main round of offers based on applicants' results and programme preferences. Applicants who receive no offer — or who want to try for something better — can take part in subsequent rounds, which run into August as universities fill remaining places.
Some programmes also invite applicants to interviews before results day, especially in Band A. Treat every interview invitation seriously; for programmes that weight interviews heavily, they can matter as much as your exam grades.
Practical points
- The application cycle opens in October, with the main deadline period running from October to January — check the official JUPAS site for exact dates each year.
- You can modify your programme choices after submitting, within published windows — but late changes are limited, so research early.
- Local students pay the standard government-funded tuition rate; non-local students pay a higher rate set by each institution.
- JUPAS covers only full-time UGC-funded undergraduate programmes (plus HKMU's participating programmes) — sub-degree, part-time and most self-financing programmes are applied for directly.
Start with the full list of programmes in our searchable database, then read our application timeline to plan your year.