BEIJING - A Chinese mainland spokesperson Tuesday said the mainland has issued a circular which includes specific requirements for Taiwan students and athletes to apply for mainland colleges and universities without sitting the entrance exams.

Taiwan students who won a prize at the International Olympiad in maths, physics, chemistry, biology or informatics can apply for undergraduate programs of the mainland's colleges and universities without taking entrance exams, said Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Zhu said the programs are also open to Taiwan athletes placing in the top three at the National Games, the Asian Games and the Olympic Games.

The students and athletes can be enrolled if they pass the assessment of the relevant colleges and universities, according to the circular, which was jointly issued by the Ministry of Education, the General Administration of Sport and the China Association for Science and Technology.

Relevant terms and procedures can be found on the websites of the colleges and universities, Zhu added.