2024 Diploma of Applied Education

The Diploma of Applied Education (DAE) has been implemented since the academic year 2023/24 to replace the previous Diploma Yi Jin. The S.6 leavers who are unable to attain Level 2 or above in 5 HKDSE subjects (including Chinese and English) may consider the DAE Programme. For students who have successfully completed the programmes, the qualification obtained is deemed comparable to Level 2 in 5 HKDSE subjects, including Chinese and English, i.e. 22+222, and also accreditation standards at Qualifications Framework Level 3. Graduates of the Programmes may apply for admission to associate degree or higher diploma programmes using the qualification obtained. The qualification is also accepted by the Government for applying the civil service posts which require 22+222 as the academic entry requirement. The programme can be completed in one year in full-time mode, and normally 2 years in part-time mode.

The structure of DAE includes 3 core courses: Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics, plus 5 complementary courses or 2 complementary courses and one elective cluster. Each cluster consists of 3 elective subjects. If Maths Plus is selected as one of the complementary courses, the qualification acquired is comparable to Level 2 in 5 HKDSE subjects, including Chinese, English and Mathematics.

There are 5 available complementary courses, including:

• Career and Life Planning
• Digital Citizenship
• Interpersonal Communication and Personal Development
• Technological Innovation
• Maths Plus

Some of the elective courses or clusters have accredited by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications as Specification of Competency Standards (SCS) based courses. Students who have successfully completed these courses will be awarded a certificate on the SCS-based qualification. Those courses are marked with an (§) in the following table.