Admission scores fall for Hong Kong physiotherapy courses amid jobs crunch

Physiotherapy degree programs at three Hong Kong tertiary institutions experienced a significant decline in admission scores, as much as 10% lower than in 2025, due to bleak career prospects, according to recent data. The professional body for physiotherapists urged the government to halt funding cuts in the next budget, attributing the situation to the jobs crunch in the sector.

Out of the four institutions, 23% of students admitted to physiotherapy programs had ranked it outside their top three choices, up from just 2% in 2025, indicating a shift in students' preferences. This drop in popularity and admission scores came after the government announced a 1-2% reduction in recurrent public expenditure for 2025-26 and 2027-28, coinciding with an unprecedented surge in new practitioners entering the market.

Polytechnic University, which introduced an allied health programme, saw a 57% decrease in students choosing the programme among their first three options, from 581 in 2025 to 246 this year. The average DSE score for PolyU's programme also dropped by the largest margin among undergraduate courses. Self-financing institutions reduced their subsidized places for physiotherapy programs by about a third for the 2027-28 academic year, with total intake falling 31% from 175 in 2026-27 to 120 in 2027-28.

Tung Wah College experienced a 40% drop in applicants placing their program among their top three choices and a 10% decrease in mean admission score. Hong Kong Metropolitan University's median admission score fell by 20% in two years. Saint Francis University witnessed a 37% decrease in students ranking the programme among their top three choices.

The Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association president, Alexander Woo Chuen-hau, urged the authorities to increase healthcare funding, emphasizing that graduates still have employment opportunities despite the challenging job market.