Studying in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, situated on the Southern Coast of China, is well known for its towering skyscrapers and large urban population. The country attracts people of all age groups not only for its scenic beauty but also for its high standard of education and living. The fact that English is one of the two official languages (the other being Chinese, specifically Cantonese), makes it accessible for international students, who are more likely to be well versed in the lingua franca.

A Look into Hong Kong

• Hong Kong is a city-state following an autonomous system of government adhering to the Hong Kong Basic Law Constitution. The geo-political area of Hong Kong is termed the Hong Kong Special Autonomous Region (HKSAR), signaling that it is an autonomous part of the Republic of China.
• The country enjoys a sub-tropical climate with hot, wet summers and light winters.
• Hong Kong has a flourishing economy rich in industry and trading sectors with very lenient and forgiving tax rates.
• Due to the above characteristics of the region, combined with its very urban nature, it is a bit of a cultural melting-pot. Diverse cultures co-exist here with the population ranging from Chinese to Canadians and South Asians.
• The official languages are Cantonese and English, with the latter given equal priority.
• Predominant religions include Buddhism and a Jewish crowd with few Christians, Muslims, and Hindus.
• The country enjoys advanced public transport facilities making traveling a pleasant and fun experience.

Education and Job Opportunities In Hong Kong

• Hong Kong follows the English system of education, offering competitive, recognized courses of international quality.
• Hong Kong opens doors to ancient Chinese cultures modernized by a touch of British influence making education here an experience by itself.
• Job opportunities are ample with the quality of living as majestic as the skyscrapers here.
• Maximum exposure to fields relevant to an individual is possible here as it is the heart of International activity which houses many languages, religions, and interests.
• Advanced research facilities and top-notch Faculty members add more credit to the education system of Hong Kong.
• The beauty and dynamics of the country make it all the more appealing, especially to international students.

Cost of Education and Tuition fees in Hong Kong

Education in Hong Kong tends to be a bit more expensive than in most other countries in the region. However, the quality of education received is also extremely high with four universities being listed in the top 50 universities in the world by QS World University Rankings. These universities are The University of Hong Kong (Rank 22), the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Rank 27), the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Rank 43), and the City University of Hong Kong (Rank 48).

The fees for most of these top-tier universities typically range from 90,000 HKD (around $11,600) to 265,000 HKD (around $35,000). The following graph demonstrates the other expenses that the students may have to incur while studying in Hong Kong:

Expense	Amount per Year (HKD/USD)
Tuition Fees	90,000-265,000/11,600-35,000
Accommodation (For Hostel)	15,000-45,000/1,900-5,800
Accommodation (Third Party)	96,000-180,000/12,600-23,000
Average Living Cost	50,000/6,400
Miscellaneuos	15,000/1,900

Scholarship Opportunities for Students Aspiring to Study in Hong Kong

Despite the relatively more expensive cost of pursuing an education in Hong Kong, it is still viable for students who may be struggling financially due to the presence of several scholarship schemes, most of which have been introduced by the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) Government. These scholarships provide financial assistance to students with outstanding academic achievements irrespective of their nationality or residency, with both local and non-local students being able to avail themselves the same. Some prominent scholarships include:

• The Self-Financing Post-Secondary Education Fund: This scholarship is valid for students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree or a “full-time locally-accredited self-financing sub-degree”. The scholarship provides an amount of up to 80,000 HKD (or around $10,300) per year to non-local recipients of the Outstanding Performance Scholarship.
• The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Scholarship:This scholarship is applicable only to the (both local and non-local) students who are enrolled in one of the eight University Grants Committee-funded universities, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the Vocational Training Council. The scholarship itself is worth 80,000 HKD (approximately $10,300) per year.
• The Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme: This scholarship is aimed at students pursuing their Ph.D. programs in a university in Hong Kong. The very best research students may be allowed a stipend of up to 320,000 (approx. $41,000), in addition to a conference and research-related travel allowance of 13,300 HKD (approx. $1,700) per year for up to a period of three years. For recipients of the scholarship who wish to extend their research period over 3 years, a few universities may choose to provide additional support.

