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Over three-fifths of Hong Kong direct subsidy schools have expressed interest in admitting more non-local students, especially from Southeast Asia, under a new trial scheme, the schools’ managing body has said. Under the new initiative announced by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee in his 2025 Policy Address last month, Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools will be able to apply for more classes to expand their intake of non-local students who will study on a self-financed basis. Schools under the DSS system are allowed to operate as semi-private institutions with greater autonomy and flexibility in curricula. They receive partial government funding and are also permitted to collect school fees. Dion Chen, chair of the Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, said on Tuesday that a survey conducted by the council showed that more than 60 per cent of DSS schools had expressed interest in applying for additional places. He expected each of those schools to apply for 20 to 30 extra places per grade. Twelve DSS schools already have their own dormitories and can accommodate up to 1,700 students, said Chen, who is also the principal of Ying Wa College, a DSS secondary school. Some 200 non-local students are currently enrolled in DSS schools, most of whom live in student dorms, he added. He gave assurance that the trial scheme would not affect local students’ admissions because the new spots are reserved only for international students. Southeast Asia students According to the council, in the initial stage of the scheme, the schools are likely to target students from Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia, due to the region’s proximity to Hong Kong and its similar syllabus. Chan said that DSS schools would have a great advantage as some offer international curricula, including the UK’s A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Mainland Chinese students will not be accepted under the trial scheme. See also: Policy Address 2025: Hong Kong to hike non-local student quota at public universities to 50% According to the Education Bureau, there are currently 78 DSS schools, consisting of 21 primary schools and 57 secondary schools. Nine of them are “train-through” primary and secondary schools. Government sources had earlier said that the number of schools applying for extra places under the scheme will not be capped, and that applications will start as early as next year, with implementation scheduled for the 2026/27 academic year.
