Hong Kong’s population of 7 million has a literacy rate of 95%, and 16% of people over the age of 15 have at least a Bachelor’s degree (Source: Hong Kong Education and Manpower Bureau). As of 2008, compulsory, subsidized schooling is offered until the end of high school (12th Grade).

With 8,136 Hong Kong students studying in the United States during the 2010/11 academic year, the territory ranked as the 16th leading origin of international students in the United States. Due to Britain’s historical connection with Hong Kong, the United Kingdom is the leading overseas study destination (25.9%), followed by Australia (23.7%), with the United States in third place (19.6%). The breakdown in terms of level of study for Hong Kong students in the United States is 70% at the undergraduate level and 16% at the graduate level. The popular areas of study for Hong Kong students in the United States are business and management (31%), social sciences (14%), fine and applied arts (8%), physical and life sciences (8%), engineering (7%), math and computer science (6%), with a range of other subject areas making up the balance of the remaining 28%.

Hong Kong’s Education and Manpower Bureau revamped its education system in 2009. Instead of taking two exams -- one in Form 5 (Grade 11) and one in Form 7 (Grade 13), students are now required to take only one -- the Hong Kong Certificate of Secondary Education, which was previously for those continuing on from Form 5 (Grade 11) to Form 6 (Grade 12). The Hong Kong A-Level Exam, which was previously for Form 7 (high school senior students continuing on to university), will be replaced by the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) and will be administered during the last year of high school. The new ‘3-3-4’ structure means that students will attend three years of compulsory, subsidized junior high school, three years of non-compulsory senior high school, and then four years of university. The 3-3-4 structure parallels the U.S. education system and is a significant change from the previously used British model under which Hong Kong students had 7 years of secondary school and entered college at the age of 19.

In addition, the HKDSE will focus more on a broad liberal education similar to that in the United States. Students will only have 4 compulsory ‘core’ subjects and can take up to 4 additional electives, including new subjects such as visual and performing arts, design and technology, or foreign languages. These changes will make Hong Kong’s curriculum much more similar to that of the United States, and therefore Hong Kong students’ transition to 4-year American universities will be much easier. As a result, parents will be more likely to send their children to the United States to study in the long run.

Although the Hong Kong Government does not vigorously promote studying abroad, the United States remains a top destination for Hong Kong students. However, the United States is facing strong competition from Australia, the United Kingdom, and mainland China. Some Hong Kong parents feel that studying in the Commonwealth countries is easier because they have more relaxed visa regulations (the United Kingdom even allows Hong Kong students visa-free study) and immigration laws that allow students to develop their careers in these countries. However, the U.S. student visa approval rate of over 97 percent for Hong Kong students helps keep the U.S. competitive.

As a result of the education system reforms implemented in 2009, the current academic year (2011/12) will have the cohort of graduates from both systems (i.e. Advance Level and DSE graduates). According to the Hong Kong Education Bureau, only 18% of the graduates will be able to continue their further studies in publicly funded universities. In other words, an excellent DSE result would be critical for securing a seat in local universities.

In addition, to avoid the fierce competition in public examinations, many students have made an early departure from Hong Kong’s education system because the Year 12 program is mainly designed for materials review and preparatory exercises. This trend has created additional incentives for students to begin their overseas education at Form 4 (Grade 10) or Form 5 (Grade 11) instead of completing the graduating year at Form 6 (Grade 12).

Therefore, there has been a slight (and likely short-term) decline in students going to study in the United States, especially for higher education. This is mostly a result of the change from a three-year to a four-year secondary school curriculum. Students are leaving the system early and flocking to the United Kingdom and Australia to complete their secondary education because those systems all use the previous three-year timeframe. This has helped nullify the shock of the new four-year system.

Although this trend is pervasive at the moment, as students starting secondary education adjust to the four-year system, they will become more used to the new system and actually be better prepared, and more inclined, to enter U.S. universities.

These changes to the system are also causing some confusion and challenges for Hong Kong students interested in studying in the United States. There are two main issues:

Issue 1: Early departure and high school completion requirement: Because of the early departure, many students who are interested in studying in the United States might have gone through the high school program (or the American equivalent) without having an official completion. While high school completion is a pre-requisite for admission into a higher education institution, some of the Community Colleges are accepting GED test results as a work-around for these cases.

Issue 2: Level of DSE Results: There is some uncertainty about how DSE levels translate to foreign schools. For the first batch of DSE graduates, the Hong Kong Examination and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) has prepared a detailed description of DSE levels and sample papers for higher education institutions to benchmark. The HKEAA website (www.hkeaa.edu.hk) provides more details.

