Education Bureau Completes Selection for Fifth Cohort of School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme

Selection completed for fifth cohort of School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme

The Education Bureau (EDB) today (July 9) announced the completion of the selection process for the fifth cohort of the School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme (SNDAS).

A total of 847 valid SNDAS nominations were received from 433 secondary schools for the fifth cohort. In the past few months, the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities participating in the Scheme conducted interviews with the nominated students and carefully considered their individual merits. Direct admission offers were eventually issued to 325 nominees prior to the release of the 2026 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination results, of which 319 students accepted the offers and will commence study on their chosen UGC-funded undergraduate programmes in September 2026. A breakdown on the offers accepted by students in various disciplines of study is provided in the Annex.

To promote a culture of multifaceted excellence, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau has launched the Multi-talent Development Scholarship (MDS) in the 2025/26 academic year, funded by the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries, for admittees of the SNDAS demonstrating outstanding achievements in arts, sports and/or community service on top of the firm offers made under the SNDAS.

Among the students being formally admitted to their respective universities under the SNDAS, each of the eight UGC-funded universities will be invited to nominate SNDAS admittees demonstrating an outstanding performance in arts, sports and/or community service for awarding scholarships in addition to the firm offers made. The quotas of scholarship nominations will be distributed proportionally having regard to the number of students admitted to each university by the SNDAS. Each awardee, not subject to means testing, will be granted a scholarship of $10,000 per year across his/her four-year tuition period. Universities shall enjoy the autonomy to select and nominate awardees for the MDS.

The sixth cohort of the SNDAS will be open for applications by Secondary Six students taking the 2027 HKDSE Examinations and commencing their undergraduate studies in September 2027. Application details will be announced in due course.

The SNDAS was introduced in 2021 as part of the EDB's response to the recommendations made by the Task Force on Review of School Curriculum, which included enhancing flexibility in university admissions. The eight UGC-funded universities designated over 300 publicly funded undergraduate programmes for the fifth cohort of the SNDAS and set admission criteria that are not based on HKDSE Examination results for individual programmes.

The Education Bureau, Photo source: reference image

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 9) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming 54-year-old local female passenger at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point on June 6 and seized 260 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes from her. The estimated market value of the seized cigarettes was about $1,200, and the duty potential was about $860. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 9) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows duty-not-paid cigarettes concealed around the calves of a 54-year-old incoming local female passenger that were covered by the pants. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 9) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows duty-not-paid cigarettes concealed around the waist of a 54-year-old incoming local female passenger that were covered by a T-shirt. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases