FAQ on Revised Eligibility Requirements

Applicants under CATI-5 are not required to provide proof of residency at the time of submitting JUPAS application or creating JUPAS account.

If an applicant meets residency requirement (a), that is, the applicant is a full-time student studying at a school offering a formal curriculum in Hong Kong recognised by the EDB, the applicant's school is required to submit proof of studies to the JUPAS Office on behalf of their school applicants.

Yes.  The applicant is required to submit the relevant supporting documents in accordance with CATI-5 (b).

The required supporting document is a Statement of Travel Records obtained, at a prescribed fee, from the Immigration Department.

Applicants under CATI-5 are not required to provide supporting documents for the residency requirements at the time of submitting JUPAS application or creating JUPAS account.

If an applicant subsequently meets residency requirement (b), the applicant is required to submit relevant supporting documents as specified.  The required document is Statement of Travel Records issued by the Immigration Department, at a prescribed fee (please refer to the relevant page of the Immigration Department).

Details of the arrangements and procedures for submitting the supporting document will be announced through official publication channels of JUPAS on or before 1 June 2027.

For residency requirement (b), the relevant residency period is assessed on an annual basis, covering the period from 1 June of the previous year to 31 May in the year in which the programme begins.

Accordingly, the Statement of Travel Records used to demonstrate residency for that period can only be applied for after the end of the relevant assessment period, that is, after 31 May of the relevant year.

Yes.  Depending on the applicant's circumstances, relevant proof of studies issued by a school offering a formal curriculum in Hong Kong recognised by the EDB, together with Statement of Travel Records issued by the Immigration Department, may be submitted in combination to demonstrate compliance with the residency requirement for the applicable period.

The supporting documents must collectively cover the applicable period and meet the residency requirement as specified.

No.  If an applicant's immigration status has changed and the applicant is subsequently holding a visa label for unconditional stay, the applicant will be regarded as falling under CATI-9.  In such circumstances, the applicant is not required to meet the residency requirement.

When deciding whether to submit a JUPAS application, prospective applicants must read carefully and fully understand all eligibility requirements.  If an applicant is aware that certain eligibility requirements will not ultimately be met, the applicant should consider, on their own initiative, whether to apply to institutions through alternative routes.

If an applicant is found, upon assessment, not to meet the residency requirement, the application will not be regarded as eligible under JUPAS.  While such applications may still be processed administratively by the JUPAS Office, they will be considered as applications via non-JUPAS route and considered independently by the 9 JUPAS participating-institutions in accordance with their established mechanisms.

All admission considerations are the independent decisions of the JUPAS participating-institutions and are not determined or assessed by the JUPAS Office.

If an applicant is found, upon assessment, not to meet the residency requirement, the application will not be regarded as eligible under JUPAS.  While such applications may still be processed administratively by the JUPAS Office, they will be treated as non-JUPAS applications and considered independently by the 9 JUPAS participating-institutions in accordance with their established mechanisms.

If an applicant is regarded as a Category II (CATII) applicant and the applicant receives an offer, the applicant will be required to pay non-subsidised tuition fees.

The determination of the applicable tuition fee category is part of the admission and fee arrangements of the 9 JUPAS participating-institutions; and is not determined by the JUPAS Office.

No.  Programmes under the SSSDP are only applicable to applicants who fall under Category I (CATI).

If an applicant is regarded as a Category II (CATII) applicant at the time of assessment, the applicant will not be considered for admission under SSSDP.

If the applicant is studying at a school offering a formal curriculum in Hong Kong recognised by the EDB, you are required to submit proof of studies to the JUPAS Office for the school applicants.

If the applicant's school does not fall within the above curriculum, the applicant will be required to submit the relevant proof of fulfilment of residency requirement (b).

Prospective applicants meeting the residency requirements does not automatically mean they have met all JUPAS eligibility requirement, including but not limited to the following: 

• Not currently enrolled in full-time bachelor's degree programme available under JUPAS; and

• Have obtained HKDSE Examination results, and / or registered to sit the HKDSE Examination for the relevant year of JUPAS Admissions Exercise.

An application will no longer be regarded as meeting Category I (CATI) eligibility under JUPAS, and will be handled as a non-JUPAS route application, where any of the following circumstances arise:

(a) Immigration Status or Visa Conditions

If the applicant's immigration status or visa:  

• Has expired, has been revoked, or 

• Has, in any circumstances, changed to a status outside the Category I (CATI) categories (i.e. not falling under CATI-1, CATI-2, CATI-3, CATI-5 and CATI-9). 

The application will no longer be regarded as a Category I (CATI) application, regardless of whether other conditions are met. 

(b) Residency requirements (where applicable)

For applications subject to the residency requirement, where the applicant fails to meet the relevant requirements, including but not limited to the following situations:

(i) under residency requirement (a), the school offering a formal curriculum in Hong Kong recognised by the EDB is unable to submit proof of studies for the applicant within the specified timeframe; or

(ii) under residency requirement (b), the applicant fails to submit the required supporting document (i.e. Statement of Travel Records) within the specified timeframe; or submits supporting documentation that does not meet the residency requirement. 

The application will not be regarded as meeting the eligibility requirements for a JUPAS application. 

Although such applications may continue to be processed administratively by the JUPAS Office, they will be treated as applications via non-JUPAS route and considered independently by the 9 participating-institutions in accordance with their established mechanisms.

The JUPAS Office has consistently provided a centralised route for eligible applicants to apply for admissions to selected local government-funded programmes.  Among applicants under the previous LS1-LS9 classification, only LS1, LS2, LS3, LS5 and LS9 will be regarded as Category I (CATI) applicants starting from the 2027 JUPAS Admissions Exercise, and be entitled to subsidised fees (subject to fulfilment of residency requirement for those under LS5).  Others (i.e. LS4, LS6, LS7 and LS8) will fall under Category II (CATII), and are required to pay non-subsidised fees and apply to institutions through alternative routes. 

The revised classification consolidates the relevant eligibility categories into CATI-1, CATI-2, CATI-3, CATI-5 and CATI-9, so as to more clearly reflect the categories of applicants who are eligible to apply for selected local government-funded programmes via JUPAS.

No.  JUPAS is only open to applicants holding Category I (CATI) identity documents (i.e. CATI-1, CATI-2, CATI-3, CATI-5 and CATI-9 applicants).

At the time of submitting JUPAS applications, prospective applicants must read carefully and fully understand all eligibility requirements, including the relevant residency requirements.  The JUPAS Office does not provide advice or confirmation on arrival time for individual cases.

Applicants should familiarise themselves with the eligibility requirements applicable to their application category via the JUPAS Website and make the necessary arrangements accordingly.

The revised eligibility announced by the JUPAS Office for the 2027 Admissions Exercise onwards primarily affects CATI-5 applicants (previously LS5 applicants), who are required to meet the relevant residency requirements as stipulated.

Pending the final outcome of legal proceedings, the eligibility requirements will follow the relevant announcement made on 31 July 2025.  The JUPAS Office has announced the relevant arrangements in accordance with established procedures and aims to provide timely and clear information to prospective applicants to facilitate appropriate planning.

Should there be any revisions, the JUPAS Office will make the relevant information public accordingly.