​In September 2009, the Hong Kong Government introduced a new academic structure for the Hong Kong senior secondary and higher education system, commonly known as the ‘3+3+4’ model or New Senior Secondary (NSS) system, which replaces the old ‘3+4+3’ model. The new system has changed the structure of the Hong Kong education system from a 13+3 (school and university system based on the British model) to a 12+4 (school and university system that brings Hong Kong in line with the Mainland China model).
 
The first batch of students receiving the new qualification, the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE), exited from secondary school in July 2012.
 
The Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) conducted a survey in all secondary schools offering the full time NSS Curriculum in order to understand what pathways the first cohort of HKDSE students are undertaking. 420 out of 476 schools responded. The information below lists the statistics that have been made public – the actual numbers have not yet been made available.
 
The survey results shows that 76.31% of graduates are continuing their studies locally in Hong Kong (24.83% on degree courses, 44.51% on non-degree courses, 5.56% repeating in schools, and 1.41% on others courses such as distance learning), and a 6.47% are studying outside Hong Kong (4.32% on degree courses, and 2.15% on non-degree courses). 7.32% have entered the workforce and 9.9% are unknown/not yet confirmed.
 
For the 6.47% of students who study overseas, the top six destinations are: (1) United Kingdom 25.8%, (2) Mainland China 21.48%, (3) Australia 13.68%, (4) Taiwan 13.44%, (5) United States 12.97%, and (6) Canada 4.89%.
 
To compare that with previous statistics on Hong Kong student pathways, the 2011 Hong Kong Thematic Household Survey1 of the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department showed that there were 75,000 Hong Kong students aged 25 and below studying outside Hong Kong at census time between November 2009 and April 2010. Some 25.9% were studying in the United Kingdom, followed by Australia (23.7%), the United States (19.6%), Mainland China (9.2%), Canada (8.9%) and Taiwan is within the 12.7% of “Others”.
 
While the two sets of statistics are not directly comparable, they do show that there is a decrease in the proportion of HKDSE students studying in English speaking countries, and an increase in the proportion of students studying in mainland China and Taiwan. These statistics should also be considered in the context of the expansion of self financed education and wider availability of non local courses in Hong Kong.
 
There are a number of possible reasons that Hong Kong students are choosing to pursue their international education in mainland China, including: 
 

• the academic structures are now aligned, contributing to smoother academic articulation

• a number of universities in Mainland China (70 in 2013-14) and Taiwan (149 in 2013-14) have removed the separate public examinations that Hong Kong students needed to take in the past. That is, Hong Kong students can apply to these universities using just their HKDSE results
  
• there is an online application system that Hong Kong students can use to apply to mainland China and another for Taiwan
• the Hong Kong EDB and Ministry of Education have invested heavily in promotion of the easier application processes to encourage more students to study in the Mainland
  
• tuition fees and living costs for Hong Kong students studying in mainland China and Taiwan are comparatively lower
  
• Hong Kong is becoming increasingly more connected with Mainland China in the political, social, academic and economic aspects
  
• a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Mainland and Hong Kong on Mutual Recognition of Academic Degrees in Higher Education for the purpose of further studies
• Mandarin has become increasingly important in Hong Kong, and many Hong Kong students see it as an important skill set for their future career. 

 
The increased movement of Hong Kong students in and out of mainland China and Taiwan is a trend likely to continue, and AEI Hong Kong will monitor it closely over the coming years.