Portfolios and OEA entries matter most during interviews and tie-breaker situations:

• JUPAS Applications: You can submit up to 10 OEA entries alongside a 500-word personal statement. While your DSE score carries the heaviest weight, a strong OEA profile helps you stand out during interview shortlisting for Band A choices and can push you ahead if your scores match another applicant's.

• Specialized Programs: Majors like Architecture, Design, Fine Arts, and Journalism view portfolios as a primary evaluation tool, not just an added bonus.

• Demonstrating Fit: Beyond academic grades, admissions officers look for evidence of leadership, long-term commitment, initiative, and soft skills through sustained extracurricular involvement.

Non-JUPAS applications are evaluated holistically, meaning your portfolio plays a major role alongside predicted grades. Include:

• Academic Research Samples: Highlight a strong Extended Essay (EE) summary or high-scoring Internal Assessments (IAs), especially if the topic relates directly to your intended university major.

• CAS Projects: Detail impactful Creativity, Activity, and Service initiatives—focusing on leadership roles, community involvement, or projects where you solved a practical problem.

• Relevant Work & Extracurriculars: Showcase internships, lab experience, summer courses, academic competitions, or published writing that prove genuine interest in your field.

• Personal Statement: Write a tailored essay explaining your motivation for the major, how your IB studies prepared you for it, and your long-term goals.

• Certificates & Awards: Include evidence of top achievements, varsity athletics, music qualifications, or national/international competition honors.

To meet the general entrance requirement for local public undergraduate degrees, you must achieve "332A" in your core subjects—Level 3 in Chinese Language and English Language, Level 2 in Mathematics Compulsory Part, and "Attained" in Citizenship and Social Development—plus minimum required levels in two elective subjects (or one elective + M1/M2).

Universities calculate your total score based on specific formulas, usually looking at your "Best 5" or "4 Core + 2 Electives". Subject weighting also applies; for example, an Engineering program might double the weight of your Math or Physics score. Always check individual program weightings rather than relying on raw totals.

MS3 and MS4 students are strongly recommended to make use of the FDMT platform. 

Yes. MS4 DSE students submit the initial list of 20 choices in December. You can make minor updates in May, and a major modification window opens in July right after HKDSE results are released. During this July window, every applicant gets an assigned personal timeslot to update, replace, or reorder choices.

The vast majority of main-round JUPAS offers go to Band A choices (Choices 1–3). Use this standard framework:

• Choice 1 (A1) - Ambitious: Aim slightly above your estimated score, but keep it within reach.

• Choice 2 (A2) - Realistic: Target a program where your score squarely matches the previous year's median admission score.

• Choice 3 (A3) - Backup: Pick a program where your score safely exceeds the lower quartile (LQ) or minimum intake score.

No. Many programs admit students based purely on HKDSE scores, Other Experiences and Achievements (OEAs) and SLP (Student Learning Profile). For programs that do conduct interviews, they usually take place in May/June (before DSE results) or late July (after results). Strong performance in a Band A interview can grant bonus points or tie-breaker advantages.

The Non-JUPAS route is for candidates applying on the strength of qualifications other than current-year HKDSE results—such as the IB Diploma, GCE A-Levels, SATs, or sub-degree diplomas. Non-JUPAS main round applications typically close between November and January. 

If you are taking the HKDSE, you cannot apply to local government-funded undergraduate degrees via Non-JUPAS. However, you can use Non-JUPAS application portals to apply for self-financed degree programs, overseas institutions, or direct sub-degree entry. 

E-APP (Electronic Advance Application System for Post-secondary Programmes) is an online system for S6 DSE students to apply for non-JUPAS sub-degree (Higher Diploma / Associate Degree) and self-financed undergraduate programs before exam results come out. It serves as an essential safety net alongside your JUPAS application.