Local universities see surge in overseas transfers in recent years

The eight publicly funded universities have received more than 1,300 inquiries from overseas students seeking to transfer as of Wednesday, with over 80 students already offered admission, according to a report from the Education Bureau.

Increased scrutiny of international students by the US government has led to concerns about visa denials, prompting many students to seek opportunities elsewhere. 

The Panel on Education of the Legislative Council will discuss on Friday developing Hong Kong as an international hub for post‑secondary education and a cradle for future talents. 

The number of non-local students enrolling in full-time post-secondary programs has soared from 54,500 in the 2022/23 academic year to 79,300 in the 2024/25 academic year.

The report also notes a significant rise of 15 percent in the number of non-local students enrolled in UGC-funded programs, from 23,100 in the 2023/24 academic year to 26,600 in the 2024/25 academic year. 

In addition, eight student hostel projects have been completed under the Hostel Development Fund, providing 7,647 publicly-funded and 136 privately-funded hostel places. The remaining seven projects are in construction, with a total of 14,300 hostel places expected to be provided upon completion.