They had their pick of universities but two top students opted to stay in Hong Kong to further their studies. Sarah Chan Sze-wun and Edward Tam Yuk-wang were among the nine students from English Schools Foundation schools who got 45 points - the highest possible score in the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Chan, who has decided to study law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said CUHK won't just give her local perspectives.
It will also allow her to study overseas in an exchange program in Year Two. "I trust there will be more opportunities for me to explore either in the mainland or overseas," she said.
CUHK is also offering her a HK$50,000 scholarship for the first year, renewable if she keeps a grade point average of 3 or above.
Tam, meanwhile, is planning to study medicine at a local university - although he is still deciding on which one.
"Knowing Hong Kong has a shortage of medical experts, I decided to serve the community that particularly needs me," he said.
Local universities have never been the most popular choice for ESF students, but they are starting to attract more elite students, according to ESF chief executive Heather Du Quesnay.
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and CUHK had the largest amount of ESF students locally with a total of 12.3 percent of the school leavers last year studying at the institutions.
But the United Kingdom remained the most popular destination, with 39 percent of ESF students going to study there.
About 18 percent of students went on to study at a US university, with popular choices including Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Chicago.
