Higher Education in Hong Kong means any education higher than secondary education, including professional, technical and academic. It is the highest level of education in Hong Kong, regulated under Hong Kong Law Education Ordinance
Tertiary Education
With 8 universities and several other tertiary institutions in just one city, tertiary education plays a key role in the education system. Of the 36,660 students who attended the HKALE in 2003, 18,049 (49.2%) of them fulfilled their general entry requirement to their respective university, usually a pass in Chinese Language and Culture and Use of English, plus another two A-level subjects (or one A-level subject and two AS-level subjects). Students who sit for the HKALE first time have a success rate of 75.8%. There are 19 different Advanced Level and 20 different AS-level subjects
available. The cost of undergraduate, full-degree, full-time programmes tend to be around HK$40,000 - 50,000 a year, with the cost being higher for engineering and medical students. The reason for this relatively low cost is due to heavy government subsidisation. Being an international city, Hong Kong's tertiary institutions attract many foreign exchange students from US, UK, Switzerland, Canada, Italy, Singapore to name a few.
The following is a table comparing HK tertiary students enrollment in various countries. It also provides a ratio comparison to the number that enrolled in local Hong Kong
universities.
Universities
Universities are those educational insititutes who gained approval from both the Chief Executive and the Executive Council, and then make into law by the Legislative Council.
Colleges
Colleges are those educational insititutes who gained approval from both the Chief Executive and the Executive Council, and then make into law by the Legislative Council.
Post-secondary colleges
Post-secondary colleges are educational institutes fromed under the Post-secondary Colleges Ordinance. This kind of institutes are allowed to give out academic awards with the prior permission from the Chief Executive and the Executive Council. This kind of colleges are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards. To date, there are two post-secondary colleges in total:
- Caritas Francis Hsu College
- Chu Hai College of Higher Education
Vocational Training Council Institutes
Vocational Training Council Institutes are formed under the Vocational Training Council Ordinance (Cap. 1130), this kind of institutes are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards. To date, there are two Vocational Training Council Institutes in total:
- Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education
- VTC School of Business and Information Systems
General institutes
The following educational institutes are formed under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) and approved by the Secretary of Education and Manpower Bureau for Higher educations, this kind of institute are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards.
- Caritas Bianchi College of Careers
- Hang Seng School of Commerce
- HKU SPACE Po Leung Kuk Community College
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Community College
- Hong Kong Institute of Technology
- Hong Kong College of Technology
- The Art School, Hong Kong Arts Centre
