Long search begins for universities' rejected applicants.

(From South China Morning Post)

Byline: Elaine Wu

Secondary school graduates who have lost out on a university place have began searching for study alternatives such as undertaking sub-degree programmes and studying abroad.

Nearly half of the 33,826 students who applied for university were rejected, according to the Joint University Programmes Admissions System.

The rejection rate rose by 1.7 per cent compared with last year, to 49.5 per cent.

The eight tertiary institutions running degree courses have 525 fewer places than last year.

Some 11,748 students received degree offers and 5,327 received offers for associate …