Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education
The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) is an examination organised by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). The HKDSE examination is Hong Kong's university entrance examination, administered at the completion of a three-year senior secondary education, allowing students to gain admissions to undergraduate courses at local universities through JUPAS. Since the implementation of the New Senior Secondary academic structure in 2012, HKDSE replaced the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (O Level, equivalent of GCSE) and Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (A Level).
| Acronym | HKDSE |
|---|---|
| Type | Paper-based Standardised Exam |
| Developer / administrator | Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority |
| Purpose | Admission to undergraduate programs of universities and colleges |
| Year started | 2012 |
| Duration | Varies by subject |
| Score / grade range | Scored on Levels of 1–5, in one-level increments, then 5* to 5** |
| Offered | Annually |
| Countries / regions | Hong Kong |
| Languages | English, Traditional Chinese (Papers can be written in Simplified Chinese) |
| Annual number of test takers | 50,823 (2023) |
| Prerequisites / eligibility criteria | School candidates: Completion of Secondary School under NSS Private candidates: None |
| Fee | Language subjects: HK$644 Other subjects: HK$431 Initial Fee: HK$494 |
| Scores / grades used by | Universities, locally through JUPAS, internationally via UCAS tariff points. |
| Website | hkeaa.edu.hk/en/hkdse/ |
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| Chinese | 香港中學文憑 | ||||||||
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Under the NSS (New Senior Secondary) academic structure, pupils are required to study four compulsory "core subjects" (Chinese languages and English languages, mathematics and Citizenship and Social Development) and choose between one and four elective subjects (the majority with two to three subjects) among the 20 available. On 31 March 2021, it has been announced that liberal studies will be renamed "citizenship and social development", and the curriculum will be changed, starting from 2021 to 2022 academic year and 2024 DSE.