Studying for a UK degree in Hong Kong

[INSERT ASSET]

In Hong Kong you’ll find many great opportunities to study for a UK degree. So if you have caring, job or family commitments that prevent you from travelling to the United Kingdom, you can still gain your dream qualification.

These Transnational Education (or TNE) courses are designed, delivered, and quality-assured to the UK’s own rigorous standards and each leads to a UK degree.

They can provide a pathway to the United Kingdom at a later date, either to continue your studies or to work, and you’re sure to benefit from their strong links with both UK and international business (just one of the reasons that graduates with UK degrees are among the most employable in the world). You may also find that studying for a UK TNE degree in Hong Kong is more affordable than studying in the UK itself.

Eligibility

Applicants are normally required to:

  • be a non-local (also known as a ‘non-mainland’) student
  • be aged 18 or over 
  • Hold a valid passport (for admission assessment and student records purposes) 
  • Have a secondary school graduation certificate

You may also be required to have evidence of English language proficiency.

All eligible applicants are required to obtain a student visa, issued by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR Government. This is not needed if you have been legally admitted to Hong Kong as a dependent. For more information about student visas in Hong Kong, visit the Immigration Department (HKSAR) website.

Students from Macao and Taiwan

International students can only study on full time, locally accredited and non-local programmes in Hong Kong. However, applications from Macau and Taiwan are also subjected to a quota restriction.

Each year, the number of non-local applicants to an accredited degree programme are counted. And for the following year, applicants from Macao and Taiwan can account for no more than ten percent of this number.

To avoid confusion about these rules, and to ensure current quotas allow for your enrolment, we advise that applicants from Macao and Taiwan contact their educational institution in Hong Kong.

Which degree should I choose?

Please note: If you are non-Hong Kong resident, you will only be eligible to study for a full-time degree while in Hong Kong. If you are resident, you can also study part time.

A wide range of full time, UK-accredited degrees are on offer in Hong Kong, and you’re certain to find a course that’s right for you. 

Every year, graduates in Hong Kong complete Masters degrees, Doctorates and Bachelor’s degrees in subjects ranging from Law to medicine to the arts. And each is awarded their prestigious degree from a UK university.

For a comprehensive list of UK degrees that you can study for in Hong Kong, visit the Hong Kong Education Bureau website.  

How will my degree be awarded?

There are two ways that your UK-accredited degree may be awarded in Hong Kong.

University, vocational and other partnerships.

Many higher education institutions (HEIs) in Hong Kong have multiple relationships with UK universities, with a long history of offering international degrees.

What degree am I awarded?

Depending on the agreement between your Hong Kong HEI and a UK university, upon successful completion of your studies you may be awarded.

  1. A dual/joint degree from both universities
  2. A degree from just the UK university

For more information, we advise that you contact your chosen HEI in Hong Kong, and enquire about its partnerships with UK universities. You can also visit the Hong Kong Education Bureau website

UK Branch Campus

Several UK universities have established branch campuses in Hong Kong and these campuses award their own degree (undergraduate and postgraduate), diploma and foundation studies qualification. Depending on the university and your course of study, there may also be opportunities to study for one or more semesters abroad at the home campus in the UK or at other partner universities.

What degree am I awarded?

Upon successful completion of your studies, you will be awarded the same qualifications as these universities’ students in the UK.  

To find out more about your options with these universities in Hong Kong, we advise that you contact these universities via their main UK campus.

Studying online

Depending on your work and home commitments, you may choose to study for your degree online. These offer the same high standards of UK teaching and the same prestigious qualifications, while allowing for a greater amount of flexibility and schedules that better suit your needs.

It is important to know that for online-study degrees to be recognised in Hong Kong, they must meet criteria set out by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications.

For this reason, students who plan to enrol in any distance-learning programme are strongly advised to check with their educational provider on the course details.

To find out about these online degrees, we advise that you directly contact individual institutions in the UK. You can find a comprehensive list on the UK government website.  

Other relevant websites

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the latest updates and advice on applications, scholarships, visas and events.