Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education

The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE; Traditional Chinese: 香港中學文憑) is an academic qualification offered by Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA). The HKDSE examination is the only public examination in the new 3-3-4 education system introduced in Hong Kong secondary schools, as a replacement of the previous two years of Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) in which nearly all HK secondary student participated. About a quarter of elite students also have the equivalent qualifications of the first year of advanced supplementary level qualifications(most students studied between 6 to 8 AS equivalent subjects in previous form six in HKALE). About a quarter of students got the equivalent qualifications of pre-associate degree programme in which DSE students are directly admitted to associate degrees while HKCEE students needed to study one year of pre-associate degree programmes, these students were not considered to have the first year of HKASE qualifications since they did not have the equivalent score to be admitted to HKALE. However, nearly half of the students, scoring less than 10 points in the HKDSE (which is equivalent to previous students who scored lower than 5 points in HKCEE), need to study Yijin project, they are not considered to have a pre-associate degree qualification or the first year of AL qualification. The final year of Advanced Level syllabus is now included in the first year of the curriculum of the new 4-year university programme. Those among the best can also use the result to apply for the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS, the undergraduate admission allocation system in Hong Kong). Approximately 17000 students attain level 4 or above in 5 subjects (roughly corresponding to 14 points or above in the previous HKCEE), which is the minimal standard for studying advanced level exam for most students, so only those attaining level 4 or above in 5 subjects are considered to have one year of advanced level qualification, while those attaining level 4 or above in less than 5 subjects but level 2 or above in 5 subjects are viewed as having one year of pre-associate degree programme in which DSE graduates are directly admitted to associate degree programmes while HKCEE graduates needed to study a year of pre-associate programme. However those who scored less than 5 subjects of level 2 also need to participate in the yijin project which is the same as students of HKCEE who scores less than 5Es. Scores of HKCEE and HKDSE can be directly compared since the students entering the two exams are nearly completely identical. However, scores of HKDSE and HKALE and pre-associate degree exam results' comparison requires some statistical background. Those scored more than 5 subjects of 4 which is the equivalent score of HKCEE 14 points, can be used as the bottom line to be compared to the scores of HKALE. The DSE grading of 3 and HKCEE grading of D can be compared to a mere pass in HKASE level and is an important point in comparing the grading of public exams of HK. Moreover, HKDSE 5**, 5*, 5, 4, 3,2 are near to HKCEE A, B, C, D, E grades. However, HKDSE grades are a bit harder to get. The HKDSE grade 5**, 5*, 5, 4 can be compared to form six level of HKASE A, C, D, E respectively, for those who score 4, 3 and 2, the result can still be compared to pre-associate degree results. Students received 8 subjects( with maths elective included) of HKDSE 5** is considered as HKALE 8 AS A(previous AL 5A) and HKCEE 8As or above.