VTC Central Admission Scheme offers over 140 programmes Welcomes applications from HKDSE candidates

Results of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) will be released next Wednesday (17 July). In academic year 2024/25, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) will offer over 140 full-time programmes leading to the awards of Degree, Higher Diploma, Diploma of Foundation Studies, Diploma of Vocational Education and Diploma, providing diversified and flexible progression pathways for Secondary 6 students. Among these, over 120 are subvented programmes. 

Optimising admission arrangements to value students' non-academic strengths

To provide HKDSE candidates with diverse and flexible pathways for further studies, VTC has optimised its admission arrangements for the new academic year to help more students who have made outstanding achievements in non-academic areas gain admission to their desired programmes and specialised disciplines. The Principal's Nomination Scheme is a prime example. With strong support from secondary school principals, the number of applicants has doubled this year.

New Higher Diploma programmes in AY2024/25

Over 90 Higher Diploma programmes are being offered by the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT) and International Culinary Institute (ICI), and all of them are subvented. To keep pace with societal and industry developments, and nurture talent with professional knowledge and new skills, VTC will provide three new Higher Diploma programmes in academic year 2024/25 including Higher Diploma in Play-based Learning, Higher Diploma in Pet Care and Wellness, and Higher Diploma in Computer and Data Engineering. 

Play-based learning and related services can promote the holistic development of different age groups and population segments. In recent years, there has been an increasing incorporation of “play” elements into social services. In Hong Kong, however, there is a shortage of people with professional training in play-based teaching and counselling. IVE’s new Higher Diploma in Play-based Learning is aimed at addressing this shortfall by providing systematic and comprehensive professional pre-service training in play-based learning. "WE Park" will serve as a training base, allowing students to put their play-based learning skills into practice.

With the increasing popularity of pet ownership and a growing awareness of animal welfare, pet owners are demanding high-quality services and products, creating a significant demand for related human resources. By introducing the Higher Diploma in Pet Care and Wellness, IVE’s Health and Life Sciences Discipline aims to cultivate students with professional knowledge in the key areas of pet healthcare and grooming services, preparing them thoroughly for careers in this industry. Dedicated training and teaching facilities will be set up at IVE’s Chai Wan campus.

Responding to the increasing digitisation of the engineering industry, IVE’s Engineering Discipline offers the Higher Diploma in Computer and Data Engineering programme. Students will learn how to collect data through smart devices, perform effective data transformation and storage, and conduct data analysis and visualisation for engineering applications, including programming, systems theory, database management and statistics. Graduates can expect to find a wide range of employment opportunities open to them in as Data Engineers, IoT Engineers or Computer Engineering Technicians in engineering companies and related industries.

Diploma of Foundation Studies programmes to build a strong foundation for future studies

To cater for the different progression needs and help students with different study interests build a strong foundation, IVE will provide nine Diploma of Foundation Studies programmes. In addition to the newly introduced Digital Media Studies, the offerings include Health and Life Sciences; Business; Community Services; Design; Engineering; Hospitality; Information Technology; and Retail and E-Commerce. Upon completion of a Diploma of Foundation Studies programme, graduates can directly progress to VTC's Higher Diploma programmes. If they enroll in related programmes, they may receive exemptions for certain modules. The Diploma of Foundation Studies qualification is also accepted by the Government as comparable to Level 2 in five HKDSE subjects (including Chinese Language and English Language) for civil service appointments. 

Degree and Diploma programmes to offer more pathways for further studies

Meanwhile, the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) will offer a number of applied science-oriented degree programmes. Students can apply for THEi self-financing degree programmes in such subjects as Aircraft Engineering, Chinese Medicinal Pharmacy, Nutrition and Healthcare Management, Sports Coaching, and Information and Communications Technology through the VTC Admissions website or the Portal. Furthermore, while the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Horticulture, Arboriculture and Landscape Management and the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Building Services Engineering programmes at THEi have been included in the Pilot Project on Development of Applied Degree Programmes in the 2022/23 and 2024/25 academic years respectively, some other programmes have been included in the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP). Students interested in applying for the programmes under these two schemes can apply through the Joint University Programme Admissions System (JUPAS). 

At Youth College, Diploma of Vocational Education programmes are offered, covering the study areas of Business and Services, Engineering, and Design and Information Technology, to provide students with seamless and flexible progression pathways and equip them with the requisite knowledge and skills to pave the way for future success in their studies and career. The Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI), Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI) and ICI will provide seven more employment-focused diploma programmes to help students prepare for joining the hospitality industry.

Join the VTC Central Admission Scheme and Seize the opportunities for further studies 

Secondary 6 students who are yet to submit their applications can apply through the VTC Admissions website (www.vtc.edu.hk/admission) or the VTC S6 Admission Portal (the Portal). Campuses will also be open for students to submit applications in person. Duty staff will be at campuses to offer programme information and answer programme related enquiries.

On the HKDSE results release day, VTC will set up information booths in over 200 secondary schools in various districts for students to enquire about programme information and enroll on-site. Eligible applicants who have successfully submitted the required information will normally receive the offer result within 15 minutes. 

Applicants who have received “conditional offers” will have their offers converted to “firm offers” on the HKDSE results release day if their examination results meet the stipulated requirements. These applicants are required to confirm acceptance of their offers through the Portal between 9:00am and 4:00pm on the HKDSE results release day.

New applicants or applicants without offers can join the VTC Central Admission Scheme from 17 to 22 July and apply for their preferred programmes through the Portal during the stipulated hours. Applicants will be notified of the offer result through the Portal (Note: Fresh applicants should create an account through the Portal and pay the application fee to join the online Central Admission service).

All applicants who have been offered places are required to complete their registration online before 12:00 noon on 22 July, otherwise the offer will become null and void.

Established in 1982, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong. The mission of VTC is to provide a valued choice to school leavers and working people to acquire the values, knowledge and skills for lifelong learning and enhanced employability, and also to provide support to industries for their manpower development. VTC has 14 member institutions, namely the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK), the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE), the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT),  the Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI),  the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI), the International Culinary Institute (ICI), the Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI), Youth College, Pro-Act by VTC, the Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC) and the Shine Skills Centre.

Website:  www.vtc.edu.hk

Media Enquiries: 2836 1971 / 2836 1094

ANNEX 1: THE CENTRAL ADMISSION SCHEME

ANNEX 2: GENERAL ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SECONDARY 6 ENTRY