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Reference for Parents
Reference for Parents
HKDSE
Family plays an important role in supporting students in public examination. Parents can provide guidance and assistance to your children in the following five stages of public examinations:

 

    1. Subject Selection: Students have to confirm their selection of senior secondary subjects before promoting to secondary 4. Under the senior secondary curriculum, there are three categories subjects: A (Senior Secondary subjects), B (Applied Learning subjects) and C (Other Language subjects). Most school candidates may take four core subjects, plus two to three elective subjects. Parents can learn more about HKDSE subjects at Subject Information and have further discussion with your children on subject choices.

       

    2. School-based Assessment (SBA): SBA is implemented in 12 subjects. It refers to assessments administered in schools as part of the learning and teaching process, with students being assessed by their subject teachers. Students normally conduct the SBA in secondary 5 and 6 and marks awarded will be counted towards students’ results in the HKDSE.

 

Parents should take note of the following when supporting your children in SBA:

 

SHOULD
  • Encourage them to take part in related learning and assessment activities;
  • Teach them to complete the assessments honestly and responsibly in accordance with the stipulated requirements and timetable;
  • Communicate with them and take an active interest in their learning;
  • Create a good environment for them to study at home.
SHOULD NOT
  • Do assignments for them; or
  • Allow them to copy other’s work.

Please visit SBA for HKDSE for more details.

 

    1. Examination Registration: Registration for the HKDSE starts in September every year. Starting from the 2025 HKDSE, candidates should enroll themselves with the examination administrators of the stipulated language examinations and take the other language examinations within two years before the HKDSE. When candidates register in the HKDSE in September the year before the HKDSE, they need to register for the respective Category C Other Language subjects as well.

      If your children have special educational needs (e.g. physical, visual, aural and oral disabilities; specific learning disabilities and others), they can apply for Special Examination Arrangements. The service allows your children to be equitably assessed under suitable conditions.

       

    2. Public Examinations: Written examinations of the HKDSE are normally conducted from April to May while speaking examinations of the English Language commerce in March. Candidates must sit the examinations according to the dates, time and examination centres listed on the admission form. For details, please check Examination Timetable and Examination Centre.

      No supplementary examination will be arranged for written and practical papers. If your children cannot take the examination due to serious illness or other special reasons, you can apply for special arrangements by submitting a letter of authorisation and other necessary documents to the Authority. Please read the Handbook for Candidates for procedures of handling special circumstances.

       

    3. Release of results: Results of the HKDSE are released in mid July. School candidates should collect their results notices from respective schools. Results of private candidates will be sent by post and they can view their results online.

 

International and Professional Examinations
To assist Hong Kong students to gain recognition for their talents and abilities in various aspects, we administer a wide range of assessment services in collaboration with a number of international and professional examination institutions. These examinations include music and dance examinations, language proficiency examinations, etc.

For students who want to pursue further studies abroad, they can apply for institutions in the Mainland, Taiwan and overseas directly with their HKDSE qualification. They can also register for admission and matriculations examinations administered by the HKEAA for applying to study abroad.

Please visit the sections of International & Professional Exams & Assessments as well as Recognition of HKEAA’s Exams for further information.

With a view to enhance parents’ understanding of our services, we hold information seminars for parents from time to time. Please click here to learn more about the upcoming events and register for the programme.