Those who enrolled at universities under the new system because of educational reform while at former higher schools include novelist Akiyuki NOSAKA (from Niigata Higher School to Niigata University, then to Waseda University), Kazumi TAKAHASHI (from Matsue Higher School (under the old system) to Kyoto University), Takeshi KAIKO(from Osaka Higher School (under the old system) to Osaka City University), Sakyo KOMATSU (from Third High School to Kyoto University), Seiji TSUTSUMI (from Seijo Higher School to the University of Tokyo), Takatada IHARA (from Gakushuin High School to Keio University), and Keiichi KONAGA (from the Sixth Higher School to Okayama University) who was the first person to become a deputy secretary after graduating from a university that was not a university under the old system.
旧制高校在学中に学制改革によって新制大学に入学した人物には作家の野坂昭如（新潟高等学校から新潟大学、のち早稲田大学）、高橋和巳（松江高等学校(旧制)から京都大学）、開高健（大阪高等学校(旧制)から大阪市立大学）、小松左京（第三高等学校から京大）、堤清二（成城高等学校から東大）、井原高忠（学習院高等科から慶大）、旧制大学を前身としない大学学部卒ではじめて事務次官になった小長啓一（第六高等学校から岡山大学）らがいる。