Mainland universities tighten admissions for Hong Kong candidates

Some mainland universities have tightened enrollment requirements for Hong Kong students for the next academic year amid the city’s ongoing social unrest, with several demanding a review of applicants replacing previous test-free policies and stressing “one country, two systems.”

Universities including

Tongji University in Shanghai and Fuzhou University in East China’s Fujian Province clearly stated in their 2020 enrollment plan that Hong Kong applicants have to uphold the “one country, two systems” principle and the Basic Law.

An employee at the admission office of Tongji University said the requirement was added this year after considering a number of students in Hong

Kong participated in the six months of protests.

Tang Fei, a member of the council of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said that mainland universities should place such requirements that are basic political requirements.

Without stressing such a requirement, that may send a wrong signal to Hong Kong candidates that they can support secession while enjoying preferential policies in mainland universities, he said.

Hong Kong candidates for Jinan University in South China’s Guangdong Province will be admitted through recommendation, examination or review for the 2020 academic year. While previously they could be admitted without an admission exam.

A teacher with the admission office at Jinan University said that they will review the applicants’ academic transcripts and their performance at schools.

She said applicants who participated in the protests in Hong Kong will not be considered.

The university has 5,554 students from Hong Kong, the highest of all mainland universities, media reported.