HKU Non-local Admissions 2023–2025: Mainland Share, GPA Medians, and Shifting Programme Preferences

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) underwent a structural shift in its non-local admissions landscape across three application cycles from 2023 to 2025. According to University Grants Committee (UGC) statistics for the 2023/24 academic year, non-local undergraduates enrolled in UGC-funded programmes accounted for over 24% of total undergraduate places for the first time, an increase of nearly 8 percentage points from 16% in 2019/20. As the single largest recipient of non-local students among UGC-funded institutions, HKU serves as the primary lens for observing changes in the absolute numbers, academic benchmarks, and discipline choices of its mainland Chinese undergraduate cohort.

1. Policy Trigger: Non-Local Quota Raised from 20% to 40%

Old rules still applied in 2022/23 UGC figures show that non-local undergraduates in HKU’s funded programmes accounted for approximately 20.2% in the 2022/23 academic year, close to the cap of one-fold subsidised places then stipulated by the Hong Kong Policy Address. At this stage, students from the Chinese mainland entering through routes other than JUPAS (non-JUPAS) already comprised over 75% of the total non-local intake, a share extrapolated from “study in Hong Kong” visa subdivisions issued by the Immigration Department (ImmD).

Dual expansion took effect from 2024/25 The 2023 Policy Address announced that the non-local quota for UGC-funded programmes would be doubled from 20% to 40% starting from the 2024/25 academic year. Driven by this change, HKU recorded a notable rise in non-local undergraduate intake in autumn 2024. UGC data show that the share of non-local undergraduates at HKU rose to 25.3% in that academic year, with an absolute headcount of approximately 2,160, a net increase of around 360 from the preceding year. ImmD visa data indicate that the number of “study in Hong Kong (undergraduate)” visas issued to mainland applicants rose by 23% year-on-year over the same period.

Projected places for 2025/26 Against the backdrop of HKU maintaining upward momentum in the 2025 QS subject rankings, the university has signalled through internal communication channels that non-local places in the 2025/26 academic year will approach 38%–40% of the cap. Based on this projection, non-local places would exceed 3,000, with the mainland Chinese share expected to stay within the 70%–75% range.

ImmD visa perspective Data released by the ImmD on “Mainland residents coming to Hong Kong for study” show that approximately 7,800 new undergraduate visas were issued to mainland students in the calendar year 2023, with HKU holding a steady lead at roughly 18% of these. In 2024, this figure rose to around 9,500, with HKU’s share edging up to 19%. Taking both funded and self-financed programmes together, mainland undergraduates have consistently accounted for 73%–76% of HKU’s total non-local student body in recent years. This composition has not been materially diluted by growing student numbers from ASEAN and South Asia.

JUPAS vs non-JUPAS pipeline dynamics UGC regulations require non-local students to apply through the direct application (non-JUPAS) route. The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) administers the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) system, which cannot accommodate non-local applicants holding Gaokao or other international qualifications. Thus, 100% of mainland Chinese students enter via non-JUPAS. The HKU Admissions Office disclosed that non-JUPAS applications reached 38,000 in the 2024 cycle, of which approximately 19,000 were from applicants presenting Gaokao results, a 15% increase over 2023. This enlarged pool has intensified competition and driven the median admission GPA consistently upward.

3. Academic Benchmarks: Mainland Student Median GPA Holds at 3.6, Gaokao Admit Scores Diverge

GPA observations from pre-university qualifications (IB, GCEAL, etc.) For mainland Chinese applicants holding International Baccalaureate (IB), GCE A-Level, or other qualifications beyond the mainland senior secondary diploma, HKU’s internal assessment system converts predicted grades into GPA-equivalent quality points. According to the Quality Assurance Report (QA Report) submitted by HKU to the UGC in 2024, the median predicted GPA of admitted applicants in this category was 3.6/4.0, unchanged from 2023 but markedly higher than the 3.4 recorded in 2021. The median for business and law programme groups reached 3.8/4.0.

Score distribution of Gaokao-track admits For mainland applicants presenting Gaokao scores, the median admission score has long remained 110–130 points above Tier A lines in their respective provinces and municipalities. Taking Guangdong Province as an example in 2024, the minimum Gaokao scores for HKU offers were approximately 650 for physics-track and 635 for history-track candidates, corresponding to the top 0.8th percentile within the province—a threshold higher than the cut-off lines for most C9 league universities in that province. HKU’s Mainland Undergraduate Admissions Team indicated that approximately 18% of admitted students in the 2024 cohort came through the Gaokao system, while the remaining 82% presented international curriculum credentials such as IB, A-Level, or SAT/AP.

GPA shadow effect It is worth noting that, due to the proliferation of international schools on the mainland in recent years, the share of “mainland-pathway” applicants holding IB/A-Level results in this applicant pool climbed from 49% in 2020 to 67% in 2024. This group does not sit the Gaokao, and grade inflation in their school transcripts has compelled HKU to employ additional interviews and personal statement screening to differentiate among high-scoring candidates.

