Latest news with #UniversityGrantsCommittee
HKFP
a day ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Children of non-local talent can apply for subsidised university places only after 2-year residency in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong government has issued a new definition of 'local students' in tertiary education, saying that children of non-local talent can only be eligible for subsidised local tuition fees after residing in the city for at least two years. According to a government statement on Thursday, as a transitional arrangement, the residency requirement will be set at one year for the 2027-28 academic year, while the two-year requirement will be implemented starting from the 2028-29 academic year. Currently, a dependant visa or entry permit holder who was under 18 when first issued such a visa or permit is considered a local student and, therefore, can enjoy subsidised tuition fees at Hong Kong's public universities. A government spokesperson cited long-standing concerns that some students did not live in Hong Kong but applied for government-subsidised student places at universities funded by the University Grants Committee. 'To clarify the eligibility criteria for government-subsidised post-secondary student places and subsidies, and to ensure the proper use of public funds, the Education Bureau… considers it necessary for dependant children to reside in Hong Kong for two years before becoming eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places,' the spokesperson said in the statement. Under the new rule, to be eligible for local tuition fees, an applicant is required to provide proof that they are enrolled as a full-time student in a school offering a formal curriculum in Hong Kong for the two-year period ending on May 31 in the year in which their respective programme begins. Alternatively, they can obtain a record from the Immigration Department showing that they have not been absent from the city for a maximum of 90 days in each year of the two-year period. In addition, holders of full-time employment visas or entry permits for various admission schemes will no longer be eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places. Secretary for Education Christine Choi said in January that the government was reviewing the definition of 'local students' in tertiary education. The announcement came after the government issued hundreds of thousands of work visas. Expanded schemes Hong Kong introduced a new talent scheme, called the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS), in late 2022 and also expanded various existing immigration programmes to attract talent to the city, following a wave of emigration from the city. With a lower threshold than other programmes, the TTPS contributes to a major share of work visas in Hong Kong. As of December 2024, the Immigration Department had approved over 270,000 work visas under various schemes over the past two years. One-third of them – or more than 90,000 visas – were TTPS visas. Three-quarters of the overall work visa holders were from mainland China, official figures showed. Under the TTPS, the share of mainland Chinese was much higher: a whopping 95 per cent. TTPS visa holders can apply for dependant visas for their spouses or unmarried children under 18 years old. A group of Hong Kong parents signed an online petition last year urging the government to review the definition of 'local students,' saying that some students did not even live in Hong Kong before applying for government-subsidised university places, local media reported.
RTHK
a day ago
- Business
- RTHK
Govt tightens subsidised higher education eligibility
Govt tightens subsidised higher education eligibility The government says the policy change is not expected to have a significant impact on families with genuine intentions to come to Hong Kong for development. File photo: RTHK A minimum stay of two years in Hong Kong will be mandatory for children of non-local talent to be eligible for subsidised tertiary education places, the government has announced. But the Education Bureau on Thursday said the policy change, which will be in full force in the 2028-29 academic year, is not expected to "have a significant impact on families with genuine intentions to come to Hong Kong for development". Currently, students who first received dependant visas or entry permits when they were under 18 years old can apply for the 15,000 undergraduate programme places funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC). The bureau said it has taken note of recent concerns that "some of these students did not come to reside in Hong Kong but applied for government-subsidised places at UGC-funded universities as local students". This affected the opportunities of locals for university admission and the targeted use of public funds, it added. "The Education Bureau, having regard to overseas practices and the practical situation in Hong Kong, considers it necessary for dependant children to reside in Hong Kong for two years before becoming eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places," a government statement said. "Holders of a full-time employment visa or work permit or a visa or entry permit for various admission schemes will no longer be eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places." A bureau spokesman said officials took reference from similar policies in England and Singapore, with the former requiring students to be residents for at least three years to be eligible for local university fee levels. Authorities settled on a two-year residency requirement "to find a middle ground", according to the spokesman, who did not elaborate further on the reasons behind the decision. "We will introduce this [policy change] first, then review and monitor the situation. Once we have implemented the policy, we will monitor the applications of dependant students and see whether there are any changes," he said. "We have a mechanism in place for students to adjust their tuition fees from one academic year to the next based on the change in their depends on individual circumstances." To prove that dependant children satisfy the residency requirement, they must either be enrolled as a full-time student in a school for two years before the higher education programme begins, or show that they have not been away from Hong Kong for more than 90 days in each of the two years. The residency requirement for the 2027-28 academic year will be set at one year as a transitional move, before the two-year requirement takes full effect from the 2028-29 year.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong public universities agree to return more funding if asked
Hong Kong's eight public universities have promised to return more recurrent funding allocated to them if asked by the government within the next three academic years and to follow Beijing's guidance. In new documents signed with their funding body, the universities also agreed that the government had the right to reduce the amount of their regular allocation if they failed to meet their commitments or had any major deficiency in institutional governance. The University Grants Committee (UGC), a government advisory body that allocates funding for higher education institutions, uploaded the university accountability agreements it signed with each institution in June. In an unprecedented move in February, the government revealed in its budget that the eight public universities would be asked to return HK$4 billion (US$509.6 million) from their reserves that they had saved from previous government funding. Earlier, university chiefs had indicated a willingness to do so. The budget also stated that authorities would only offer the eight public universities HK$68.1 billion in the coming three school years, falling short of the HK$70.9 billion proposed by the UGC, resulting in a 4 per cent average reduction rate. The new clauses specified that the government would not only be allowed to claw back the money, but also exert fuller control of the funding granted to the universities.
