Education in Hong Kong

Cost and structure of education in Hong Kong

All prices and requirements are approximate. Data must be clarified on the websites of universities.

Options and schemes for admission to Hong Kong

Admission and requirements at universities in Hong Kong

Universities in Hong Kong have a high degree of autonomy in the admission of students. Therefore, there are no uniform requirements for admission, they vary from university to university and from program to program. Educational institutions accept students based on academic and other achievements. Depending on their specialty, candidates are additionally invited for interviews.

As a rule, the main list of documents includes:

• Certificate of secondary education or bachelor's/master's degree;
• Results of final exams in a home country (if any);
• Results of standardized tests (SAT, ACT, GRE/GMAT);
• Language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS).

To apply, the student needs to get acquainted with the educational institutions of Hong Kong and choose the appropriate program. Usually, all the necessary information is indicated on the websites of universities which include admission requirements and application deadlines. If you have questions, you can contact the admissions office of the university.

Legalization and recognition of a diploma in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a part of the Hague Convention on the legalization of documents, therefore if your country is also a member of the Convention, your certificate/diploma must be apostilled. Otherwise, you may need to go through consular legalization. The exact requirements depend on the country.

Foundation programs in Hong Kong

In addition to an IB Diploma and A-Levels, students can attend pre-university Foundation programs to enter the university. They help to improve the level of English and enhance the student's knowledge in specialized subjects. For example, in the natural sciences and humanities, mathematics and medicine. Typically, such courses last 1 year. The qualifications of most programs allow graduates to enter not only Hong Kong but also British, American and Chinese universities. To enrol, the applicant must provide a certificate of secondary education and transcript with grades from high school, language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS) and the results of final exams in the native country. Additionally, the administration may schedule an interview.

Some educational institutions offer summer preparatory courses before the admission to the university. As a rule, they are modular and prepare students for a certain specialty, for example, law. In the classroom, students master the basics of the field of study, read educational material and learn the intricacies of the future learning process. Upon completion, students receive certificates and confidence in their knowledge. To enrol in the courses, the applicant must provide a transcript of current grades, a letter of motivation and a language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS). Such programs supplement knowledge but are not a key condition for admission to bachelor’s studies.

Colleges — Vocational Education in Hong Kong

High school graduates can enrol in sub-degree programs — associate degree or Higher Diploma. After graduation, students can continue their studies and after another two years (that is, "2 + 2") receive a bachelor's degree. Another way is to immediately start working in a specialty. Graduates of sub-degree programs can find employment not only in private organizations but also in public service.

Vocational Training Council (VTC) and the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, along with other higher education institutions, offer professional programs. VTC brings together 13 training institutions in Hong Kong. The motto of the Council "Think and Do" reveals the ideology of schools — to train students for further employment. Programs are offered in the following disciplines: design, creative media, business, engineering, information technology, hotel business and tourism, Chinese cuisine, etc. You can find a list of programs here.

Most institutions also work with large companies. Partners not only participate in curriculum development but also provide scholarships and internships for students.

There are two types of professional qualifications in Hong Kong:

Higher diploma programs are usually accepted with an education certificate of 11 years of school, and for the degree of associate and bachelor’s, it is often necessary to provide an equivalent of 12 years of school education:

• IB diploma;
• GCE A-Level/International A-Level;
• SAT/ACT;
• Another equivalent.

If these documents are not available, then you must contact the college administration and send a school certificate along with the results of your final exams. Further, the educational institution will make decisions on a case by case basis. Additionally, you need to provide a language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS), a motivation letter and an interview.

Bachelor’s in Hong Kong — Undergraduate

For bachelor’s studies, the applicants are selected based on academic performance, exam results, motivation letter, personality traits, talents and achievements. For some programs, applicants are interviewed or present a portfolio.

Students at Hong Kong schools study for 12 years, which differs from the educational system in some countries. Therefore, in order to enter a bachelor's program, it is necessary to request the information directly from universities. Often, on official websites, admission committees indicate lists of countries and equivalent diplomas. Many universities, such as Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong City University and the University of Hong Kong, accept 11-year certificates, but only with honours (GPA — from 4.5 and above). And for some, passing A-Levels, International Baccalaureate (IB), associate degree or higher diploma is required. Additionally, a package of documents usually includes:

• Application;
• Copy of the passport;
• Certificate of completed secondary education and transcript with grades;
• Language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS);
• Standardized tests (SAT/ACT);
• Recommendation and motivation letters;
• Contest diplomas and extracurricular achievements.

