Skip to content

More Study Options

Other than conventional academic programmes and vocational training, non-local students can have other study options in Hong Kong, for example, exchange programmes, short-term programmes or non-local programmes operated by our institutions.

Exchange programmes

Non-local students can enter Hong Kong for exchange at –
  • full-time locally-accredited sub-degree local programmes lasting for up to six months; and
  • programmes at undergraduate or above level for up to one year.

Institutions in Hong Kong actively promote two-way student exchange activities. About 6,800 students entered Hong Kong on exchange at UGC-funded institutions in the 2018/19 academic year.

Higher education institutions in Hong Kong have a host of world-wide partners on exchange programmes, including those in Australia, UK, US, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, France, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, etc., just to mention a few.

If you are interested in taking exchange programmes in Hong Kong, you can check with the exchange office of your institution to see if it is a partner institution of any institution in Hong Kong. Of course, if you want to be an exchange student, you may need to fulfill the admission requirement(s) of the faculty of the Hong Kong institution and be nominated by your exchange office.

Short-term programmes

Apart from exchange programmes, non-local students can also enter Hong Kong for short-term studies, e.g. summer programmes, subject to some immigration conditions.

Students enrolled in tertiary institutions outside Hong Kong may enroll as visiting students to take courses at institutions in Hong Kong on a short-term basis (normally lasting for a few weeks to one semester). Normally visiting students are not enrolled in specific programmes of studies. Both credit-bearing and non-credit bearing programmes are available for visiting students. However, if you wish to seek credit transfer for the work done in short-term / summer programmes here, you are advised to consult your home institution for approval prior to the commencement of the short-term studies.

Non-local Higher and Professional Education Courses

Have you imagined that studying in Hong Kong’s institutions can lead you to a degree awarded by an overseas institution, like universities from Canada, UK, US, Australia, etc.?

There are 1 107 courses in Hong Kong offered by institutions outside Hong Kong, leading to the award of a non-local higher academic or professional qualification. Many non-local programmes in Hong Kong are offered by renowned institutions / providers in Australia, UK, US, Canada, China and other countries. Majority of them are offered in conjunction with local partners, normally the continuing education arms of universities in Hong Kong.

Rest assured about the quality of non-local programmes operated here, as all of them are either registered or exempted from registration by the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (Cap. 493). That means they are comparable in standard with the same courses in their home institutions. Some of them have even obtained local accreditation status, and have been registered onto the Qualification Register.

If you want to obtain more details, please visit our Non-local Courses Registry’s website.