Explore All About hong kong

Why Study In hong kong?

Hong Kong‘s goal of becoming an international higher education hub certainly looks realistic, thanks to its high-performing universities, world-class research, and attractive lifestyle.

 

The home of both the highest-ranked Asian university in the QS World University Rankings (Hong Kong University at 23) and the number one university in the 2012 QS University Rankings: Asia (the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Hong Kong is truly an higher educational powerhouse.

 

The quality by no means ends with this illustrious pair either. Indeed, Hong Kong boasts no fewer than six universities in the top 300 of the 2012/13 QS World University Rankings, four of which are in the top 100. Not too shabby for a city state of seven million people.

 

“[This performance in the rankings]is a clear sign of our strength in higher education,” reflects Judy Tsui, Vice President of Internationalization and Executive Education at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (ranked 159), adding that, “Research in Hong Kong has achieved phenomenal growth over the last two decades, solving global problems.”

 

A confirmation of this can be found in INSEAD’s Global Innovation Index (which measures countries’ research and innovation capabilities), in which Hong Kong ranks 8th out of 141 countries.

 

Examples of groundbreaking research undertaken in Hong Kong include the development of BCT-100, a drug to treat liver cancer at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and huge leaps made in quantum computing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (ranked 40).

 

Additionally, the University of Hong Kong is a founding member of Univeritas 21, an international consortium of leading research universities dedicated to tackling issues of global importance.

 

An education hub

 

“The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is determined to make Hong Kong a regional education hub,” states Tsui, adding that many measures have been taken to this end.

 

“For instance, restrictions of entry visas have been relaxed in recent years, and permission has been given to non-local graduates to stay in Hong Kong for employment. Graduates can stay for one year to find a job. There is no quota for recruitment of international graduate students, especially PhD students.”

 

These policies are clearly paying dividends. Statistics gathered for the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings reveal that nearly 30% of the total student body at the six ranking Hong Kong universities was comprised of international students.

 

More specifically in reference to graduate-level students, Hong Kong University Grants Commission (UGC) statistics show that 4,854 international students were studying UGC-funded programs in Hong Kong in the 2011/12 academic year. The vast majority of these students were studying research rather than taught programs, again pointing to the country’s research strengths.

 

A major factor in Hong Kong’s success in attracting international students is the proportion of courses taught in English, still the world’s lingua franca. But studying in Hong Kong will also give you a good chance to become acquainted with Chinese languages (Cantonese predominates in Hong Kong, but there is also plenty of scope to familiarize yourself with Mandarin) – certainly an acquaintance which will be more and more sought after in years to come, in both the East and West.

 

Funding and costs

 

Of course, one of the main things on the mind of potential research students will be the issue of funding. This, states Tsui, can be generous: “For graduates with evidence of academic excellence, research ability, good communication, interpersonal and leadership abilities who wish to apply for full-time PhD study at PolyU, there is the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme offered by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong. Each awardee obtains $20,000 per month for three years.

 

“Apart from the monthly stipend of HK$20,000 (US$2,564) and conference travel allowance of HK$10,000 (US$1,282) per year for awardees for a maximum period of three years,” she adds, “the University will also provide each PhD Fellow with a 3-year tuition scholarship totaling US$112,450.”

 

A range of scholarships are available specifically for overseas students, allocated either through the universities themselves or through external funding bodies – it is worth researching your options in this regard.

 

Tuition varies from course to course, and institution to institution, but you can generally expect to pay between HK$75,000 and HK$120,000 (roughly US$9,700 to $15,400). Living in Hong Kong, as you might expect from a major metropolis, is not cheap, but like anywhere else in the world you can make it work with a bit of local knowledge.

 

And let’s not forget, the costs of graduate study should always be balanced against potential future earnings and improved career prospects. Professor Gregory B Raupp, Dean of Graduate Studies at City University of Hong Kong, states that employment opportunities are very good in Hong Kong.

 

“Hong Kong is an international financial centre in which many multinational financial institutions have set up operations. It is also the premier trading hub between mainland China and the rest of the world. There are tremendous career opportunities in Hong Kong.”