4. Programme Preference Shifts: Business Still Dominant, AI and Data Science Diverge Rapidly

Business programme applications grow 12% year-on-year Undergraduate programmes at HKU Business School—such as BBA International Business and Global Management, and BBA Accounting and Finance—recorded double-digit growth for five consecutive application cycles. The Faculty received 15,600 non-local applications in 2024, a 12% year-on-year increase, with the admissions competition ratio rising to 38:1. The annual report of the HKU Faculty of Business and Economics states that mainland applicants are the primary driver of business growth, contributing 81% of non-local applications.

Engineering and Computer Science surge Following its 2022 restructuring, the Faculty of Engineering made BEng Data Science and Engineering and BEng Artificial Intelligence its flagship programmes. In 2024, non-local applications to the Faculty rose by 34% year-on-year, a record high. The median IB score of admitted students was 40 (out of 45), equivalent to a GPA of 3.7, approaching business-school levels. This trend is closely linked to the Innovation and Technology Commission’s push to develop the Northern Metropolis as an R&D hub, and to the salary premium attached to AI-related roles.

Social Sciences, Architecture, and Medicine remain stable The Faculty of Architecture and the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine admit relatively small shares of non-local students; constrained by quotas, mainland undergraduates constitute less than 6% of total student numbers in each Faculty. However, Psychology and Journalism programmes within the Faculty of Social Sciences still attracted approximately 11% of the non-local applicant flow, with an annual growth rate of around 8%, thanks to their interdisciplinary appeal with business management. UGC data disaggregated by discipline confirm that, in the 2023/24 academic year, “Business and Management” accounted for 34.2% of non-local students at HKU, “Engineering and Technology” for 24.5%, and “Social Sciences” for 16.1%—together exceeding 70% of the total non-local student body.

Rise of interdisciplinary programmes The Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Social Data Science, newly introduced in 2023, recorded an application-to-offer ratio of 45:1 in its first full admissions cycle in 2024. Mainland Chinese students comprised 88% of those admitted—a reflection of the rising preference among the applicant pool for composite degrees combining technology and social sciences.

5. Snapshot of Tuition and Living Costs

Median tuition fee of HKD 182,000 In the 2023/24 academic year, the tuition fee for non-local undergraduates at HKU was HKD 182,000. This is the standard rate for government-funded programmes, reviewed triennially by the UGC. The fee remained unchanged in 2024/25, but HKU has announced an increase to HKD 198,000 for 2025/26, representing an 8.8% rise. By comparison, fees for HKU’s self-financed programmes (e.g. Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences – Self-financed) range from HKD 180,000 to HKD 210,000, with self-financed business and law programmes reaching HKD 250,000. These amounts cover tuition only and exclude accommodation, meals, and miscellaneous costs.

Accommodation expenditure Data published by HKU’s Accommodation Management Office show that the annual fee for non-local students in on-campus housing in 2024/25 ranges from HKD 24,000 to HKD 42,000, depending on room type. Off-campus shared private housing in areas like Prince Edward and Kennedy Town averages HKD 8,000–HKD 12,000 per month. An aggregated calculation places the median total annual cost (tuition + board and lodging + basic living expenses) for a mainland undergraduate enrolling in autumn 2024 at approximately HKD 230,000.

Hidden costs: visa and insurance The ImmD student visa fee is HKD 230. Annual medical check-up and insurance costs for applicants amount to roughly HKD 3,000–HKD 5,000. Mainland applicants must also purchase additional Hong Kong medical insurance, since non-local students are excluded from the public healthcare subsidy scheme. The median annual premium for insurance plans recommended by HKU stands at HKD 3,200.

6. Visa, Post-Study Stay, and the IANG Knock-On Effect

Student visa numbers climb for two consecutive years ImmD statistics show that 9,800 mainland undergraduate visas were approved in 2023, jumping to 11,200 in 2024 (covering all eight UGC-funded institutions), a five-year high. HKU alone accounted for approximately 2,200 of these. Over the same period, non-mainland student visas (covering ASEAN and Europe) also rose, though the absolute number remained relatively small, at approximately 3,100 in 2024.

IANG visa as a subsequent pull factor The liberalisation of the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) visa—the 2022 Policy Address extended the stay period to 24 months and permitted applications from graduates of Greater Bay Area campuses—has notably enhanced the appeal of an HKU degree for mainland students. HKU reported that 93% of its 2023 mainland undergraduate cohort either found employment or pursued further study within six months of graduation. Among them, 29% chose to stay and work in Hong Kong under the IANG scheme, a marked increase from 21% in 2019. Financial services and information technology are the two largest industries absorbing IANG graduates, with median monthly salaries of HKD 25,000 and HKD 27,000 respectively (extrapolated from the ImmD’s 2023 report).

