The Application Form for Secondary One Discretionary Place has been distributed since 5 December 2025. Parents of P.6 students should note that if you want to apply for a discretionary place (DP) in a government, aided, caput or Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) secondary school participating in the Secondary School Places Allocation (SSPA) System for their children, you must submit the application to the relevant secondary schools from 2 to 16 January 2026.
To help with your application, EdCity has compiled 10 helpful tips to help you easily grasp the key points and prepare for the application process!
1. Practise Filing Out Forms to Avoid Errors During Formal Submission
Parents submitting applications in person should make photocopies of the application form to practice filling out the relevant information to avoid any mistakes during formal completion. Parents who wish to submit an electronic application via the "iAM Smart+" app may choose to skip this step. But remember to bound your SSPA e-platform (eSSPA) account with "iAM Smart+" first, and then you can submit the application through eSSPA.
2. Conduct Thorough Research for Optimised School Selection
Browse the online version of the Secondary School Profiles 2025/2026 by The Committee on Home-School Co-operation (CHSC) to understand your children's interests and academic performance estimates, compile a list of preferred schools, and screen options together with your child to ensure choices align with their needs.
3. DP Applications are Open to Schools in All Districts in Hong Kong with Limited Places
Choices at the DP stage is not subject to restriction on districts, which means students may apply to schools not physically located in the districts where their primary schools are (i.e., schools in other districts). However, each student may not apply to more than two secondary schools in their DP applications, so please choose carefully.
4. Consider Past Progression Trends
If you have difficulty setting on a school, you can refer to the school’s graduate destinations, consult with current parents enrolled in the school, or attend the school’s admission briefing to obtain more practical information.
5. Familiarise with School Settings
If possible, visit your preferred school beforehand to become familiarized with the surroundings to reduce interview nerves.
6. Be Flexible with English-medium (EMI) and Chinese-medium (CMI) Schools
If your child demonstrates stronger ability in English than Chinese, do not limit choices to English-medium (EMI) schools. Some Chinese-medium institutions offer English-medium classes. Contact the schools directly to inquire about the number of such classes available and take this opportunity to ask about details not listed on their websites, enabling a more informed decision.
7. Electronic Application Does Not Mean Fully Online
Even if you submitted an electronic application via "iAM Smart+" and eSSPA, some schools might still require you to mail documents, such as return envelopes, passport photos, etc. In some cases, such as if the parents are graduates of the school, they may also be required to provide relevant graduation certificates.
8. Don’t Be Overambitious When Selecting Schools
The competition for DP in S.1 is relatively fierce, and parents should not be too ambitious when making their applications.
9. Prepare Comprehensive Academic and ECA Records in Advance
Compile your child’s academic results, competition and extracurricular activity records from P.4 to P.6. Although most schools only look at the records of the past two years, some schools will still accept the records up to P.4.
10. Different Schools Require Different File Formats
Although you may be applying electronically via "iAM Smart+" and eSSPA, submission requirements differ per school. Some demand consolidated PDF files, while others require separate JPG uploads. Review requirements beforehand to avoid last-minute confusion.
Hopefully these tips will help parents prepare with peace of mind, accompany their children to take the first step in secondary school, and welcome new challenges together!