RTHK
02-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
'HK universities are attractive to foreign students'
'HK universities are attractive to foreign students' Christine Choi says the strength of Hong Kong's higher education sector is reflected by the latest QS World University Rankings. Photo: RTHK University applications from non-local students have been flooding in, the education chief says, as Hong Kong seeks to attract international students whose study plans may have been affected by Washington's shifting policies towards their own tertiary institutions. Secretary for Education Christine Choi also pledged both funding and policy support for the tertiary sector so that the SAR can develop into an international hub for post-secondary education. In an interview marking the third anniversary of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Choi said local universities have already made offers to dozens of students having second thoughts about studying in the United States. "The institutions have responded quickly to the government's call to assist these students. They provided different convenience measures based on their own situation, including a dedicated email address for interested students wishing to make enquiries," she said. As of late last month, eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee received 850 enquiries. Those, Choi revealed, translated into "hundreds" of applications, while some schools even reported a near two-fold jump in the number of applicants. Around 40 offers have since been made altogether. According to the latest QS World University Rankings, five SAR institutions made it to the top 100, led by the University of Hong Kong at 11th, up six places from the previous year. "The results are very encouraging. Nearly all of our universities have recorded a major improvement, including our first University of Applied Sciences," she said, referring to the self-financing Hong Kong Metropolitan University which made its debut in the rankings in the 781–790 range. "This demonstrates the strength of Hong Kong's higher education sector. We have what it takes to attract world-class scholars." Choi also brushed off suggestions that the government is scaling back support to the institutions, after the UGC-funded universities were asked to return HK$4 billion in grants to the government. "Our support to universities goes beyond funding. For example, if you look at our policies and resources, it seems rather unfair to focus only on the return of that HK$4 billion," she argued. "We've relaxed the quota for postgraduate students, and for that purpose we allocated additional resources to the universities, and boosted our scholarship programmes. All these measures benefited the institutions. We also have the new round of Research Matching Grant Scheme coming up." Choi emphasised the government's determination to lure in more overseas students, citing a new Development Bureau initiative to encourage private developers to convert hotels and commercial buildings into student dormitories.
RTHK
02-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
'HK universities are attractive to foreign students'
'HK universities are attractive to foreign students' Christine Choi says the strength of Hong Kong's higher education sector is reflected by the latest QS World University Rankings. Photo: RTHK University applications from non-local students have been flooding in, the education chief says, as Hong Kong seeks to attract international students whose study plans may have been affected by Washington's shifting policies towards their own tertiary institutions. Secretary for Education Christine Choi also pledged both funding and policy support for the tertiary sector so that the SAR can develop into an international hub for post-secondary education. In an interview marking the third anniversary of Chief Executive John Lee's administration, Choi said local universities have already made offers to dozens of students having second thoughts about studying in the United States. "The institutions have responded quickly to the government's call to assist these students. They provided different convenience measures based on their own situation, including a dedicated email address for interested students wishing to make enquiries," she said. As of late last month, eight universities funded by the University Grants Committee received 850 enquiries. Those, Choi revealed, translated into "hundreds" of applications, while some schools even reported a near two-fold jump in the number of applicants. Around 40 offers have since been made altogether. According to the latest QS World University Rankings, five SAR institutions made it to the top 100, led by the University of Hong Kong at 11th, up six places from the previous year. "The results are very encouraging. Nearly all of our universities have recorded a major improvement, including our first University of Applied Sciences," she said, referring to the self-financing Hong Kong Metropolitan University which made its debut in the rankings in the 781–790 range. "This demonstrates the strength of Hong Kong's higher education sector. We have what it takes to attract world-class scholars." Choi also brushed off suggestions that the government is scaling back support to the institutions, after the UGC-funded universities were asked to return HK$4 billion in grants to the government. "Our support to universities goes beyond funding. For example, if you look at our policies and resources, it seems rather unfair to focus only on the return of that HK$4 billion," she argued. "We've relaxed the quota for postgraduate students, and for that purpose we allocated additional resources to the universities, and boosted our scholarship programmes. All these measures benefited the institutions. We also have the new round of Research Matching Grant Scheme coming up." Choi emphasised the government's determination to lure in more overseas students, citing a new Development Bureau initiative to encourage private developers to convert hotels and commercial buildings into student dormitories.
