Founded in 1984 as the City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong was granted university status in 1994. Today, CityUHK is a public research university in Kowloon, Hong Kong. It offers programs across 11 colleges and schools, covering areas such as business, computing, engineering, liberal arts and social sciences, science, law, veterinary medicine and life sciences, creative media, energy and environment, biomedicine, and graduate studies.
Its location in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, has made the university a popular option for both local and international students. Students can access student residences, sports teams, student clubs, counseling, academic facilities, and other services commonly offered by modern universities. In this article, we will be looking at the City University of Hong Kong scholarships for international students.
International Students
CityUHK has a highly international student community. Times Higher Education listed CityUHK as the world’s most international university for 2026, and its 2026 profile for the university reported an international student percentage of 76% based on data collected for the World University Rankings 2026.
International students can use many of the university’s student services, including counseling, student organizations, sports and recreation facilities, and other support services. Local and non-local applicants are considered through different admissions routes, and non-local students admitted to full-time bachelor’s degree programs are eligible to apply for student residence, with higher priority during their first two years of study under the current hall admission policy.
Tuition Fee for International Students
For the 2026/27 academic year, the tuition fee for non-local students admitted to government-funded bachelor’s degree programs is HKD 190,000 per academic year. The Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine program has a higher tuition fee of HKD 392,000 per academic year. These fees are subject to annual review.
Applicants should also budget for living costs in Hong Kong. CityUHK estimates living costs at HKD 50,000 per academic year. For accommodation, the university’s admissions information estimates student residence at HKD 19,800 for two semesters and off-campus accommodation at HKD 50,000 to HKD 60,000 for two semesters. The Student Residence Office’s detailed 2026/27 fee schedule lists undergraduate hall lodging for non-local students in 2019 and later cohorts at HKD 20,800 per year for a double room and HKD 41,600 per year for a single room, subject to annual review.
Check Also: Available Programs for International Students
International Admissions Guide
To begin the admission process for undergraduate study, non-local applicants should create an account through the CityUHK online application system. Applicants should check their non-local status, choose suitable programs, review the general and program-specific entrance requirements, prepare the required documents, and upload supporting materials through the application account.
After submitting the online application, undergraduate non-local applicants must pay the application fee of HKD 450, which covers up to three program choices. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, and the application will only be processed after payment is made. An online acknowledgment is shown after submission, and a copy is sent to the applicant’s registered email. Applicants can check their results through their application account.
Postgraduate applicants should use the relevant CityUHK postgraduate admissions pages because application procedures, fees, deadlines, and requirements vary by program type.
Application Fee
For undergraduate non-local applicants, the application fee is HKD 450 for up to three program choices. For 2026/27 research degree applications, the online application fee is HKD 500, while the professional doctorate application fee is HKD 1,000. These fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Admissions Requirements at City University of Hong Kong for International Students
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy CityUHK’s General Entrance Requirements for bachelor’s degree studies. In addition to the general requirements, individual degrees and majors may require specific subject backgrounds, so applicants should review the requirements for each program before applying. Applicants whose entrance qualifications were obtained in a language other than English may need to submit an acceptable English language test result, such as TOEFL, IELTS, or SAT, depending on their qualification type.
For postgraduate study, applicants should review the requirements for the specific master’s, professional doctorate, or research degree program. For research degree and Hong Kong PhD Fellowship applicants, CityUHK lists minimum qualifications such as a higher degree by research, a taught master’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree with first-class honors or an equivalent qualification from a recognized university. Applicants from non-English-speaking universities are normally required to provide TOEFL or IELTS results unless they can prove that English was the language of instruction for the qualification used for admission.
Admission is competitive, and meeting the minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Students may also be required to fulfill English and Chinese language requirements after admission, and additional language courses may be required depending on their entry qualifications.
Rankings
City University of Hong Kong is one of Hong Kong’s leading universities. In the latest available rankings checked for this update, CityUHK is ranked =63rd in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and =7th in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026. Times Higher Education ranks CityUHK 73rd in the World University Rankings 2026, 4th in the Young University Rankings 2024, and 1st in the World’s Most International Universities 2026.
Acceptance Rate
CityUHK does not publish one official university-wide acceptance rate for international applicants on its admissions pages. Third-party estimates vary, so applicants should treat any published acceptance-rate figure as an unofficial estimate rather than a confirmed admissions statistic. Selection depends on the program, applicant qualifications, academic results, English proficiency, interviews or portfolios where required, and the competitiveness of the applicant pool.
City University of Hong Kong Scholarships for International Students
Undergraduate Scholarships
1. Entrance Scholarships
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Up to full tuition plus an annual living allowance; other awards may include full-tuition scholarships, half-tuition scholarships, and diversity grants
City University of Hong Kong offers several entrance scholarships for outstanding international and non-local students admitted to bachelor’s degree programs. Applicants are not required to submit a separate scholarship application. Students who receive an entrance scholarship or diversity grant will be notified in their admission offer letter.
CityUHK’s entrance scholarship options for international students include awards such as the Top Scholarship, Full-Tuition Scholarship, Half-Tuition Scholarship, and Diversity Grant. Renewal conditions and scholarship terms are set out in the admission offer letter, and renewable entrance scholarships normally require students to meet the required CGPA at the end of each academic year.
2. Outstanding Athletes Scholarships
Outstanding non-local student-athletes admitted under CityUHK’s Student Athletes Admission Scheme may be considered for the Outstanding Athletes Entrance Scholarship. The award may provide up to HKD 250,000 per year and is designed to support outstanding athletes who wish to pursue undergraduate study at CityUHK.
Graduate Scholarships
1. Postgraduate Studentship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: HKD 19,100 to HKD 19,600 per month for 2025/26, subject to annual revision
Eligible new full-time research degree students are considered for the Postgraduate Studentship as part of their application for admission to a research degree program. Separate applications are not required. The studentship is granted on the basis of academic merit and is normally renewed annually, subject to satisfactory progress and performance.
For the 2025/26 academic year, the basic studentship rate is HKD 19,100 per month, and the advanced rate is HKD 19,600 per month. PhD students may receive the studentship for a maximum of four years, subject to their stipulated study period. Studentship recipients are normally required to undertake no more than an average of 10 hours per week of teaching and/or research support duties.
2. Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: HKD 28,400 per month plus HKD 14,200 per year for conference and research-related travel allowance, for up to three years
The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme was established by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR Government to attract outstanding students from around the world to pursue PhD studies in Hong Kong. Applicants should demonstrate strong academic performance, research ability or potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.
The fellowship provides a monthly stipend of HKD 28,400 and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HKD 14,200 per year for a maximum of three years. For fellowship awardees admitted to a four-year PhD program, CityUHK provides a monthly studentship at the same level as the RGC fellowship for the fourth year of study.
CityUHK also maintains a Scholarships / Prizes at a Glance page where students can review available scholarships, eligibility rules, award values, and application details.
We hope that this article on City University of Hong Kong scholarships for international students was helpful. If you’re interested in studying abroad, make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students!
