Applying to PolyU as a Mainland Gaokao Student: Three Routes, Timeline and Subject Bands

In the days just after the gaokao results come out, PolyU's offer letters can reach mainland applicants' inboxes within a week — the fruit of an admissions system entirely separate from mainland China's centralised university placement. The one-line version: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), with approval from the Ministry of Education, runs an independent admissions scheme (JEE) for mainland students taking the gaokao, mainland China's national university entrance exam — candidates apply directly to PolyU, the application does not affect their mainland university placement choices, and applicants from all 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions are eligible. For the 2026 intake, the reference English requirement is 120/150 on the gaokao English paper, and the top scholarship covers full tuition for all four years plus an annual living allowance of HK$65,000. This article focuses on the application routes and procedures for mainland gaokao candidates; for the full range of tuition fees and the local/non-local scholarship system, see the PolyU tuition and scholarships overview.

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# What is PolyU independent admissions, and how does it differ from mainland central placement?

PolyU's undergraduate admissions for mainland China operate under the "Mainland Freshmen Admission Scheme (JEE)^※", under which the University assesses applicants and issues offers entirely on its own. The scheme is completely independent of, and does not occupy places under, the mainland's centralised university admissions system (including the early-admission batch). According to PolyU's official application procedures page^※, both the application itself and the submission of gaokao results are done through PolyU's online admissions system, with no link to the placement channels of provincial examination authorities.

This is fundamentally different from how The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong admit mainland students — those universities participate in the Ministry of Education's centralised early-admission batch, which requires candidates to list the university's national code in the mainland system and be placed through provincial examination authorities. Under PolyU's route, by contrast, candidates can still fill in other mainland universities in the centralised system; the two tracks run in parallel without conflict. For candidates who want to keep mainland universities as their safety net, this "no-cost trial" feature is a significant institutional advantage. According to PolyU's JEE FAQ page^※, there are no fixed quotas allocated to individual provinces; places are flexibly distributed each year according to application numbers and the overall performance of applicants.

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# Who is eligible, and which provinces are covered?

According to PolyU's JEE application procedures and notes page (2026)^※, the basic eligibility requirements are as follows:

The same page states that applicants must submit their gaokao results through PolyU's online system after results are released^※; if results are omitted or entered incorrectly, the application is void and the fee non-refundable. Some programmes (such as those in the School of Design) additionally require a portfolio or supplementary documents.

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# What are the admission thresholds? What about English?

# Overall score reference and subject requirements

PolyU's official general entrance requirements page^※ states: 「申请人必须在应届高考获得优异的成绩，当中包括良好的英语成绩」 ("Applicants must achieve excellent results in the current-year gaokao, including a good English score") — the University sets no uniform, province-wide cut-off scores, and instead selects on overall merit. That said, based on PolyU's admissions brochures and the compilations by third-party education platforms that cite them (2026 intake figures), the commonly cited reference ranges are as follows:

A note on these figures: the "overall score reference" and "English reference" in the table above are empirical ranges compiled by education platforms from PolyU's admissions brochures across recent years (source: Chengdu GZSC Study Abroad 2026 guide^※); they are not official fixed cut-offs published on PolyU's website. Actual admission levels fluctuate from year to year with applicant numbers and score distributions; PolyU's own official results for the year in question are authoritative.

# English language requirements (standardised tests)

For applicants who wish to support their gaokao score with additional English qualifications, according to PolyU's official English requirements page for international and other qualifications^※, the University's general English thresholds are:

These thresholds apply to non-local applicants applying with international qualifications. For mainland JEE applicants, the gaokao English score is the primary reference; those who also hold IELTS/TOEFL results may submit them for PolyU's consideration.

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# What are the pros and cons of the three application routes?

For the 2026 intake, PolyU offers mainland gaokao candidates three active application routes:

# Route 1: Standard JEE independent application (the main channel)

This is the route used by the vast majority of mainland gaokao applicants. According to the application procedures page^※, after registering through PolyU's online system, candidates enter their gaokao results once these are released (late June 2026), and PolyU issues offers from late June up to 7 July 2026. The standard application deadline is 22 June 2026. Successful applicants must confirm their acceptance within the specified period and pay a HK$20,000 deposit (credited against the first semester's tuition); failure to confirm by the deadline is treated as declining the offer.

# Route 2: The 3D Comprehensive Assessment Scheme (early-interview route)

According to PolyU's JEE FAQ page^※ and the University's admissions brochure (as cited in Zizzs Online's 2026 review^※), the "3D Comprehensive Assessment Scheme" merges the former "Respect and Responsibility Scheme" and the "3D Scheme", and offers two application windows:

Eligibility: current final-year senior secondary students who meet any one of the following criteria may choose this scheme for priority interview selection:

• (a) Academic excellence: outstanding school-based results, provincial joint mock examination scores, or academic proficiency test scores during senior secondary school;
• (b) Non-academic excellence: verifiable outstanding achievements in sports, arts and culture, leadership, community service, or STEM.

