City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has successfully completed its mainland student recruitment exercise in 25 provinces and cities (including those areas affected by the Sichuan earthquake) for this year. About 190 new students are expected in Hong Kong to start their studies at CityU by the end of August.

With its competitive advantage in academic research, professional education, scholarships and internationalisation, CityU has attracted many high quality mainland students in the past three years. Building on such success, the quality of the students recruited this year is even higher than that of last year.

More outstanding students admitted

Mainland students admitted by the University this year include the top 50 arts candidates in 11 provinces and cities, and the top 300 science candidates in 14 provinces and cities. Among them, there is the number one arts student from Sanming City of Fujian Province, the champion student in politics from Dongguang City of Guangdong Province, and the candidate with the highest score in chemistry from Foshan City in Guangdong Province.

All the students admitted are from the top score bandings in their provinces and cities, with better academic results, English proficiency and individual quality than last year's intake. For example, their average English score is 133 (over the full mark of 150), higher than last year's 131.

The test scores of all the students enrolled in CityU this year reach the Band One Baseline for admission to the top mainland universities. Their academic results are comparable to those candidates admitted to Tsinghua University, Peking University, Zhejiang University, Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

The students from eight provinces and cities (namely Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Tianjin, Fujian, Chongqing and Hubei) that made up 60% of the total intake, have an average score 10% higher than the comparable mark attained last year. The score achieved in science subjects by students from Beijing, Tianjin, Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan exceeded 100 marks of the Band One baseline for entering the top universities. Arts students from these provinces and cities either have a score 90 marks higher than the Band One baseline for the top universities or they are ranked among the top 50 students in their provinces.

Younger in age and more ethnic groups

Mainland students below 18-years-of-age make up 17% of the University's intake this year, with the youngest only 16 years old. Among the students admitted, eight come from minority ethnic groups, including Manchu, Hui, Miao and Tujia people. Two of them will receive the Minority Ethnic Group Scholarship to be established this September.

Outstanding performance in academic and extra-curricular activities

Many of the mainland students admitted this year have special talents or are award-winners in national academic and Olympiad competitions (in the categories of physics, chemistry, mathematics, science, biology, computer, information technology, English, composition, literature, innovative technologies, etc.). Together, they have won 57 awards in provincial competitions.

Also, 30% of the candidates admitted have won the title of outstanding student for overall development in conduct, academics and sports. Among the candidates are students who amassed a combined total of 126 unique abilities in sports or arts, including national Grade 2 athletes; holders of higher certificates in erhu, piano, and pipa; recipients of gold and silver medals in national calligraphy and painting competitions; outstanding figure skaters; and winners of the best original script of German drama competition and classical poetry contest.

Expanded quota for areas affected by Sichuan earthquake

The University has expanded the quota for those areas affected by the Sichuan earthquake and additionally admitted two outstanding candidates. They are also awarded scholarships, with half of the annual tuition fees waived.

Scholarship for outstanding Hainan students

Courtesy of a generous donation by a Hainan community leader, the University was able to set up a Hainan Outstanding Student Scholarship for the province. Four Hainan candidates admitted this year are ranked among the top 50 students in science and arts subjects across the entire province and will each receive an annual scholarship of HK$100,000.