Hong Kong has a strong concentration of internationally ranked universities. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, five UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong are ranked among the world’s top 100. The city also continues to attract non-local students: in 2024/25, UGC-funded programs had more than 26,600 non-local students out of more than 110,000 students, while a separate 2025 Legislative Council analysis found that most non-local students in UGC-funded programs in 2023/24 came from Mainland China.
So, how competitive are Hong Kong universities? Official university-wide acceptance rates are generally not published by Hong Kong universities, and admissions can vary by program, applicant type, and year. For that reason, the list below should be treated as an estimated acceptance rates rather than verified official acceptance-rate figures. As an international student, you should compare program requirements, language requirements, tuition, scholarships, and visa/work rules before applying.Below are Hong Kong universities that students often research when looking for accessible admissions options.
Universities in Hong Kong with High Rates of Acceptance
1. Lingnan University
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 35 – 50%
Lingnan University traces its history to 1888, when Christian College in China was established in Guangzhou, and it was re-established in Hong Kong in 1967. Today, it describes itself as a research-focused liberal arts university. Lingnan’s residential model remains a notable feature, but its current hostel residency policy for students admitted in 2024/25 onward offers undergraduate students two residence years during the normal four-year study period, rather than full residence for all four years.
Another notable feature is its Office of Service-Learning, which facilitates Service-Learning projects for students and connects learning with community engagement. Lingnan University’s 2024 Graduate Employment Survey reported that 65.5% of respondents had joined the workforce upon graduation. Since official acceptance rates are not publicly published, applicants should focus on program-level requirements, English requirements, and scholarship deadlines.
2. Hong Kong Shue Yan University
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 20 – 30%
Hong Kong Shue Yan University is located at Braemar Hill, North Point. It was founded in 1971 as Shue Yan College in response to the shortage of tertiary places for local secondary school leavers, and it became Hong Kong’s first private university in 2006.
Shue Yan means nurturing benevolence and cultivating virtue, and the university’s culture emphasizes benevolence, ethics, and traditional Chinese values. HKSYU has three faculties and 12 departments offering 20 self-financed undergraduate programs. Students admitted to Year One are required to complete four years of study. Familiarity with Chinese language and culture can help students participate in campus life, although applicants should always check the language and program requirements for their chosen degree.
3. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 30 – 40%
Next on our list is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which may be a good option if you want to focus on science, engineering, business and management, humanities and social science, or interdisciplinary studies. HKUST was founded in 1991 as a research-focused university supporting Hong Kong’s growth and innovation.
HKUST offers more than 45 undergraduate majors and 22 minors across its academic units, including the School of Science, School of Engineering, School of Business and Management, School of Humanities and Social Science, and Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies. Engineering remains one of HKUST’s strongest areas: in 2026, HKUST listed Engineering and Technology at #40 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject and Engineering at #38 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject.
4. City University of Hong Kong
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 30 – 40%
Formerly known as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong is a public research university in Kowloon. It was founded in 1984 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and upgraded to university status in 1994. CityUHK is also one of the eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee in Hong Kong.
CityUHK covers many disciplines, including business, creative media, energy and environment, law, liberal arts and social science, science and engineering, and veterinary medicine. It is internationally ranked; QS lists CityUHK at #=63 in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
5. Hong Kong Baptist University
- Estimated Acceptance Rate: around 30 – 40%
- Admissions
Last but not least is Hong Kong Baptist University. It was founded in 1956 as Hong Kong Baptist College, became a fully funded public tertiary institution in 1983, and was renamed Hong Kong Baptist University in 1994. HKBU offers 22 undergraduate programs with more than 45 majors through six faculties and schools: Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Chinese Medicine, Communication, Creative Arts, and Science.
HKBU has a multi-campus presence. Its Kowloon Tong Campus comprises Baptist University Road Campus, Ho Sin Hang Campus, Jockey Club Campus of Creativity, and Shaw Campus; it also has Kai Tak and Shek Mun campuses. HKBU currently enrolls about 7,580 undergraduates and 5,030 postgraduates, according to its Facts & Figures page.
Living and studying in Hong Kong can be expensive, so review tuition, accommodation, and daily expenses before applying. Eligible non-local students in full-time, locally accredited local programs at undergraduate level or above may generally take part-time on-campus employment for not more than 20 hours per week and summer employment from June 1 to August 31 without limits on hours or location. The Immigration Department also states that, from November 1, 2024, eligible non-local students are temporarily exempted from those employment restrictions during their permitted stay or the effective period of their No Objection Letter, whichever is shorter.
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.