There are no unified requirements for exam results. On average, for SAT exams, a score of 1350 is required, and for the SAT Subject test — 550 for each subject, an acceptable result for ACT is 23 and for the Advanced Placement Test — level 3 for each subject.

All documents in languages other than English or Chinese must be accompanied by a notarized translation. The starting date for receiving applications depends on the program, often in late December — early January.

Master’s in Hong Kong — Graduate/Postgraduate

Master’s in Hong Kong is either standard or research-based. Standard ones are similar to bachelor’s studies and consist of lectures, seminars, group and individual term papers. A research master's program prepares students for research at the PhD cycle.

Students are evaluated by written exams, projects, and dissertations.

Since Hong Kong is a global commercial centre, MBA programs are very popular here. Moreover, the teaching of business and management at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is ranked 16th among the best in the world according to the QS ranking.

The academic year in Hong Kong begins in September and ends in August. As in other countries, master's programs in Hong Kong usually last 1-2 years.

To submit documents to a master’s program, you will need:

• Bachelor's degree and transcript (the GPA of at least 3.0 or B);
• Letters of recommendation;
• Language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS);
• GRE/GMAT;
• Motivation letter.

The application process is done online.

Master’s programs in Hong Kong are taught in both English and Cantonese. If you want to learn the local language, most universities offer Cantonese and Putonghua language courses.

Doctoral studies in Hong Kong — Postgraduate

Hong Kong doctoral studies are similar to British and other countries of the Anglo-Saxon education system. Most PhD programs in Hong Kong last 3-4 years. There is a three-year program designed for students with a master's degree in research (MRes), and the four-year program for bachelor’swith honours and master’s degree holders. Foreign students can also study part-time. However, in order to get a visa, a study must take place at a state university funded by UGCUniversity Grants Committee. Then the three-year part-time program will last 4.5 years, and the four-year — 6 years. The full-time academic year consists of two semesters: autumn (September-November) and spring (January-April).

PhD programs include studies and research. Students attend classes related to the specialty, and basic doctoral courses. The finale of study is the defence of a dissertation in front of an internal and external examiner.

As Hong Kong has a small number of universities, the region has no unified application procedure. Applicants apply directly to the university and there they learn about the requirements:

• For four-year programs a bachelor's degree with honours and/or master's degree;
• For three-year programs, a MRes/MPhil degree in a related field;
• Entrance exams (GRE/GMAT);
• Research statement or research proposal;
• Language certificate (TOEFL/IELTS);
• Letters of recommendation;
• CV;
• Other documentation (publications, academic awards, and professional qualifications).

If the previous education of the student took place in English, then taking language exams is optional. All other documents must be translated and notarized (check the requirements for your country).

Universities conduct interviews for many programs. For foreign students — by a conference call. However, some applicants arrive in the country for 3-4 days to go through it and at the same time see the university and the city. At the interview, the commission asks questions about the personality of the candidate, his strengths/weaknesses, about previous and upcoming studies.

Scholarships and grants in Hong Kong

The government of Hong Kong, universities, public and private organizations offer scholarships and grants to international students. Some are issued to all students, regardless of nationality but are awarded on a competitive basis.

The HKSAR Government Scholarship is intended for local and foreign distinguished high-performing students from:

• 8 UGCUniversity Grants Committee-funded universities: Hong Kong City University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong University of Lingnan, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Hong Kong;
• Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts;
• Vocational Training Council.

The grant is awarded for full-time study programs in all degrees and amounts to 10,194 USD per year. Learn more about the scholarship here.

The Belt and Road Scholarship covers the tuition costs of outstanding students from the countries of the "Belt and Road" Initiative. The list includes Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Macedonia, Qatar and many others. A full list of countries is available on the site. Scholarships are available only for full-time programs of public universities. Source of funding is the Government Scholarship Fund.

The applications for grants are sent directly to universities.

The Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund provides scholarships to outstanding local and international students studying at associate, diploma, or bachelor’s programs full-time. There are 5 types of scholarships:

Hong Kong PhD fellowship scheme is designed for applicants of the following universities:

• Hong Kong City University;
• Hong Kong Baptist University;
• Lingnan University of Hong Kong;
• Chinese University of Hong Kong;
• Education University of Hong Kong;
• Hong Kong Polytechnic University;
• Hong Kong University of Science and Technology;
• University of Hong Kong.

