Coronavirus: cancellation and postponement of overseas exams may disrupt Hong Kong students’ plans to study abroad
- International English proficiency tests IELTS and TOEFL have been suspended for the first two weeks of February
- ACT admissions test for US universities on February 7 and 8, and SSAT test on February 8 for applying to US schools have also been cancelled
The study abroad plans of hundreds of students could be in limbo as at least four major overseas exams conducted in Hong Kong have been cancelled or postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Exams affected include two international English proficiency tests – IELTS and TOEFL, both essential requirements for local students to apply for studying at overseas universities. Most of the tests have been suspended for the first two weeks of February.
The ACT admissions test for US universities, originally scheduled on February 7 and 8, and the SSAT test on February 8 for applying to US boarding schools and high schools have also been cancelled.
ACT said examinees who were registered for February would be rescheduled to the next test in early April at no extra cost.
Henry Wong Yuk-chun, general manager at The Edge Learning Centre, which prepares students for university admissions in the US, said although most top ranking universities in the US had an application deadline by December last year, some kept their applications open till May.