Foshan Student Overcomes Challenges, Gains CUHK Admission via Principal's Recommendation
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A Foshan student named Liu Weiwei has achieved remarkable success after relocating to Hong Kong with her family through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. Despite arriving in August 2025 and having only about nine months to prepare for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examinations, Liu was admitted to the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) through the Principal's Recommendation Scheme. Her journey highlights both the challenges faced by talent children adapting to Hong Kong's education system and the opportunities available through various admission pathways.
Key Points
- Liu Weiwei arrived in Hong Kong in August 2025 with her mother Zhang Congjun and younger brother via the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, immediately enrolling in Secondary 6 at a local private school
- Her greatest initial challenge was not language but daily transportation, as she had to learn to navigate Hong Kong's bus system independently after being driven to school in mainland China
- Liu identified English as her most difficult subject, noting that DSE English comprises four examination papers requiring extensive practice
- Under encouragement from her Chinese language teacher, Liu participated in writing competitions and won the Overall Championship at the International Youth Literature Awards and the Gold Award at the Tianma Cup Hong Kong Chinese Writing Competition
- She was admitted to CUHK's Data Science and Policy Studies programme through the Principal's Recommendation Scheme, with her competition achievements strengthening her application through the Student Learning Profile (OEA)
Why It Matters
Hong Kong's talent attraction policies are creating genuine pathways for families to build new lives in the city, with education serving as a critical integration mechanism. Liu's success demonstrates how non-local students can leverage alternative admission routes beyond examination results alone, particularly through extracurricular achievements that showcase holistic development. Her mother's proactive approach to learning Cantonese underscores the broader social integration occurring alongside these talent inflow schemes.
Hong Kong's talent attraction policies are creating genuine pathways for families to build new lives in the city, with education serving as a critical integration mechanism. Liu's success demonstrates how non-local students can leverage alternative admission routes beyond examination results alone, particularly through extracurricular achievements that showcase holistic development. Her mother's proactive approach to learning Cantonese underscores the broader social integration occurring alongside these talent inflow schemes.