Admission benefit: applicants who pass the interview receive "preferential admission terms". Those who succeed in the Early Round may receive a conditional offer before gaokao results are released, subject to final verification of their gaokao scores; the comprehensive assessment is weighted at "85% gaokao score + 15% interview^※". Application materials must include secondary school transcripts, mock examination results, proof of achievements (verified by the applicant's school/institution) and a self-recommendation letter in English.

This scheme has a separate quota and does not compete jointly with the standard JEE application pool.

# Route 3: The Principal's Recommendation Scheme (direct nomination by secondary schools)

According to an analysis of PolyU's three 2026 admissions policies (compiled by Beijing Gaokao Online)^※, PolyU also runs a Principal's Recommendation Scheme: secondary school principals in mainland China nominate final-year students ranked in the top 20% of their year group, the school submits the recommendation materials by courier, shortlisted candidates receive interview invitations around mid-March 2026, and results are announced in April. This route requires active participation by the secondary school, which contacts PolyU; participation depends on the school's history of collaboration with the University under the scheme.

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# What does the application timeline look like?

The key dates for the 2026 intake (applications opened in the 2025/26 academic year), according to PolyU's official JEE page^※, are as follows:

Actual dates are subject to PolyU's official announcements for the year in question; Early Round applications can be submitted from October 2025, so intending applicants are advised to prepare their materials early.

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# What do tuition fees look like, and what entry scholarships are available?

# Tuition fees (2026/27 academic year)

According to PolyU's official undergraduate tuition fees page^※, the annual tuition for mainland gaokao students (holding non-local status) in the 2026/27 academic year is:

For the 2025 intake, annual tuition was HK$175,000; from the 2026 intake it has been adjusted to HK$200,000. Mainland gaokao students pay fees as non-local students and are not eligible for the Hong Kong government's student financial assistance or low-interest loan schemes; for the full range of fees, see the PolyU tuition and scholarships overview.

# Entry scholarships (awarded by PolyU; per the University's admissions brochure and official FAQ page)

PolyU operates a multi-tier entry scholarship scheme for mainland gaokao students. Awardees do not need to apply separately — PolyU selects automatically on the basis of application materials:

The figures above are compiled from PolyU's official JEE FAQ page^※ and Beijing Gaokao Online's compilation from the admissions brochure (2026)^※. Scholarship quotas, amounts, and the GPA threshold for renewal may be adjusted from year to year; the announcements of PolyU's scholarships office for the year in question are authoritative.

How scholarships interact with tuition: on an annual tuition of HK$200,000 × 4 years, the total value of the top academic scholarship (full tuition + an annual HK$65,000 living allowance + HK$30,000 exchange grant) comes to well over one million Hong Kong dollars — a matter of considerable financial significance for mainland gaokao students who would otherwise pay their own way. Renewal requires meeting the University's stipulated minimum annual grade point average (GPA); the exact threshold is set out in the scholarship terms accompanying the offer letter.

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# Which faculties and programme groups are open to arts and science students respectively?

According to PolyU's entrance requirements summary page^※ (2026), JEE programmes fall into three categories by subject requirement:

Arts-stream candidates should note: the Engineering broad-based scheme (JS3005) explicitly requires a science background — non-science applicants must demonstrate that they have studied one of biology/chemistry/physics. Business, design, social science and other combined programmes, by contrast, are open to both streams and are the main route for high-scoring arts students into PolyU. Computing and Artificial Intelligence (JS3006), listed as "open to both streams", notes that "applicants with excellent mathematics and English results will be given priority consideration" — strong mathematics performance can still give an arts student a chance.

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# Mainland students at PolyU: language and everyday life

PolyU's undergraduate teaching is conducted primarily in English (with the exception of Chinese-language subjects and programmes approved otherwise). According to PolyU's official JEE FAQ page^※, mainland newcomers generally adjust to the English-medium learning environment within a fairly short period, and PolyU provides English enhancement support for first-year students. After enrolment, mainland students admitted through the independent scheme hold "non-local" status and pay fees on that basis, but they enjoy the same learning resources, library and hostel facilities as local students.

On accommodation, PolyU gives priority hostel arrangements for non-local students (including mainland gaokao students), who must apply within a specified period after accepting their offer. According to PolyU's 2026 fees overview (as cited in the admissions brochure)^※, the estimated annual hostel fee for the 2026/27 academic year is about HK$17,305 (rates vary between suites and single rooms; the halls office's announcements for the year are authoritative). Adding meals and ordinary living expenses, the estimated total annual outlay is roughly HK$287,655 (including tuition).

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# See also

• PolyU tuition and scholarships overview — full local/non-local fee schedules, the entry scholarship system (including the EGLS Emerging Global Leaders Scholarship and SHTM/Design faculty-specific awards), and postgraduate funding.
• Undergraduate admissions routes overview — JUPAS, Non-JUPAS, international students and the full range of entry pathways.
• Graduate destinations and employment rates — employment rates and starting salaries for graduates.