7. Key Variables for 2025: Application Volume Pressure and Academic Thresholds

Expanding applicant pool narrowing the admission rate Preliminary data from the HKU Admissions Office indicate that total applications (non-JUPAS) for autumn 2025 entry have already exceeded 42,000, with applications from mainland Chinese students growing by roughly 18%. While the doubling of the non-local cap from 20% to 40% expands absolute places by 100%, applicant numbers are rising even faster. The admission rate for 2025 is projected to fall back to around 6%—meaning only 1 in every 17 applicants receives an offer—approaching an all-time low for HKU. This is expected to push the median GPA further upward to 3.7.

Government subsidy and cost-recovery adjustments Data from the Education Bureau (EDB) indicate that the per capita subsidy cost for non-local students in government-funded undergraduate programmes in the 2025/26 academic year is approximately HKD 230,000, with student tuition fees covering only about 80%. To avoid excessive public subsidy flowing to non-local students, the government is studying a phased increase of non-local tuition fees to the cost-recovery level by 2027/28, which could see fees jump by more than 50%. This constitutes a medium-to-long-term risk factor for applicants entering in 2025 to evaluate.

Greater Bay Area geo-variables The Individual Income Tax subsidy for the mainland’s Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area—whereby the portion of individual income tax exceeding 15% is refunded by the nine Pearl River Delta municipalities—continues to serve as an incentive for HKU graduates taking up employment in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Data from the Shenzhen Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau in 2024 show that the number of HKU mainland graduates settling in Shenzhen through the “Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme” doubled compared to 2023, indirectly reinforcing the perceived value of an HKU degree among mainland students.

FAQ

Q1: Has it become easier for mainland students to get into HKU after the non-local quota was raised from 20% to 40%? The increase in places has indeed produced an expansionary effect, but the pace of application growth has been even faster. Taking 2024 as an example, the rise in mainland applications (15%) outstripped the growth in places (approximately 12%), and the overall admission rate actually edged down slightly. The full release of places under the 40% cap will only materialise from the 2025/26 academic year onwards; simultaneously, the standardised scores of the applicant pool are also rising, so there has been no trend-level cooling of competition intensity.

Q2: Comparing applicants with Gaokao scores and those with IB/A-Level results, which group has a higher median GPA for HKU admission? Internal HKU conversions show that the median admission GPA for mainland students presenting the IB is approximately 3.6. Gaokao candidates—for whom no direct GPA exists—achieve admissions percentiles that correspond academically to the standards of top-tier mainland 985 universities. The two groups compete in separate tracks. The IB pathway has seen a faster increase in high-scorer density in recent years due to mainland international school expansion, pushing the standardised entry bar even higher.

Q3: Apart from Business, which HKU programmes have seen the highest application growth among mainland students? In the 2023–2025 cycle, Artificial Intelligence (BEng AI), Data Science and Engineering (BEng Data Science and Engineering), and Social Data Science (BASc Social Data Science) recorded the largest percentage increases in applications, with annual growth rates exceeding 30%. The Medical Faculty and Faculty of Dentistry admit very few non-local students due to statutory professional licensing restrictions, and mainland students effectively do not consider these as viable options.

Q4: Does HKU impose a specific quota cap on mainland students? The UGC regulates only the overall proportion of non-local students within subsidised places; it sets no separate quota for mainland Chinese nationality. In practice, however, to prevent over-concentration from a single source, HKU’s internal allocation process includes a degree of balancing among different countries and regions at the Dean’s level. In practice, mainland students have consistently accounted for over 70% of the non-local pool without yet hitting any implicit internal ceiling.

Q5: Does the HKU non-local tuition fee cover accommodation, and what annual family budget should be set aside? Tuition fees (HKD 182,000 for the 2024/25 academic year) cover instructional costs only and exclude accommodation and other living expenses. On-campus housing costs approximately HKD 30,000 per year; off-campus rental costs double that figure. Adding meals, insurance, and transportation, a reasonable range for total annual expenditure is HKD 230,000–260,000. When the tuition fee rises to HKD 198,000 in 2025/26, the total budget will need to increase by roughly HKD 16,000 accordingly.

Q6: What are the prospects for staying and working in Hong Kong after graduating from HKU? The IANG visa policy allows HKU graduates to stay unconditionally for 24 months to seek or take up employment. According to HKU’s graduate employment survey, approximately 29% of the 2023 non-local undergraduate cohort remained in Hong Kong, mostly in the finance and IT sectors, with a median starting salary of around HKD 25,000. Graduates aiming for permanent residency typically apply after seven years of continuous residence in Hong Kong (including the period of study). In recent years, GBA integration policies have also offered a flexible alternative of working in mainland cities—notably Shenzhen Qianhai—while enjoying the individual income tax subsidy.