As of the 2017 admission cycle, all government funded degrees and sub-degrees provided by University Grants Committee (UGC) member institutions, and most of the other full-time degrees provided by institutions in Hong Kong are under the application system in JUPAS.

Prior to the introduction of JUPAS in 1990, the admission processes of tertiary education institutes were independent of one another and two separate entrance examinations were provided for students.

The UGC also selected the HKALE to be the benchmark examination; the HKHLE then came to its end in 1992, two years after the introduction of JUPAS.

In the 2006 admission cycle, the Open University of Hong Kong, which provided self-financed degrees, also participated in the scheme.

The Hong Kong Shue Yan University was also being offered to participate in JUPAS, but they declined, seeking to maintain an independent admissions process.

Theoretically, all recognised international academic examinations involving in the world are considered in admission into JUPAS, but the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE), and/or the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE, launching in academic year 2011) is a must for every student.

Students studying in secondary schools approved by the Education Bureau can only apply for the above programmes through JUPAS.

Applicants applying through JUPAS can select up to 20 choices of any programme offered by the 9 local institutes via the online portal, provided that they satisfied the prerequisites.

Before the release of admission results, only the bandings and not the actual choice order are provided to the educational institutions.

Because of the high degree of difficulty of the HKALE and the fixed quota of places in universities in recent years, JUPAS was considered one of the most competitive university application schemes in the world, which media and scholars claim to be only second to the National Higher Education Entrance Examination of China.

Those students must have outstanding achievements in non-academic areas such as sports, music, social services, other cultural activities, or have demonstrated leadership abilities.

Roughly 3–5% of total JUPAS intakes[citation needed] had participated in this scheme until it was abolished in the academic year of 2011/12.