Macau

There are a few hundred Macau students studying in the United States, and most of them major in hospitality and business programs. This is not surprising because gaming (gambling) is the major source of economic activity in the city.

Recruiting Methods

Most Hong Kong parents employ education agents to advise them on overseas higher education, search for appropriate schools, and provide other related services. U.S. education institutions could consider partnering with an agent in Hong Kong who can assist in promoting their schools and recruiting students. The U.S. Commercial Service can assist U.S. institutions that need to find partners in Hong Kong. Word of mouth is also a significant factor in college choices. Many Hong Kong students return from the United States and promote their alma maters, sending their friends and relatives to the same schools.

Because of the enormous demand from mainland Chinese students to study overseas and the typically higher education agent service fees in China, many agents in Hong Kong have established representative offices in South China. These agents counsel and prepare the students for school selection, visa interviews, housing, etc. The relevant paperwork would be handled by the support team in Hong Kong. In other words, partnering with a Hong Kong agent would have the benefit of covering not only Hong Kong but also the nearby areas of Macau, Guangdong, and South China.

The State Department at the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong also promotes study abroad in the United States through its EducationUSA program. U.S. education institutions are encouraged to contact EducationUSA at: www.educationUSA.state.gov.

Sub-Sector Best Prospects

Since the service sector in Hong Kong has grown rapidly over the last several years, fields of study such as business, tourism and hospitality management, engineering, computer science, information technology, and service training for cruises, conventions, and exhibitions have become extremely popular. Other popular fields include mathematics, fine arts, social sciences, humanities, health sciences, and MBA / EMBA programs.

A number of U.S. education institutions have found success in developing partnerships with Hong Kong schools to open Hong Kong branch campuses for undergraduate and graduate programs. While the global hospitality sector has been affected by the economic downturn, the prospects for hospitality and MICE sector training in Hong Kong and Macau are also excellent because of the massive number of tourists from mainland China.

Opportunities

U.S. educational institutions are gaining recognition in Hong Kong. Hong Kong parents are beginning to recognize the academic excellence of colleges outside the Ivy League, such as liberal arts colleges, the ‘public ivies,’ other states universities and community colleges. This is a result of many American institutions attending Hong Kong education shows and vigorously promoting themselves to Hong Kong schools and students.

One of the typically most cost effective ways to recruit Hong Kong students is to hire local representatives because parents and students often depend on these agents for information and assistance, admissions, and student visa application processing, overseas boarding recommendations and travel arrangements. Another way to disseminate information to Hong Kong students is by sending promotional materials to Hong Kong high schools and public libraries. Taking part in education fairs is also an excellent way to reach Hong Kong students. As described above, working with EducationUSA can also bring about good results.

Web Resources

Trade Shows

The Education & Careers Expo, 2012
Dates: February 9-12, 2012 (annual)
Venue: Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center
Organizer: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Contact: Mr. Sam Wei
Tel: (852) 2240-4352
Website: hkeducationexpo.hktdc.com

U.S. Higher Education Fair
Dates: September 2012 (Exact date to be confirmed)
Venue: To be confirmed
Organizer: Institute of International Education
Tel: (852) 2603-5771
Fax: (852) 2603-5765
Website: www.iiehongkong.org

North American Boarding Schools Fair 2012
Date: November 2012 (exact date to be confirmed)
Venue: To be confirmed
Organizer: Institute of International Education
Tel: (852) 2603-5771
Fax: (852) 2603-5765
Website: www.iiehongkong.org

Trade Associations

The Institute of International Education
Tel: (852) 2603-5771
Fax: (852) 2603-5765
Website: www.iiehongkong.org

Government

Education and Manpower Bureau
Tel: (852) 2639-4774
Fax: (852) 2391-0470
Email: enquiry_ncr@emb.gov.hk
Website: www.emb.gov.hk

U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong
Public Affairs Section
Ms. Angel Lau, EducationUSA Advisor
EducationUSA Website: http://educationusa.state.gov
Facebook: www.facebook.com/EducationUSAinHKMacau
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EducationUSAhk
Tel: (852) 2841-2333
Fax: (852) 2525-9195
Email: hkeducationusa@state.gov

U.S. Commercial Service Hong Kong
Contact: Mr. Derek Lau, Commercial Specialist
Tel: (852) 2521-1467
Fax: (852) 2845-9800
Email: derek.lau@trade.gov

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Print | Last Updated: 5/4/12 4:05 AM