A website was launched by the Ministry of Education on May 10 aiming to provide a smooth and efficient channel for giving students enrollment information online.

Called Yangguang Gaokao (or "sunlight college enrollment"), it offers information on colleges and universities by subject of study and by region, as well as information on enrollment policies, lists of qualified colleges and universities, and examination requirements for examinees.

Through the website at http://gaokao.chsi.com.cn students can access detailed information on the faculties and disciplines of their favored institutions, admission procedures and requirements, enrollment statistics, tuition fees, scholarships, boarding and other living facilities.

Over 900 colleges and universities, including 77 of the country's top 100, are now incorporated on the site. Eight Hong Kong-based colleges and universities offering enrollment to mainland students are also accessible.

In 1999, the number of full time college and university students was 4.13 million. About 2.2 million were newly enrolled in 2000 and, in 2003, 3.82 million of the 6.2 million who competed in the national college entrance examination were enrolled.

The target number of full time higher education enrollments for this year is 4.75 million, an 8 percent increase on 2004.

(China.org.cn by Wind Gu May 11, 2005)