Proposed tightening of university admissions methods for 2027

Universities will still be allowed to use up to five admissions methods, but each major or program can only admit students through one method, according to a proposal from the Ministry of Education and Training.

The Ministry of Education and Training announced a draft circular on 17/9, outlining amendments to regulations concerning university admissions, enrollment quotas, and training programs.

Specifically, the Ministry proposes that universities may utilize a maximum of five admissions methods. However, each major or training program will be limited to using only one method for student selection, excluding direct admissions and admissions for specific nominated groups.

Each admissions method must guarantee equitable opportunities for all applicants. It must clearly define evaluation and selection criteria, specify the scoring methodology, and ensure the use of a single, consistent scoring scale.

For instance, a university admitting students to an information technology major would be restricted to using only one method: either high school graduation exam scores, competency assessment test scores, or academic transcripts, rather than combining multiple methods as is currently allowed.

Initial assessments from experts suggest this represents the most significant change to current regulations. It is expected to considerably impact university admissions processes and influence how students prepare for and choose their majors.

The Ministry also streamlined the list of admissions methods, reducing them from 19 under the old regulations to 11 in the proposed draft.

The draft circular outlines the 11 proposed admissions methods.

The Ministry is currently soliciting public feedback on the draft until 23/9. The new circular is anticipated to take effect this year, with implementation beginning for the 2027 admissions cycle.