Established in 1911, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) is Hong Kong’s oldest tertiary education institution and one of the world’s leading universities. Although it was incorporated in 1911 and officially opened in 1912, HKU traces its roots to the Hong Kong College of Medicine, founded in 1887, which later became the foundation of HKU’s medical faculty.
Sir Frederick Lugard, the Governor of Hong Kong at the time, laid the foundation stone for the university in 1910. HKU initially admitted only male students and first admitted women in 1921.
The school has two mottos, one in Latin and one in Chinese. The Latin motto, Sapientia et Virtus, translates as “Wisdom and Virtue.” The Chinese motto is taken from the Confucian classic The Great Learning and refers to “manifesting virtue” and “investigating things.”
University of Hong Kong Acceptance Rate
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: 10%
The University of Hong Kong is very competitive to get into, and the estimated acceptance rate for HKU is 10%. For non-local applicants, HKU states that admissions are competitive and merit-based. Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee also sets a non-local student enrollment ceiling for taught programs at UGC-funded universities, which increased to a level equivalent to 40% of local student places starting in the 2024/25 academic year.
University Rankings
The University of Hong Kong is an extremely well-regarded university across Asia and the world. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, HKU ranked 11th globally. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, HKU ranked 33rd globally and 6th in Asia.
HKU’s business programs are also recognized in major rankings. HKU’s MBA website states that its MBA program ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong in the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025 for the fifth consecutive year. HKU Business School was also ranked No. 13 in the world and No. 1 in Asia for business school research in the Financial Times Aggregated Research Ranking.
Student Admissions
The University of Hong Kong has a large and highly international student body. HKU reported 42,330 students enrolled across all programs in 2024–25, excluding exchange-in and visiting students. For 2025/26, HKU said its students represented 97 countries and regions, and the university received more than 25,000 non-local undergraduate applications and admitted more than 1,600 non-local students.
Admissions standards are high. For 2025 JUPAS admissions, HKU reported that it admitted the highest percentage of students who ranked in the top 1% of HKDSE scores among students who met the University Entry Requirements and were admitted through JUPAS. HKU also reported the highest average scores among Hong Kong institutions based on the three core HKDSE subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, and Mathematics, as well as other selection principles.
We hope that this article on the University of Hong Kong acceptance rate was helpful. For more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
