Hong Kong public universities’ non-local fees jump by up to 26% as quota expands

Hong Kong's public universities are set to increase undergraduate tuition fees for non-local students by up to 26% in the 2027-28 academic year. The most significant rise will be seen in the University of Hong Kong's (HKU) medicine and dentistry programs, with annual costs jumping by 137% to HK$590,000 (US$75,187). This sharp increase is due to expanding the quota, which now allows non-local students to make up 40% of local places, up from 20% in 2023-24.

The average fee increase across the eight universities that have announced fees stands at 17%, compared to the previous year. This hike is significantly higher than the previous 6-13% annual increases, following the government's decision to raise the non-local quota in 2024-25 and 2025-26. The University of Singapore charges international students around HK$205,000 for business and HK$244,000 for computing annually.

Some on Chinese social media criticized the fee hike as excessive, stating that the value for money in studying in Hong Kong has dropped. However, universities argue that the increases are necessary to cover teaching costs, benchmark against international standards, and recover costs. They also emphasize that scholarships are still available, with some institutions, like CUHK and EdU, planning to expand these schemes.

HKU, for example, will charge HK$280,000 for non-local students in STEM programs, HK$31,000 more than the current rate, while non-STEM courses will cost HK$250,000, an increase of HK$26,000. HKU maintains that its fees remain lower than those in comparable universities overseas, particularly in the UK and North America. The universities plan to offer scholarships to students who meet admission criteria and demonstrate outstanding performance.

City University (CityU) and Baptist University both increased their fees by 26%, or HK$50,000, to HK$240,000 per year for non-local undergraduates in 2027-28. HKUST will raise non-local undergraduate fees by 21%, from HK$215,000 to HK$260,000, while PolyU is increasing non-local undergraduate fees by 20%, or HK$40,000, to HK$240,000. CUHK will raise non-local fees by a further 7% to HK$230,000 annually.