Mainland universities attract top students

China's colleges and universities began recruiting a new freshman class of students on Friday. And unlike previous years, more high-scoring students have been applying to mainland universities this time around. Among the top 50 students from each province and region, Tsinghua and Peking Universities are by far the most popular.

Leading universities have first pick when it comes to enrolling exceptional students. Renowned universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University and Fudan University are still the top three choices. In previous years, outstanding students from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong preferred attending universities in Hong Kong. This year, however, two-thirds of the graduates with good scores have chosen mainland universities.

Enrollment requirements for Hong Kong's universities are the same this year as they were last year. But this year there has been a 20 to 30 percent drop in applications. Some universities have seen student interest drop up to 50 percent. Experts speculate that high tuition fees are the main obstacle for mainland students.

Meanwhile, Tsinghua and Peking Universities have concluded their recruitment drive in Shanghai. Since there are more deserving graduates than ever before this year, both universities have expanded their enrollment numbers for students from Shanghai.

Liu Mingli from Peking University, said, "Peking university promises to provide financial aid for its poorer students."

Peking University has also pledged to provide subsidies for students from areas in Sichuan province affected by last year's earthquake.