Mainland Students: Your Route to a Hong Kong Degree
Key takeaways
- Mainland students apply directly to each university's mainland/international admission scheme — not through JUPAS.
- Most schemes assess Gaokao results together with interviews and English ability; expectations are set by each university.
- Non-local tuition applies, and quotas limit how many mainland students each institution may admit.
- After accepting an offer, apply for your student visa through the university and register your exit-entry permit accordingly.
For students from mainland China, Hong Kong offers internationally ranked universities a short distance from home, English-medium instruction, and a three- or four-year degree that opens doors to both postgraduate study and employment in the Greater Bay Area. Applications are handled by each university directly, through dedicated mainland admission schemes.
How admission schemes work
Each university runs its own scheme for mainland applicants. Most are built around the Gaokao: universities publish expected score levels (often benchmarked against provincial tier lines), and combine exam results with interviews, English proficiency and sometimes additional tests. A small number of programmes consider other qualifications or hold separate selection exercises.
Because schemes differ, start from the official mainland admissions page of each university — our universities directory links to them — and note both the application window and the required documents before you begin.
What strengthens an application
- A Gaokao score comfortably above the university's published expectation for the year
- Solid English — evidenced by your Gaokao English paper, IELTS/TOEFL where submitted, and the admissions interview
- Interview performance: many universities interview shortlisted mainland applicants, and the interview is often decisive
- A clear sense of why the specific programme fits you — be ready to answer this in the interview
Costs and quotas
Mainland students count as non-local students: annual tuition is set at the non-local rate by each university, and government quotas cap how many non-local students each publicly funded programme may admit. Self-financing institutions also admit mainland students within their own limits. Budget for tuition plus Hong Kong living costs, and check each university's pages for scholarships — many institutions offer entrance scholarships specifically for outstanding mainland applicants.
After you accept an offer
The university sponsors your student visa application with Hong Kong's Immigration Department; processing typically takes several weeks. Once the visa label/e-Visa is issued, you apply for your exit-entry permit endorsement, arrange accommodation — on-campus halls are limited and competitive — and complete registration. Do this early: registration days in August are unforgiving of missing documents.
For the full list of institutions and their official admissions links, see the universities directory; for life-after-bachelor's options, read the postgraduate study guide.