Hong Kong is home to some of the world’s best universities, so it’s no wonder the number of international students flocking to the country keeps increasing every year. Several higher education institutions are ranked among the top 100 worldwide. Most international students in Hong Kong universities come from Mainland China, while other admitted overseas students are from other parts of the world.
So, how competitive are Hong Kong universities? In this article, we will focus on the universities in Hong Kong with the highest acceptance rates. It is a no-brainer that as an international student, you should always have a list of universities that meet your needs and are easy to get into. The acceptance rates of the selected universities are based on recent statistics – within the past five years.
Below are five of Hong Kong’s universities with high acceptance rates.
Universities in Hong Kong with High Rates of Acceptance
1. Lingnan University
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 35 – 50%
- Admissions
Lingnan University is one of the best destinations for international students. It was established in 1888 and was formally known as Lingnan College. The institution is the only liberal arts university in the country. It also became the first to provide full residence to all undergraduate students for four years of study.
One unique fact about this university is the new program introduced to help students share their expertise with communities and charities by volunteering. Lingnan University has one of the highest acceptance rates in Hong Kong. This selective nature is, however, justified since more than 82% of former students are already employed while about 13% are in postgrad programs.
2. Hong Kong Shue Yan University
The second-least selective university on our list is the Hong Kong Shue Yan University located in Braemar Hill. It was founded in 1971 as Hong Kong Shue Yan College before becoming a fully-fledged university in 2006. HKSYU’s establishment was due to growing concerns over secondary school leavers from local institutions who did not have enough tertiary schools to join and continue their studies. For over 30 years, the institution has consistently offered 4-year programs, making it the only one to do so for that long.
Shue Yan can be translated to mean the cultivation of virtue, and that is what the university’s culture has stood for over the years. It emphasizes the promotion of ethical behavior and social responsibility. The 20 – 30% acceptance rate means you will have to apply with convincing results both in academics and extracurricular activities. Also, you might want to learn some Chinese to fit into the school’s traditions and make your learning easier.
3. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Next on our list of universities is the Hong Kong Institute of Technology, which might be a good option if you want to focus on Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering, or Business. Each of these fields has its school which is equipped with the necessary resources. Within its 25 years of operation, the university has proved to be one of the fastest-growing in the world. As such, it has succeeded in winning various accolades while bolstering Hong Kong’s economic and social life.
There are over 200 programs on offer at the university, and they are spread across the four schools mentioned above. Considering its primary goal, it is no surprise that engineering has continuously been recognized as one of the best worldwide. In fact, the school of Engineering has been consistently ranking high across the globe.
4. City University of Hong Kong
Formerly known as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, it is a research university located in Kowloon. Since its establishment in 1984, the City University of Hong Kong has continuously gained recognition both domestically and internationally. The government of Hong Kong funds eight tertiary institutions offering degree programs and CityU is one of them.
CityU offers several academic disciplines including Vet Medicine, Social Sciences, Creative Media, and Energy and Environment. Despite being one of the youngest, its overall performance has granted it a spot on international rankings.
5. Hong Kong Baptist University
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 30 – 40%
- Admissions
Last but not least is the Hong Kong Baptist University, which has an acceptance rate of below 40%. Nonetheless, it is still considered as one that has the highest acceptance rates considering how selective most institutions in the country have been in recent years. It was founded in 1956 as the Hong Kong Baptist College and received university status in 1994. The university has five campuses built to help reduce student congestion with the latest one being opened in 2006. HKBU is currently home to over 10,000 students enrolled in the fields of engineering, social sciences, and business management.
It is worth noting that living in Hong Kong is quite expensive, let alone staying there as a student. Therefore, before you decide to apply to any institution there, make sure you are financially capable of paying for your studies and living expenses. In light of this, the SAR has allowed students to work on-campus for at most 20 hours per week to offset the costs.
We hope this article on universities in Hong Kong with high acceptance rates was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Study in Hong Kong and Available Programs for International Students pages for more informative articles.
