How many non-local students are going to Hong Kong universities since quota rise?
‘We will not rule out reviewing the quota if there is such a need, and the universities’ supporting facilities are ready,’ minister says
Hong Kong public universities had more than 20,000 non-local undergraduate students in the second academic year since the government doubled quotas, a 17 per cent year-on-year increase, as the education minister promised to review the threshold.
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) saw the sharpest increase in non-local undergraduate students under the policy, jumping by 90 per cent over three academic years, followed by Baptist University.
Starting in the 2024-25 academic year, the government doubled non-local student admission quotas at public universities to the equivalent of 40 per cent of the number of local students. Authorities plan to raise the threshold to 50 per cent in 2026-27.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin on Saturday told the media that some universities had nearly reached their quotas for this year, underlining the fast pace of development.
“We will keep an eye on the situation. We will not rule out reviewing the quota if there is such a need, and the universities’ supporting facilities are ready,” she said.
Choi said that a supply of about 5,000 hostel places could be increased under a scheme to accommodate more non-local students by allowing private developers or operators to convert commercial buildings into student hostels.