Admissions & applications
Undergraduate and postgraduate application routes, Mainland students (DSE/Gaokao/international curricula), tuition and scholarships, and application timelines.
Articles
6 articlesHong Kong Five-Institution Admissions Overview and Application Timeline (DSE · Gaokao · International Qualifications · Postgraduate)
Admissions at Hong Kong's five universities are divided into five tracks by applicant background: local DSE through JUPAS, mainland gaokao via institution-specific routes, early selection through holistic assessment, international qualifications via Non-JUPAS, and postgraduate through the Graduate Schools. This page is the sorting hub and cross-track master timeline; once you've identified which line you're on, open the corresponding detailed article for the specifics. Exact dates on each track adjust slightly each year and are subject to each institution's official prospectus for that year.
How Do Local DSE Students Apply to Hong Kong's Five Universities? The Complete JUPAS Walkthrough
Local DSE students use a single JUPAS application to apply to all eight UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong, with offers allocated automatically by results and choice order. The university minimum entrance requirement is typically "332A33" (Level 3 in Chinese and English, Level 2 in Mathematics, Attained in Citizenship and Social Development, and Level 3 in two electives). 20 choices are grouped into Bands A–E (A = choices 1–3, B = 4–6, C = 7–10, D = 11–15, E = 16–20); institutions see only your Band, not your precise ordering. Application and choice ranking take place during Year 6, results come out in mid-July with a post-results re-ranking window, and Main Round offers are announced in early August. Local tuition for 2026/27 is HK$47,000.
Hong Kong University Admission Requirements for Mainland Students: Comparison of Five Universities' Unified and Independent Recruitment
The core divide for gaokao candidates applying to the five universities is \"does it take up a unified admissions choice?\" CUHK is part of the national unified early batch—no separate application, no interview, National Code 81002. HKU, HKUST, CityU, and PolyU conduct their own independent, direct online applications—they do not take up a unified admissions choice, can run in parallel with the unified system, and deadlines mostly fall in May–June. After the gaokao, scores are submitted and admission is score-based. From 2026/27, CityU switches from the unified system to independent recruitment, leaving CUHK as the sole remaining university on the unified track. Non-local undergraduate tuition fees are approximately HK$190,000–250,000 per year.
How to Apply to Hong Kong's Five Universities with International Qualifications: The Complete Non-JUPAS Guide
Holders of IB/A-Level/SAT/AP and other international qualifications, plus transfer students, all apply directly online via each university's Non-JUPAS (International and Other Qualifications) channel. Admission is holistic—academics, English, personal statements, interviews—and mostly rolling and merit-based. English minimums sit at roughly IELTS 6.0–6.5 and TOEFL 79–93 across the five universities; HKU and CUHK explicitly do not accept IELTS Indicator/Online. Application windows for international qualifications mostly open in the autumn of the preceding year, earlier than the gaokao route. Non-local undergraduate tuition ranges from around HK$190,000 to HK$250,000 per year.
A Practical Guide to Mainland Chinese Students: Hong Kong Study Visas and Post-Graduation Stay (IANG)
Mainland students need two documents for HK: a student visa/entry permit (issued per course duration, capped at six years) and a mainland Type-D stay endorsement (multi-entry). After graduation, the IANG grants an initial 24-month stay with no quota or sector restrictions; renewal requires employment and typically follows a 3+3 year pattern. On-campus part-time work allowed ≤20 hrs/week, with no limits during summer break.
How to Apply for Postgraduate Studies at Hong Kong's Top Five Universities: A Complete Guide to Taught and Research Programmes
Postgraduate admissions are completely independent of undergraduate admissions, handled centrally by each university's Graduate School. There is no JUPAS or gaokao pathway. Programmes are split into taught (TPg, mostly one-year, career-oriented, self-financed) and research (RPg, including MPhil/PhD, research-oriented, requires a matched supervisor, typically comes with a stipend). RPg applicants can compete for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS): a monthly stipend of ~HK$28,400, ~HK$340,000 annually, for up to three years, with a deadline around 1 December.