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| City University is one of the UGC-funded tertiary schools in Hong Kong (CityU Facebook page) |
The government today announced that starting in the 2028-2029 academic year, dependent children of residents (who are non-local talents) must have stayed in Hong Kong for at least two years before they can be eligible for subsidized tertiary education places.
A transition period has been set for the academic
year 2027-2028, when dependent students applying for the subsidized places must
prove that they have lived in Hong Kong for at least one year.
The new policy also excludes from subsidized
tertiary-level education those who have fulltime work or hold a visa or entry permit for various admission schemes. They
could still enroll at subsidized tertiary schools, but must pay non-subsidized
fees charged to foreigners or non-residents..
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Currently, those who obtained dependent visa status
before they turned 18 years old can apply for the 15,000 undergraduate places
funded by the University Grants Committee, which means they get subsidy from
the government.
The upcoming change was announced in the wake of
complaints that some students who are receiving the government-subsidized
places did not come to reside in Hong Kong but only took advantage of the benefit
available to those with dependent visa status.
Critics said this unfairly affected the opportunities
of locals for university admission and defeated the purpose of the subsidy
"The Education Bureau,
having regard to overseas practices and the practical situation in Hong Kong,
considers it necessary for dependent children to reside in Hong Kong for two
years before becoming eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student
places," a government statement issued today said.
Secretary for Education Christine Choi said the
government had looked at similar policies in such places as Singapore and the
United Kingdom and considered the views of various stakeholders before deciding
on the change.
To qualify for subsidized tertiary
school education, a dependent children must have either enrolled as a full-time
student in a Hong Kong school for two years before the higher education program
begins, or prove that they have not stayed away from the city for more than 90
days in each of those two years.
The residency requirement
will be set at one year for the 2027-2028 school year as a transitional move,
before the two-year requirement takes full effect for the next academic year.
The Bureau said the policy
change is not likely “to have a significant impact on families with genuine
intentions to come to Hong Kong for development".
