DSE Results 2026｜Survey finds that CityU is more popular than HKU and Lingnan University; Psychology and Finance are the most popular subjects

The Youth Talent Resources Center survey found that CityU’s popularity among incoming DSE candidates surpasses that of HKU and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), reaching 14.3%, ranking second in all of Hong Kong; among CityU’s courses, Psychology and Finance are also the most popular.

The overall most popular institution is CUHK, with 14.8%; CityU ranks second, with 14.3; PolyU ranks third, with 13.8%. Meanwhile, HKU’s popularity fell from last year’s 13.5% to 9.9%. The research team suggests it may be because “HKU is harder to get into,” so candidates take a more conservative approach in the Joint University Programmes Admissions (JUPAS), prioritizing other institutions’ courses with the same disciplines, which led to HKU’s popularity dropping.

Survey interviews more than 3,500 DSE candidates

From November last year to January this year, the Youth Talent Resources Center conducted a questionnaire survey of 3,562 incoming DSE candidates from 40 schools across different regions. It found that among this year’s candidates, their scores in Chinese, English, and Mathematics at Form 5 improved compared with last year, and the percentage of candidates planning to pursue university education increased from 65.1% in 2025 to 70.9% this year, a rise of 5.8 percentage points.

In course selection, regardless of gender, Nursing is the most popular among candidates, at 10.2% for males and 18.4% for females. This makes Nursing the first time it has become the overall most popular course, at 13.8%; the next are Psychology and Education, at 10.9% and 9.9% respectively. The least popular subjects are English or British English Language, at 15.1%, followed by Religion and Visual Arts, at 14.5% and 11.46% respectively. Among candidates who do not wish to study English or British English Language, 58.9% are male, mainly because of “poor English” or “no interest.”

▲ The survey indicates that CityU is more popular with students than HKU. (Photo by Ma Wai-kit)

Growing popularity of AI-related disciplines

In addition, the survey also reflects the current AI-related subjects and career intentions. Among this year’s DSE candidates, the proportion hoping to study AI is significantly higher than the proportion not wishing to. The three most关注 AI disciplines are Artificial Intelligence Engineering (7.0%), Data Science (3.6%), and Systems and Technology Engineering (2.8%).

In terms of career intentions, the proportion hoping to work in AI increased from last year’s 5.9% to this year’s 6.8%, showing that AI job opportunities are gradually becoming more attractive. As for the core reasons for those unwilling to enter the AI field, more than 30% of respondents believe that “lack of interest / feels boring” (31.79%) and “insufficient ability / feels too difficult” (31.21%) are the main obstacles. Some students are also deterred by “math and science aversion” (9.25%) and “technology/computer/AI anxiety” (6.36%), reflecting that during the promotion of AI education, more guidance and support are still needed.

Center: Schools should focus on the learning process rather than only results when assessing students

The center’s executive director, Raymond Chan Wai-kwan, advises that schools, when assessing students, should focus on the learning process rather than only the outcomes—for example, requiring students to submit records of their conversations with artificial intelligence, or incorporating an oral presentation segment in project-based learning, to ensure that students truly grasp the knowledge and develop critical thinking.

In practical teaching, Chan suggests that educators should formulate different strategies based on students’ ages. In primary school, the priority should be strengthening students’ language foundation and logical thinking, to avoid relying comprehensively on generative AI too early; in secondary school, students should be taught to view AI as an assistive tool, rather than using it purely to find answers. Parents should also guide their children in daily life to distinguish the truth and fallacy of AI information as well as biases. Through cooperation among the government, schools, and parents, it can effectively help students master AI applications. In addition, Chan also says it is necessary to dispel the myth that AI will replace humans. He cites international research indicating that AI mainly changes work patterns and improves efficiency; therefore, students should be guided to overcome the fear of AI and the mindset that it is difficult.