Formal nursing education in Hong Kong has deep roots in hospital-based training. The original Nethersole School of Nursing at Nethersole Hospital was established in 1893 as Hong Kong’s first hospital-based nursing school. Nursing education later shifted increasingly toward tertiary and university-level study, with the Chinese University of Hong Kong establishing Hong Kong’s first university department of nursing in 1991.
Several Hospital Authority nursing schools reopened in 2008 as Hong Kong responded to nursing manpower needs. Today, nursing education in Hong Kong includes five-year bachelor’s degree routes, master’s-entry programs for graduates of non-nursing disciplines at some universities, and diploma or higher diploma routes depending on the provider. Nursing specialty education is also available.
The institutions listed below are among the nursing schools in Hong Kong. Let’s take a look at them!
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in Hong Kong
1. University of Hong Kong
The School of Nursing, part of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, was established in 1995. It has grown into a full-fledged nursing school that plays a significant role in nursing education, research, and knowledge exchange. The school also maintains international links that support student exchange and research collaboration.
The university serves undergraduate students as well as registered nurses who want to advance, update, or upgrade their skills. It offers undergraduate, taught postgraduate, and research postgraduate pathways, including master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as MPhil and Ph.D. study. Its five-year Bachelor of Nursing program includes common core courses, core nursing courses, practicum courses, language courses, and an elective course, and prepares students for registration as general registered nurses in Hong Kong.
For the 2026/27 cohort, undergraduate tuition at HKU is HKD47,000 per year for local students. Non-local students admitted to the Faculty of Medicine are charged HKD249,000 per year. Taught postgraduate nursing fees vary by program; for example, the Master of Nursing is HKD75,000 per year in part-time mode or HKD150,000 per year in full-time mode, while the Master of Science in Nursing is HKD150,000 per year.
2. Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Nursing is one of the pioneers of nursing education in Hong Kong. PolyU states that it was Hong Kong’s first tertiary educational institution to offer a conversion program for registered nurses to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a nursing degree program for undergraduates, and a Master of Science in Nursing. It also launched Hong Kong’s first pre-registration Master of Nursing program for graduates from other disciplines in 2008.
Through exchange programs, clinical exposure, and collaborative research, the School of Nursing connects students with institutions, hospitals, and health-related agencies in Hong Kong and overseas. Its current Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Nursing is a five-year full-time program, while its Master of Nursing is a three-year full-time pre-registration program for bachelor’s degree holders in any discipline.
For the 2026/27 undergraduate cohort, PolyU tuition is HKD47,000 per year for local students and HKD200,000 per year for non-local students. The Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Nursing requires 117 credits plus 35 clinical or field credits. The Master of Nursing requires 97 credits, including 31 postgraduate credits and 66 undergraduate credits, of which 30 are clinical field credits. Master of Nursing tuition is charged per credit: HKD5,800 per credit for local students taking undergraduate subjects, HKD6,500 per credit for local students taking postgraduate subjects, and HKD6,500 per credit for non-local students.
3. Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Nethersole School of Nursing, part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Medicine, was established in 1991 as Hong Kong’s first university department of nursing. It is ranked 6th in the world for nursing in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, and CUHK Nursing reports that it has ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong since 2016 and No. 1 in Asia since 2020. The Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Charity Foundation supports the school’s mission in nursing education, research, and practice.
The original Nethersole School of Nursing at Nethersole Hospital was established in 1893 as Hong Kong’s first hospital-based nursing school. In 2002, CUHK’s nursing department was named The Nethersole School of Nursing in appreciation of the foundation’s support. Students learn through academic study, simulation, clinical learning, and placements in hospital and community settings.
The average annual undergraduate tuition for the 2026/27 academic year is HKD47,000 for local students and HKD214,000 for non-local students. Postgraduate nursing fees vary by program: the Master of Nursing is HKD5,700 per unit, and the Master of Nursing Science (Pre-registration) is HKD153,000 per year. CUHK’s MPhil-PhD in Nursing is a research-focused program, with MPhil and Ph.D. study periods varying by study mode.
4. Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Hong Kong Metropolitan University, formerly The Open University of Hong Kong, is a self-financing university that offers full-time, part-time, and distance-learning programs. The university was established by the Hong Kong Government in 1989 as The Open Learning Institute of Hong Kong to provide flexible higher education opportunities, later became The Open University of Hong Kong in 1997, and was renamed Hong Kong Metropolitan University in 2021.
In 2001, the university launched its first full-time associate degree programs, followed by its first bachelor’s degree in 2003. Since 2015, some of its full-time programs have been included in the government’s Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP), which supports programs that meet manpower needs in specific industries.
HKMU’s nursing offerings include Bachelor of Nursing with Honours programs in General Health Care and Mental Health Care, a distance-learning Bachelor of Nursing for registered nurses, and Master of Nursing specializations. The five-year Bachelor of Nursing with Honours in General Health Care is a face-to-face program with 153 credit-units, while the Bachelor of Nursing distance-learning program is designed for registered nurses who want to further their careers with a bachelor’s degree. For 2026/27, the JUPAS-listed annual tuition fee for the Bachelor of Nursing with Honours in General Health Care is HKD144,770; eligible local students receive an SSSDP subsidy of HKD89,620, bringing the net annual fee to HKD55,150. Non-local students are not eligible for the SSSDP subsidy.
5. Tung Wah College
- Study Program
- Degree/s Offered: Higher Diploma, Diploma, Bachelor’s, Ph.D.
Tung Wah College was founded by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in 2010. Its School of Nursing offers Nursing Council of Hong Kong-accredited programs, including the Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) in Nursing and the Higher Diploma in Nursing. The five-year bachelor’s program qualifies graduates as registered nurses, while the two-year higher diploma pathway prepares students to become enrolled nurses.
The college also offers other health-related sub-degree, diploma, and certificate programs, and it launched a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program in 2026. Students gain practical experience through partnerships with hospitals, healthcare organizations, and community providers. For the 2026/27 entry cohort, the Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) in Nursing charges HKD49,310 per year for Year 1 to Year 5, for a total program fee of HKD246,550. The published fee is the net fee after the SSSDP subsidy; the 2026/27 annual SSSDP subsidy for laboratory-based undergraduate programs is HKD81,450, subject to Education Bureau approval and eligibility requirements.
Nursing is a respected profession with strong employment pathways in health care. For international students, choosing where to pursue a nursing program is important, and Hong Kong offers several university and post-secondary options. Good luck with your application.
We hope this article on the best nursing schools in Hong Kong was helpful. If you’re looking to study abroad, make sure to check out the Study in Hong Kong and Available Programs for International Students pages for more informative articles.