Higher Education System In hong kong

Currently, there are eight baccalaureate-granting universities and 11 other tertiary institutions without university status. All the tertiary institutions offer a wide array of high-quality programmes including undergraduate and post-graduate degrees, as well as associate degrees and higher diplomas. For students who fail to gain entrance to a degree programme, studying an associate degree or a higher diploma, which may articulate with a degree course, later on, is a popular option. It is also possible to gain a course transfer form a successfully completed post-secondary degree into an overseas degree programme with credit transfer.

 

Hong Kong hosts many world-class universities. Of the 19 local universities in Hong Kong, three were ranked within the global top 50 in the QS World University Rankings 2015 and another three within the top 300. Hong Kong universities also host the world’s best executive business management programmes. They also offer a wide array of joint programmes in collaboration with prestigious universities around the world.

Cost of study.

As a non-local student, your tuition fee of studying in Hong Kong varies according to your level of study and your choice of programme.

Of course, other than tuition fee, you need to allow for other expenses during your study, for example, course materials, examination fee, and graduation fee, etc. Normal ranges of study-related expenses are as follows –

 

Item	Amount (HK$/US$) (per year)
Tuition Fee (for non-local students)	HK$90,000 – HK$265,000	US$11,500 – US$34,000
Accommodation – Hostel – Rental for flat (with one bedroom)	HK$15,000 – HK$45,000 HK$96,000 – HK$180,000	US$1,900 – US$5,800 US$12,600 – US$23,000
Living expenses	Approx. HK$50,000	Approx. US$6,400
Miscellaneous	Approx. HK$15,000	Approx. US$1,900

 

Before making decision, you are advised to visit institutions’ websites or contact the institutions direct to check out the tuition fees of the programme that you plan to apply.

Visa Process to Study In hong kong

Once you have been accepted by an institution, you must get a student visa or entry permit.* All non-local students need one, whether they come for an exchange programme or full-time studies. In general, non-local students will need local sponsors, which can be arranged through their institutions, with the necessary supporting documents. Normally, the Immigration Department requires the following documents, although they may ask for others depending on the actual circumstances. It will normally take six weeks to process a visa or entry permit application for study upon receipt of all the required documents – apply as far in advance as possible!

 

• -Form ID995A completed and signed
• -Form ID995B completed and signed by sponsor (which can normally be arranged by your university)
• -Photocopy of your identity card and/or travel documents
• -One recent photo of yourself (affixed on form ID995A)
• -A photocopy of your letter of admission from an education institution in Hong Kong, as well as your letter accepting their admission
• -Evidence of your financial standing (bank statements, passbooks, proof of scholarship funds, etc.). If someone is sponsoring you financially, that person must submit a declaration stating their relationship to you, their intention to support your study and living expenses and their financial standing
• -Evidence of your accommodation arrangement in Hong Kong e.g. an undertaking that the sponsor is prepared to provide accommodation to the applicant

 

Chinese residents of the Mainland of China should submit their applications to the Immigration Department through the education institution (the sponsor) granting the acceptance. Other students can submit their application forms and supporting documents in one of the following ways:

 

• -By post directly or through the local sponsor in the HKSAR to the Receipt and Despatch Sub-Unit, Hong Kong Immigration Department, 2/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong;
• -Applicants residing in overseas countries or territories may submit their applications in person to the nearest Chinese diplomatic and consular mission in their place of domicile; or
• -Foreign passport holders living in the Mainland of China may submit their applications to the Immigration Division of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing.

 

If you take up studies in a full-time locally-accredited local or non-local post-secondary programme, you will normally be granted a length of stay in line with the normal duration of your study programme, subject to a maximum period of six years upon entry and the validity of the travel document held, whereas for those studying other courses, they will normally be granted permission of stay for 12 months upon entry or in accordance with the duration of their studies, whichever is shorter. Your parents would probably be unhappy if you got removed for having overstayed, so please renew your visa within four weeks before your old one expires!

Our Partner Universities

Sr. No	University Name	Website
1	Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi)Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi)	www.thei.edu.hk
2	Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE)	www.ive.edu.hk/ivesite/html/en/index.html
3	Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI)	www.hkdi.edu.hk
4	Raffles Design Institute	www.studyatraffles.com/hongkong/