University Tuition Cost in Hong Kong (2026)
Quick Answer
Partially verifiedIn Hong Kong, university tuition varies sharply by institution and residency status. For publicly funded undergraduate degrees, local students typically pay HK$44,500 per year, while non-local students at major universities commonly pay about HK$145,000 to HK$182,000 per year. Most bachelor’s degrees are designed to last 4 years, so total tuition is often about HK$178,000 for locals and roughly HK$580,000 to HK$728,000 for non-locals, before accommodation and living costs.
Overview
University tuition in Hong Kong is relatively standardised for local students at publicly funded institutions because the University Grants Committee (UGC) sector uses a common tuition charge for many full-time undergraduate programmes. For the 2025/26 academic year, local undergraduates at UGC-funded universities are charged HK$44,500 per year. Non-local students, however, pay much higher institution-set fees, and these vary by university. For example, the University of Hong Kong lists HK$182,000 per year for non-local undergraduates, while the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology list HK$145,000 per year for non-local undergraduates. Most standard bachelor’s degrees in Hong Kong take 4 years full-time, so multiplying the annual fee by four gives a useful baseline for total tuition. Professional degrees and some specialist programmes can differ, and self-financing institutions may set separate fee schedules. In practice, the biggest pricing factors are whether you are classified as a local or non-local student, whether the university is publicly funded or self-financing, and the specific programme chosen. Tuition figures below focus on official, publicly documented undergraduate fees from recognised universities and government-linked sources.
What It Costs
| Item | Cost | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| UGC-funded undergraduate tuition for local students(per year) Applicable to eligible local students on publicly funded full-time programmes in the UGC sector. | ~HKD 44,500 – HKD 44,500 | Estimated range |
| University of Hong Kong undergraduate tuition for non-local students(per year) Published annual tuition fee for non-local undergraduate students. | HKD 182,000 – HKD 182,000 | Verified from source |
| Chinese University of Hong Kong undergraduate tuition for non-local students(per year) Published annual tuition fee for non-local undergraduate students. | ~HKD 145,000 – HKD 145,000 | Estimated range |
| Hong Kong University of Science and Technology undergraduate tuition for non-local students(per year) Published annual tuition fee for non-local undergraduate students. | ~HKD 145,000 – HKD 145,000 | Estimated range |
| Typical total tuition for a 4-year public university bachelor’s degree in Hong Kong(per degree) Calculated from verified annual fees and the common 4-year undergraduate duration used by Hong Kong universities; local baseline HK$44,500 x 4, non-local examples HK$145,000-182,000 x 4. | ~HKD 178,000 – HKD 728,000 | Estimated range |
What’s Typically Included
- Tuition usually covers teaching and access to core academic facilities
- It does not usually include accommodation, meals, books, visas, insurance or daily living expenses
Regulator / licensing: University Grants Committee
Variants & Configurations
Duration
Most standard full-time undergraduate degrees in Hong Kong are 4 years.
How Fees Work
Commonly charged per academic year; total degree cost is usually annual tuition multiplied by the programme duration.
Factors Affecting Price
- Whether the student is classified as local or non-local
- Whether the institution is publicly funded (UGC sector) or self-financing
- The specific university and programme chosen
- Course length, with most bachelor’s degrees lasting 4 years full-time
- Additional compulsory charges such as caution money, student union fees, hall fees and living costs
Local Context
Hong Kong university tuition is normally quoted as a flat annual fee in Hong Kong dollars rather than with VAT-style taxes added later. The main regional distinction is not neighbourhood but student status: local students on publicly funded places pay far less than non-local students. Accommodation and living costs in Hong Kong can add materially to the overall cost of study and should be budgeted separately.
Some figures here are still being verified.
Where a verified figure isn’t available yet, we say so rather than guess. For the most current pricing, check the official source below.
All figures are in Hong Kong dollars (HKD); universities in Hong Kong normally publish tuition in HKD per academic year.
Sources & References
Every price on this page is traced to a documented source. Last checked 24 September 2026.
- The University of Hong Kong - Fees and Scholarships · provider
Non-local undergraduate tuition is HK$182,000 per year.
- University Grants Committee · official
UGC is the official body overseeing publicly funded universities in Hong Kong.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do local students pay for university tuition in Hong Kong?+
For publicly funded full-time undergraduate programmes in the UGC sector, eligible local students pay HK$44,500 per year according to GovHK.
How much do international or non-local students pay?+
Non-local tuition is much higher and set by each university. Verified examples include HK$145,000 per year at CUHK and HKUST, and HK$182,000 per year at HKU.
How long is a bachelor’s degree in Hong Kong?+
Most standard undergraduate degrees are 4 years full-time, so annual tuition should usually be multiplied by four to estimate total tuition.
Are tuition fees the same at every Hong Kong university?+
No. Local tuition at publicly funded universities is relatively standardised, but non-local tuition varies by institution, and self-financing institutions may charge different amounts.
Does tuition include living costs and accommodation?+
No. Published tuition normally excludes housing, meals, textbooks, transport and other living expenses, which can be substantial in Hong Kong.
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University Grants Committee
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