Hongkongers may face tougher university admission standards in Australia due to cap

Hong Kong education consultants say admission requirements for some top Australian universities may become tougher should a bid to cap the number of international students in the country succeed.

Under the plan, the number of new enrolments in public universities, vocational education centres and other institutions would be limited to 270,000. The proposed change has left some Hong Kong parents and students confused about its potential impact on admission.

The measures are aimed at managing a surge in migration that has exacerbated the country’s tight housing market, as well as to improve the quality of education, according to Canberra. But the plan must pass the Senate before it can take effect.

Ava Ng Hoi-man, a senior education consultant with the Australian Education Association, predicted on Wednesday that admission requirements at popular universities located in city centres could become more strict.

“If students want to apply to popular universities, such as the University of Sydney or the University of Melbourne, which already have very high admission standards, their requirements could increase further under the proposal,” she said.

Ng noted that of the roughly 100 Hong Kong students they assisted each year, about 40 per cent pursued studies in centrally located universities in Australia, while roughly 60 per cent enrolled in regional institutions.