Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:linkedin

Hong Kong is planning a new rule for children of people who move there for work under special talent programs. Starting from the 2027-28 school year, these children will have to live in Hong Kong for at least one year before they can apply for university at a lower, local tuition rate. From the 2028-29 school year, the rule will require two years of living in the city before getting the benefit.

The Education Secretary explained that this rule is to make sure government money is used fairly. Right now, some students take Hong Kong’s DSE exam while living in mainland China or other places and then use their dependent visa status to apply for local university spots. These students only pay around HK$44,500, which is much cheaper than what international students pay, nearly three times more.

In 2022, only 200 such students applied for local fee status, but that number jumped to 1,000 in just one year. This sharp rise caused concern that it might reduce the chances for other students who have lived in Hong Kong longer.

Even if students don’t meet the new residency rule, they will still be considered local in other ways, but will have to pay the higher international fee.

The new rule will apply to all government-subsidised university programs starting in October 2027. It covers undergraduate, postgraduate, and sub-degree courses funded by the government.

Right now, children under 18 who get a dependent visa are treated as local students and can apply for low-fee university seats, even if they’ve never lived in the city. Some families from outside Hong Kong have been sending their children to take the city’s exams, and people have started calling them “exam immigrants.”

As of May, around 142,000 children had been approved to enter Hong Kong under different talent schemes.

In a separate topic, the Education Secretary also said Hong Kong universities are gaining attention from international students. This came after news that U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to stop international students from joining Harvard University. So far, about 1,100 students have asked Hong Kong universities for information, and 60 students have already been accepted.

The Education Secretary said this shows how strong and diverse Hong Kong’s education system is. There’s also been a 30% increase in students from Belt and Road countries, totaling more than 1,600 students.