HKU Admits 1,800 Non-Local Students, Nearing Cap; JUPAS Admission Ratio Maintained at About 60%

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Hong Kong is developing into an international education hub, attracting more non-local students to pursue their studies in the city. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has admitted 1,800 non-local undergraduate students this academic year, with more than 700 of them coming from over 60 countries and regions outside the Mainland. Director of Admissions and International Student Exchange, Professor Yim Chi-kin, said that the number of non-local students expected to be admitted this year is equivalent to about 50% of the local student quota. Regarding the government’s tender for the Hung Shui Kiu University Town, Professor Yim reiterated that HKU has limited land available for development, and the university will actively consider developing in the Northern Metropolis while exploring various fundraising possibilities.

📈 Non-Local Applications Up Nearly 80%; Admissions Near Cap
HKU received over 28,000 non-local undergraduate admission applications for the 2026/27 academic year this year, with the number of applicants increasing by nearly 80% compared with the previous year. Speaking at a campus event today, Professor Yim said that in the new academic year HKU has admitted about 1,800 non-local students from 66 countries and regions, with more than 700 coming from outside the Mainland. He noted that the number of non-local students expected to be admitted this year is equivalent to about 50% of the local student quota, very close to the government-imposed cap, but stressed that the cap is calculated on the basis of the four-year student population. Even if the number admitted increases each year, the requirement can still be met, and the university has room to admit more non-local students. He added that amid the current complex geopolitical situation, some students may no longer consider studying in the United States and are turning to Asia instead, which is more favourable for HKU’s overseas admissions.

📊 JUPAS Admission Ratio Maintained at About 60%; Emphasis on Merit-Based Admission
As for local students, the overall JUPAS admission ratio hit a new low this year. Professor Yim said HKU has always maintained a JUPAS admission ratio of about 60%, and the number of local students admitted this year is similar to last year. He stressed that the university admits students on the basis of merit, and that the fact that all eight publicly funded universities admitted fewer local students than last year is very likely because they all admitted more students last year. He believes the outside world should not over-interpret the figures.

🏙️ Actively Considering Moving into the Northern Metropolis University Town; Exploring Various Fundraising Possibilities
Professor Yim said HKU is well positioned to attract more high-calibre students, but frankly noted that the campus is already saturated. He reiterated that HKU is very interested in moving into the Northern Metropolis University Town, especially as the university is extremely short of space for development. “Whichever location allows us to achieve expansion opportunities the fastest, we will be interested.” As for how to afford it financially, he believes the university will consider all avenues. He also mentioned that the university has been working to make fuller use of existing and new facilities, including the recently opened West High Street Student Village, which provides about 950 hostel places, and that new buildings such as the Tech Landmark on campus will soon be completed. The university is also actively recruiting staff.

📚 Two New Programmes Added for the 2027/28 Academic Year to Strengthen AI Training
HKU will add two new programmes for the 2027/28 academic year, namely the “Bachelor of Arts Elite Programme” in the Faculty of Arts and “Robotic Engineering” in the Faculty of Engineering, as well as an additional double degree programme related to economics with the University of California, Berkeley. He reiterated that the humanities are extremely important in complementing the shortcomings of artificial intelligence (AI) development. Asked whether HKU can help students find employment, Professor Yim said frankly that the university has strengthened AI training for students, including requiring all students to take AI courses since last year, in order to maintain students’ job-seeking advantage. He also noted that statistics from the past year show that the proportion of graduates successfully employed remains above 90%.

🖥️ Democracy Wall to Be Digitalised; Channels for Expression Have Never Been Interrupted
Separately, the long-standing “Democracy Wall” outside HKU’s library has been boarded up. Professor Yim said it will be digitalised in future, stressing that channels for students to express their views have never been interrupted, and that submitted opinions will be displayed on electronic screens. As for whether it will still be called the “Democracy Wall” in future, he considered it merely a matter of naming, hoping to display more information in limited space.