The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations are offered by London Examinations, Edexcel International. Edexcel International is an examining and awarding body based in the UK and operates throughout the world.

Upon popular demand, the HKEAA introduced the GCSE Chinese Examinations of London Examinations in May 2008. GCSE is designed basically for UK students. The HKEAA currently has no further plan to offer other GCSE subjects in Hong Kong.

GCSE Chinese Examinations are held in May/June.

Other similar examinations offered in HK through the HKEAA:

• General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examinations

• International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Examinations

Date: 3 January 2012
Instructions for the Conduct of Controlled Assessment (2012)
The instructions for the conduct of the controlled assessment has been updated.
See the instructions and appendixes

Date: 16 September 2011
Important dates of GCSE Chinese May/June 2012 Examinations
Important dates

Date: 2 June 2010
Education Support for Non-Chinese Speaking Students offered by the Education Bureau
Starting from 2010, eligible school candidates can take the GCSE Chinese examination at a reduced examination fee level.
For details and eligibility, please visit the website of the Education Bureau at
www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=7732&langno=1.

Date: 2 June 2010
New GCSE Chinese 2009 (first exam in 2011) replacing the current GCSE Chinese (last exam in 2010)
Important Notice

Important Dates for the May/June 2012 Examinations

1.  Important Dates for GCSE Chinese May/June 2012 Examinations

2.  Registration Period:
       Early December 2011 (School candidates only)

GCSE Chinese examination will only be offered to school candidates.

The registration documents for the May/June 2012 examinations will be sent to GCE/GCSE/IGCSE participating schools during the registration period.

During the registration period, Entry Form and Notes for Persons Entering for the Examination can be obtained from the participating schools.

General Information

a. Grade E or above in all HKALE A-level and AS-level subjects is recognized as equivalent to an A-level pass and an AS-level pass respectively in a British International GCE.

b. Grade C or above in most HKCEE subjects is recognized as the equivalence of an O-level pass in a British International GCE.

c. Given below is an equivalence table between HKCEE 2007 language subjects (i.e. English Language and Chinese Language) and British IGCSE:

d. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in the UK has included the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) in the UCAS Tariff system and the qualification is recognized as comparable to the British GCE A-level. For details, please click here.

e. British GCSE, IGCSE and International GCE O-level are internationally recognized as being equivalent in standard in principle.

f. In general, it is for individual users of qualifications to define their own threshold levels of performance for admission/recruitment purposes. As far as the HKEAA is concerned, for the purpose of meeting the HKALE entry requirements, a grade D or above in GCE O-level/GCSE/IGCSE is considered as satisfying the corresponding subject result requirement at grade E/Level 2 in the HKCEE subjects.

How to Become a Participating School/Centre

Only GCE/GCSE/IGCSE participating schools of the HKEAA can enter their students for GCSE Chinese examination via the HKEAA. Such schools must be on the registered school lists of the Education Bureau. When a school applies to the HKEAA to become a participating school, a copy of the registration certificate and fees certificate issued by the Education Bureau should be attached to the application.

The participating schools should also register with Edexcel as a sub-centre. The application charge and the annual registration fee will be waived if the schools apply to become sub-centres attached to the HKEAA. It follows that the student entries and the submission of recordings and coursework will be made through the HKEAA to Edexcel.

Schools interested in becoming Edexcel sub-centres for submitting student entries for the GCSE Chinese examination should complete and submit the Centre Recognition Application Form to the HKEAA before 1 September in the year preceding the Examination. Prior to approval by Edexcel, Edexcel will arrange for a one-off sub-centre inspection for ensuring that the sub-centre has suitable premises for teaching purposes and the teachers are aware of the needs of the new specifications.

Registration details will be sent to all GCSE Chinese participating schools before the scheduled registration period.

List of GCSE Chinese Sub-centres


Information for GCE/GCSE/IGCSE Participating School/Centre

Click to go to Extranet

Instructions for May/June 2012 Examination:
Instructions for the Conduct of Controlled Assessment (2012)
Appendixes 1 - 9
Appendix 10
Appendix 11

Personal data of candidates are used for delivery of examination services. The entry data are supplied either by students through their schools or by private candidates responsible for their own entries. Whether candidates provide the requested personal data is voluntary. However, if candidates fail to provide all the data, or if any of the data are inaccurate or incomplete, the HKEAA may not be able to accept their entries.

The personal data submitted may also be used for:

1. assisting tertiary institutions and other government/public organizations in their processes for admissions purposes;
2. assisting tertiary institutions and other government/public organizations in respect of their requests for information in granting scholarships; 
3. assisting tertiary institutions and other government/public organizations to confirm the candidates' eligibility for financial assistance or other forms of subsidization, in which case, the necessary personal data of the candidates may have to be disclosed to the concerned organizations for verification;
4. certifying candidates' examination results in response to legitimate requests; and
5. conducting educational research and analysis in an anonymous format in which the identities of candidates are not traceable.

In addition, the Examination Board will process candidates' personal data. For details, please refer to the JCQ Notice to Candidates - Fair Processing, General and Vocational Qualification on Edexcel International website. In compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, access to all personal data will be made available, on payment of a fee, to anyone who can establish his/her right to be informed of such data as are retained by the HKEAA. Please also note that candidates' personal data/correspondence/other information received by the HKEAA may be referred to the Examination Board concerned. Candidates should approach the Examination Board direct for their personal data/information handling policies if necessary.

Please click here Schools / Candidates for questions and answers.

Copy of the Syllabus (Specification), question papers and marking schemes for the GCSE Chinese Examinations held outside UK are available directly from Edexcel Publications, Adamsway Road, Mansfield, Notts, NG18 4FN, United Kingdom and Edexcel's website www.edexcel.com. Syllabus as well as past question papers may also be purchased at the Publications Unit of the HKEAA San Po Kong Office.

Answer keys and marking schemes of past papers are not available at the Publications Unit of the HKEAA San Po Kong Office.

New GCSE Chinese 2009 (first exam in May/June 2011):
Specification
www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse09/mfl/chinese/Pages/default.aspx

Sample Assessment Materials
  -  Sample Assessment Materials Book
  -  Unit 1 Listening (1H) recording sample (Higher Tier, Cantonese)
  -  Unit 1 Listening (1H) recording sample (Higher Tier, Mandarin)