Hong Kong · Hong Kong, Sha Tin
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong's bilingual collegiate university, with a medical school and a broad base in business and science
Photo: Citobun · CC BY-SA 3.0
- QS World Ranking 2027
- #18
- Founded
- 1963
- Students
- 23,000
- Bachelor's degree
- 4 years
- Acceptance rate
- Not published; the university publishes only the lowest reference scores of admitted students by programme
- Typical IB offer
- 30 of 45 points minimum (guidance only); programme reference ranges 31–33 up to 42–43
- Typical A-level offer
- 3 A-level passes or 2 A + 2 AS; programme reference ranges BBB to A*A*A*A*
- How admission works
- International students apply through the International Students Admissions Scheme, with programme-specific subject preferences for IB and A-level. English: IELTS 6.0 overall, TOEFL iBT 4.5 out of 6 (tests taken on or after 21 January 2026) or IB English grade 4; Chinese is not required.
- Language of instruction
- Courses are taught in English or Chinese, and in some cases both; enough English-taught courses are offered to international students
The 30 points is a general minimum for guidance only; satisfying it does not guarantee admission. The reference ranges are the lowest scores of students admitted in 2023–2025 (highest admitted: 45 IB points, 6 A*) and CUHK says they must not be used to predict a chance of admission.
Worth knowing
CUHK describes itself as the only university in Hong Kong that offers a college experience: every undergraduate belongs to one of nine constituent colleges. International students are normally guaranteed hostel places for their normative study period minus two years.
How hard is it to get in, and why
Admission is competitive and decided programme by programme on school results, a personal statement and a recommendation; some programmes interview shortlisted applicants. The published reference scores run from 31–33 IB points for most arts and nursing programmes to 42–43 for Medicine, so the difficulty depends heavily on the programme. Rated 3, closest to HKUST: broad programmes are reachable in the mid-30s, while Medicine, Global Business Studies and quantitative finance are far harder.
What it costs
Tuition
$29k per year
Non-local tuition is HK$230,000 for 2027–28, with any yearly adjustment for the 2027 cohort capped at 3%; dual-degree programmes may differ. Living costs: the university gives about HK$45,000 (calculator) to HK$48,500 (FAQ) a year for living expenses plus a 2026–27 hostel fee of about HK$17,000; the range runs from living costs without a hostel (45,000) to the maximum 65,500, which is a calculation: the FAQ figure 48,500 plus the hostel fee 17,000, two separately published numbers.
Living costs
$6k–8k per year
Scholarships and financial aid
Everyone admitted is automatically considered for an entrance scholarship, with no separate application; offers come together with the admission offer. CUHK states that financial aid is not available to international students.
How to apply
Apply online through the International Students Admissions Scheme; the application opened on 2 October 2026. For 2027 entry the Advance Offer round closes on 12 November 2026 and the Regular round on 7 January 2027 (Medicine has no Advance Offer round); the application fee is HK$500. You submit one personal statement of up to 6,000 characters and a recommendation, and may apply before your results are out by listing the exams to be attempted. Shortlisted applicants may be interviewed, and offers are made on a rolling basis between December 2026 and July 2027.
Official websiteWhat makes it special
- Nine colleges (Chung Chi, New Asia, United, Shaw, Morningside, S.H. Ho, CW Chu, Wu Yee Sun, Lee Woo Sing) provide pastoral care and community alongside the faculties.
- Eight faculties are open to international students: Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Medicine, Law, Science and Social Science.
- Medicine (MBChB) is open to international applicants and is the most demanding programme by published reference scores, 42–43 IB points.
- Applicants with IB or A-level may apply for admission with advanced standing, which can shorten the degree by up to one year (up to 24 units).
- The four-year degree is built on a credit-unit system of 123 units with flexible choice of electives.
About studying in Hong Kong
English-taught four-year degrees at universities ranked in the world's top fifty, in a city wedged between mountains and sea. Tuition for non-local students is around US$25,000 a year, and both HKU and HKUST offer generous entrance scholarships that can cover everything for the highest IB scores. Applications are direct, with main-round deadlines in late autumn.
Teaching staff
The dossier on teaching staff for this university is still being written.
The campus in photographs
Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the author and licence are shown on each image.
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