The program provides 39,450 USD for training and 1,644 USD for travel related to conferences and research. Each scholarship holder receives this amount throughout 3 years. For longer periods, universities may additionally provide funds. In the 2020-2021 academic year, 250 scholarships were awarded.

Criteria for selecting candidates are as follows:

• Excellent academic knowledge;
• Research abilities and potential;
• Communicative and interpersonal skills;
• Leadership skills.

Universities directly oversee the grant. Detailed information can be found on the official website.

Other scholarships are issued by educational institutions. University administration or international offices may advise you on types of grants and application procedures.

Find scholarships in Hong Kong

Student visa in Hong Kong

To obtain a visa, foreign students must have a sponsor: the educational institution that accepted the applicant, or an individual living in Hong Kong. Typically, the registration process takes 6 weeks.

Documents required from the student:

• Application for study (ID995A);
• Copy of the passport;
• Photograph;
• Hong Kong Identification Card (if any);
• Letter of acceptance;
• Confirmation of financial viability, for example, a bank statement (if the sponsor is an educational institution).

Documents from the sponsor:

• Form ID995B filled out and signed by the sponsor;
• The obligation that the sponsor is ready to provide housing to the student during the training period (if an applicant is a minor).

You can apply by mail or through a sponsor to the Hong Kong Immigration Department or the nearest Chinese Consulate. Universities provide information to students and help with the submission of documents. For more information, see the Hong Kong Immigration Department website.

Opportunity to work while studying

In the past, international students in Hong Kong were not allowed to work. Recently, however, restrictions have been lifted when it comes to internships, part-time jobs, and summer jobs. This was done in order to attract more students and develop Hong Kong as a regional educational centre.

Foreign full-time students, whose term of study is at least one academic year, can undergo an internship if it is:

• Related to the field of studies;
• Organized/approved by the university;
• It lasts up to 1 year or makes up no more than a third of the curriculum time.

There are no restrictions on the nature of work, wages and the number of working hours of the internship.

International full-time students at all levels of education can work part-time:

• No more than 20 hours a week;
• On-campus only.

In the summer, you can work any number of hours and anywhere, but only from June 1 to August 31.

Opportunity to stay and immigration to Hong Kong

Hong Kong encourages the immigration of international graduates from local universities. The government has introduced special Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates. Visiting students with a full-time degree obtained in Hong Kong can apply for a work permit through the Department of Immigration website.

Graduates who apply within 6 months after graduation receive a 1-year permit and have the right to stay in the region and seek work. Those who apply after a 6-month period are classified as "returnees" — they need to get a job first, and only then can they get the permit. The work must be related to education and degree.

The permitting process takes about 2 weeks. For returning graduates — 4 weeks. However, the waiting time depends on the number of applications and their individual characteristics. The peak of applications is in the summer from June to August. The cost is 29 USD.

After the expiration of the permit, expats can extend their stay in Hong Kong if they have work and apply for an employment visa. Jobs can be found at career fairs, online or through consultation with a specialist at the university.

Prospects and employment opportunities

The Hong Kong government is actively attracting international talent. To this end, it has developed employment programs for foreign professionals and entrepreneurs, and immigration programs for foreign graduates of local universities^[7]. Many international corporations are based in Hong Kong, so the job market offers a large number of vacancies. Foreigners are free to work only with the knowledge of English. If you speak Cantonese, you can work in local companies as well. Expats are also involved in entrepreneurship: favourable conditions have been created in the region for foreign businessmen.

Hong Kong is one of the most expensive cities in the world in 2020^[4]. To live here comfortably, you need to be aware of your future salary in advance. The most popular areas are finance and information technology. For example, a digital marketer earns an average of 28 USD/hour, a financial analyst — 23 USD/hour, a software engineer and business analyst — 20 USD/hour. The unemployment rate is 5.20%, and the minimum wage is 1 USD/hour in 2019^[8].

Hong Kong is a major financial and trade centre of Asia and the world. This was made possible thanks to the efforts of the government: a free market, low taxation and almost free port trade led to financial prosperity and a highly developed economy. According to the rating of the Heritage Fund, Hong Kong ranks 2nd in the world in economic freedom^[9]. In Hong Kong, there is no VAT, capital gains and dividends tax . The income tax rate is the same for foreign and local companies — 17.5%, and for wages it is a maximum of 16%^[10]. Key sectors of Hong Kong's economy are financial services, trade and logistics, tourism, manufacturing and professional services^[11].

Diplomas of Hong Kong universities are accepted around the world, so graduates can find work almost everywhere.

Photographs of Hong Kong universities