Hong Kong will raise the non-local undergraduate quota at public universities to a maximum of 50 percent in the next school year, while the number of places for local students will remain unchanged.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced during his policy address on Wednesday, September 17, that the enrollment ceiling for self-financing non-local students at post-secondary institutions funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC) will increase from 40 percent to a maximum of 50 percent of local undergraduate places in the upcoming school year.
Under the change, the quota for non-local students could climb to 37,000, an increase of 7,000 from the current level.
The policy address states that the government is committed to building Hong Kong as an international hub for higher education, including the promotion of the “Study in Hong Kong” brand.
Aside from benefiting students from Mainland China, the government hopes the policy will help see an increase in Belt and Road students studying in Hong Kong, boosting the city’s role as an international hub.
John Lee emphasised that expanding the increase in non-local student intake will not affect the 15,000 subsidised university places for local students. During an interview on Saturday, Lee said the increase in non-local students enables their local counterparts to expand their horizons, fostering student development.
In a September interview ahead of the policy address announcement, Lee said non-local students help tell good stories of Hong Kong. The Chief Executive cited a conversation he had with a German exchange student, who said Hong Kong is a rare place where people can get from the city centre to the natural countryside in under 30 minutes. “Hong Kong is a place where you can work hard, and also play hard,” said Lee.
The government launched the “City School Dormitory Scheme” this July to increase student accommodation by converting commercial buildings and hotels into privately funded student hostels. According to the Legislative Council, 15 dorm projects are currently underway at UGC-funded universities, providing 14,300 available spots. Within this year, the government will also set aside new commercial and other types of land for constructing new dormitories.
The UGC will allocate HK$40 million to support eight subsidised universities in a bid to enhance the recruitment of faculty and students, and promote their programs in Mainland China and internationally. The government will strengthen the “Study in Hong Kong” brand by encouraging post-secondary institutions to introduce additional high value-added “Study in Hong Kong” activities.
In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, five Hong Kong universities secured positions in the top 100 spots. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) rose to 11th globally and holds the second-highest ranking among Asian universities on the list, coming behind the eighth-ranked National University of Singapore (NUS).