Why Study in HKU
Academic Excellence
Best-Qualified Students
Entrance examination scores are a major factor for incoming student enrollment. HKU perenially maintains the highest standard in Hong Kong for incoming students' entry exam scores, including the top Mainland entrance exams.
HKU received over 23,000 undergraduate applications in 2013 from students outside Hong Kong school systems. Our international applicants represented 91 countries from 6 continents, including recent applicants from Malawi, El Salvador and Trinidad & Tobago. In addition to reaching new regions, HKU continuously put in efforts to outreach quality students from India, Korea and Malaysia, and students from these countries constitute the largest populations of international undergraduates on campus.
HKU continuously strives for excellence in admitting outstanding students. This year, five admitted students achieved full GSAT score (scoring 75 out of a maximum of 75) from Taiwan. At least 1 student scored a perfect 2400 in the SAT; 8 students scored 45 of 45 on the IB; and students achieved outstanding results of ATAR 98.85 (out of a maximum 100).
Top-tier staff
About 45% of academic staff members are drawn from overseas. 94% of teachers have PhD and/or higher professional qualifications who excel in research.
International Recognition
HKU Makes Top 10 in Latest QS World University Subject Rankings
In May 2013, QS published its latest World University Rankings by Subject, and HKU has been ranked Hong Kong’s number one in 17 out of 30 academic disciplines. Ranked highest is civil & structural engineering and computer science & information system, eighth and tenth in the world respectively. Other non-scientific disciplines at HKU such as Psychology, Law have also made it into the world’s top 20.
About 45% of academic staff members are drawn from overseas. 94% of teachers have PhD and/or higher professional qualifications who excel in research.
World’s No.28
Continuing its legacy as a leading university in Asia, The University of Hong Kong has received a QS World University Rankings of 28th Best University in the World for 2014. Following suit in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (powered by Thomson Reuters), HKU earned the title of 35th Best University in the World for 2012-2013.
Comprehensive University
HKU is a comprehensive university offering, at present, over 35 undergraduate programmes covering some 50 major areas of study. We endeavour to provide you with a broad-based education across different disciplines with a global perspective, in order to develop your intellectual and personal strengths.
Strong Alumni Network
Across-the-world alumni network. HKU has an extensive alumni network in Hong Kong and worldwide – over 75 local alumni groups and 21 offshore associations – which enable YOU to stay tuned with HKU after you have graduated. You can further enchance your learning experiences by joining various alumni events that take place around the world.
Pioneer in Research
Top Research University
In the annual General Research Fund exercise and the Public Policy Research Funding Scheme by the Research Grants Council (RGC, the major source of local institutional funding for research), HKU attained the highest number of awards of any University Grants Committee-funded institution (UGC), with 196 winning proposals in the year 2012-2013. HKU also secured the largest amount of funding of HK$151M from the total yearly allocation of HK$517M by the RGC General Research Fund Award scheme. HKU has secured the largest amount of funding of any UGC-funded institution from the RGC GRF Awards for 11 successive years.
There are many opportunities for undergraduates to apply for research internships in one of our professors' laboratories. This is one of the ways in which you can further develop your enthusiasm and interest in your discipline, as well as providing you with deeper intellectual challenges in the area. 111 HKU professoriate staff have been ranked by the Institute for Scientific Information as being among the world's top 1% of scientists, based on the number of citations recorded for their publications.
Our international research collaborations also enable a few talented undergraduate students to take up a research internship during the summer at other world-renowned laboratories (e.g. Princeton, Cambridge, NASA, MIT, CalTech and European Space Agency)
