The pluses of mainland studies

As China has become an economic powerhouse, universities on the mainland have emerged as a viable option for Hong Kong's best and brightest.

The standard of instruction has risen, while studying there is less expensive than in Hong Kong. Annual university tuition on the mainland for a Hong Kong student is only 4,500 yuan (HK$5,314), as against HK$50,000 for associate and self-financed degrees here.

'Both tuition fees and living expenses are cheaper on the mainland,' said Yip Chee-tim, principal of Pui Ching Middle School.

Fukien Secondary School principal Wong Kwan-yu said more than 20 of the school's students have gone to mainland universities over the past five years. All of those who graduated landed good jobs, he added.

'All of them have come back to work,' he said. 'Their salaries aren't less than those of local graduates. They are now working in all kinds of industries, like tourism.'

That's the story that elite mainland universities want more Hongkongers to hear. They are boosting their recruitment efforts to get the message out. Peking University representatives visited the University of Hong Kong, Pui Ching Middle School and St Mary's Canossian College last month.

'Students asked us many questions,' Peking University admission office manager Qin Chunhua says. 'Some are worried about their Putonghua proficiency level. Others are worried that studying in Peking University will be stressful ... But our university is the best in China and well known internationally. All the resources are concentrated in our school and students there have more opportunities than others.'