Note: The eight University Grants Committee-funded universities are as follows: City University of Hong Kong (CityU), Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Lingnan University (LingU), Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and University of Hong Kong (HKU).

Top Universities in Hong Kong

1. THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG:
   • It is the oldest, most prestigious university situated at Pokfulam with most of the courses taught in English.
   • Highly reputed for its research and laboratory facilities, it offers various degrees in Medicine, Biological Sciences, and Humanities at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels.
   • The Faculty members are Scholars in their area of research imparting quality education to their students.
   • Student life is pleasant with opportunities available round the clock through various exchange programs and internships at research institutes with cultural diversity playing a major role.
   • Application to the university costs 300 HKD, in addition to the ‘caution money’, around 350 HKD, which will have to be paid in advance. The tuition fee for an undergraduate course is 42,100 HKD per year for local students and 171,000 HKD per year for non-local students.
   • Postgraduate programs cost the same as undergraduate programs, i.e. 171,000 HKD per year, except for 1) A three-year program equivalent to a two-year full-time program- 114,000 HKD per year, 2) A two-year program equivalent to a one-year full-time program- 85,500 HKD per year.
   
   
2. THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG:
   • It is the second, oldest University situated in the New Territories known worldwide for its success in the fields of Mathematics and Physics.
   • Students are trained extensively in the fields of arts, business administration, education, engineering, social science, medicine, science, and law by top league Faculty; some of whom are Nobel Prize recipients.
   • Most of the courses are taught in English and the students are provided with tremendous opportunities through the University's tie-ups with other Universities and Research organizations.
   • A caution fee of 450 HKD is collected at the time of enrolment.
   • The yearly hostel fee is estimated to be around 12,000 HKD.
   • Tuition fee for undergraduate non-local students is 145,000 HKD per year.
   • Tuition fees for postgraduate courses vary depending on the course. A few prominent courses are: 1) Master of Business Administration- 560,000 HKD for the entire program (full-time), 2) MSc in Computer Science- 210,000 HKD for the entire course, to be paid in 2 installments, 3) MSc in Economics- 220,000 per annum, 4) MSc in Clinical Psychology- 145,000 HKD per annum.
   
   
3. THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
   • It is a top-notch, research-intensive public University situated at Kowloon well-reputed in the field of Science and Technology as the name suggests.
   • It offers English-taught undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees in various programs divided among five schools namely Schools of Business and Management, Engineering, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Sciences, and HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School.
   • Students are taught by a board of Faculty well known for specializations in their field and are exposed to various opportunities through excellent facilities.
   • Application fee for the university is 180 HKD.
   • Tuition fees for undergraduate and postgraduate courses, subject to change, are 180,000 HKD per academic year.
   • University-provided accommodation, excluding meals, air-conditioning, and laundry is estimated to be between 14,000 and 25,000 HKD per year.
   
   
4. THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY:
   • Situated at Kowloon it is the largest University recognized and financed by the Hong Kong government.
   • It is well known for its research achievements in Engineering, Business, and Technology offers Bachelor's, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees in the various streams.
   • Student's education is active and practical-based with real-life experiences through exchange programs and research institutes.
   • University provided accommodation costs 13,000 HKD per year.
   • Tuition fee for undergraduate courses is 145,000 HKD per academic year.
   • Tuition fees for postgraduate courses vary according to the course and school. Common programs and their respective tuition costs are 1) Master of Business Administration- 402,000 HKD for the entire program (full-time), 2) Master of Engineering (Various specializations)- 5,300 HKD per credit, 3) Master of Corporate Finance- 5,000 HKD per credit, 4) Master in Applied Psychology- 200,000 HKD per program.
   • Tuition fee for research postgraduate courses, like PhD and MPhil cost 42,000 HKD for UGC funded students and 84,000 HKD for non-UGC funded students.

Hong Kong offers a complete package, of both affordable (through government scholarships) and high-quality education, which combined with other factors such as high standards of living and beautiful landscapes, make it a popular destination for education and living amongst international students.