International Schools to Consider: Hong Kong
Elton Lin
Our last two introductions to international schools—those in Canada and the United Kingdom—may have taken us across the Atlantic Ocean, but now our attention turns towards the many higher education opportunities that lie across the Pacific. As you decide to which colleges you'll be applying this application season, consider putting schools in Hong Kong on your list.
Why should you consider Hong Kong schools?
Hong Kong is well-known for valuing higher education, and it shows. There are thirteen universities in total in the region, and all thirteen are internationally ranked and recognized as highly-qualified institutions, with many leading the world in engineering and other technical fields. Public universities are heavily funded by the Hong Kong government (the University of Hong Kong, for example, receives almost 60% of its recurrent income from public funding alone) and even private universities have tuition fees that are relatively cheaper than their American counterparts. In addition, Hong Kong universities offer the same range of degrees that students would find in the United States.
Once you’ve already made it across the Pacific, Hong Kong’s prime location opens the door to a myriad of convenient travel opportunities. Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen are all just a short flight away, as are Manila, Taipei, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur… the possibilities are endless—and easily accessible—for cultural, historical, and employment opportunities alike.
Even if you don’t end up travelling away from the region, Hong Kong itself is a thriving city with unique experiences, cultural hubs, and opportunities everywhere. From natural, beautiful sights to delicious local food and social hotspots, there’s always something new to do or old to enjoy again. And if you’re looking for job experience, Hong Kong is an international financial focal point for corporations, start-ups, and banks.
Although almost all classes in Hong Kong universities are held in English, studying in Hong Kong is the perfect time to either practice or pick up Cantonese or Mandarin, useful languages in both social and professional spheres.
With these benefits in mind, here are a few Hong Kong schools to consider as you prepare your college applications:
The University of Hong Kong, a public research university ranking #3 in Asia and #22 internationally, is the oldest university in Hong Kong, as well as the first university the British Empire established in East Asia. With its large campus, HKU has all kinds of facilities available for undergraduate, graduate, and faculty use, from twenty residential halls and colleges to the oldest academic library in Hong Kong, which has over 2.3 million current holdings spanning its six branch libraries, which specialize in subjects like dentistry, education, medicine, and more.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a prestigious public research university and the only collegiate university, or a university consisting of a single central administration and any number of colleges deemed its constituents, in the city. Considering this, it makes sense that CUHK also has the largest university campus in Hong Kong, of which it takes full advantage; with museums, seven libraries, multiple sports facilities (including an Olympic-size swimming pool), music halls, and sight-seeing spots everywhere, CUHK students enjoy a well-rounded student life and campus experience. Four Nobel Prize winners are also affiliated with the university, some serving as resident faculty as well.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has made a name for itself as one of the fastest-growing universities in the world, founded only 29 years ago yet already ranked within the world’s top 50 institutions for a wide range of academic disciplines. Despite its titular “Science and Technology” (and it certainly specializes in STEM—in engineering alone, it offers civil and structural engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, and mechanical engineering)—HKUST also offers social sciences and humanities, such as business and linguistics. It also has a specialized Interdisciplinary Programs Office, which allows students to combine their interests in equally practical and academically-rigorous studies.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a public research university funded by the Hong Kong government, and the first institution in Hong Kong to offer technical education. Its huge student body studies under PolyU’s eight specialized schools, with its technical programs including applied science, engineering, health, business, construction, hotel and tourism management, design, and more. From laboratories, an auditorium, dining facilities, medical facilities, banks, a bookstore, and many large-scale sports facilities, PolyU also has a thriving campus life—it even has its own hotel, entirely owned by the university, called the Hotel Icon, which serves as a teaching and research hotel for PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management.
The City University of Hong Kong is a public research university consisting of ten colleges and schools specializing in subjects ranging from business and social sciences to law and engineering and even veterinary medicine. Each college has even further sub-disciplines; for example, the College of Business has departments for accounting, management, management sciences, and marketing, to name just a few. It’s no wonder that CityU has over 150 academic programs for undergraduate and postgraduate learning. It also boasts state-of-the-art facilities, what with the Lau Ming Wai Academic Building (a twenty-story high-rise building with classrooms, laboratories, restaurants, learning spaces, terrace gardens, and a 600-seat auditorium) and the Jockey Club One Health Tower (a project building from CityU’s massive sports center, projected to finish in 2022).
Should you choose to pursue higher education in Hong Kong, studying there makes for a unique and exciting student experience! Checking out these Hong Kong universities is definitely worth your time. Feel free to request a free consultation if you’d like some more information on how to ensure your applications are ready for international schools!