BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have better chances to get into universities on the mainland, as more universities begin to enroll applicants without requiring them to take college entrance exams, the China Daily reported Friday.

This year, students from Hong Kong can apply to 112 universities on the mainland based on their performance in a local test, which almost double the number in 2012, said the paper citing the Ministry of Education.

Students from Macao can apply to 88 mainland universities this year without taking the college entrance exams, up from 67 last year.

As of the end of 2017, more than 15,000 students from Hong Kong and more than 5,700 from Macao have been admitted to mainland universities, according to the ministry.

Applicants from Taiwan can also apply to mainland universities with fewer academic requirements this year. A total of 336 mainland universities will be allowed to enroll students from Taiwan, 20 more than in 2018, said the report.

More Hong Kong students have been opting for mainland universities to seek better career opportunities and broaden their vision, Chung Ho-yi, a Hong Kong student studying in Beijing Normal University, was cited as saying.