Watch out for
- The IANG 'recent graduate' route (no job offer needed) only applies if you apply within 6 months of your graduation-certificate date — applying later reclassifies you as 'non-recent' and a job offer becomes mandatory.
- Tuition and cost-of-living figures here are wide combined ranges across all institutions/levels — always confirm the exact figure on the specific university's own site before budgeting.
- Student visa fee, financial-means requirement, processing time, and on-study work rights could not be confirmed from an official page in this research pass and are left null — verify directly with immd.gov.hk or the admitting institution.
The basics
- Intakes
- Main intake (September) — main
- Work after graduating
- Under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG): graduates of a full-time, locally-accredited undergraduate-or-higher programme (bachelor's/master's/doctoral of at least 1 academic year, or a QF Level 5+ programme with 120+ QF credits) who apply within 6 months of their graduation date ('recent graduates') can get an initial 24-month stay with NO job offer required. 'Non-recent graduates' (applying after 6 months) need a job offer at graduate level and market-rate pay. Extensions follow a 3-3 year pattern (job offer required, market-level pay). IANG holders on 'time limitation only' status may take up and change employment freely without prior Immigration Department approval. After 2 years on IANG with assessable income of at least HKD 2 million in the prior tax year, a 'top-tier' extension of 6 years without other conditions is available. Processing: about 2 weeks for recent-graduate applications, 4 weeks for non-recent (longer June-August). Right of abode can be applied for after 7 continuous years of ordinary residence. Source: Immigration Department 'Guidebook for Entry for Employment as Professionals in Hong Kong', ID(E)991 (04/2026), Part IV.
Your timeline from India
for the main intake- Application cycleApply directly to Hong Kong universities (e.g. via JUPAS for government-subsidised places, or direct non-JUPAS application for self-financed/international-student admission — check the specific university's own international-admissions process)
- After admissionApply for the student visa/entry permit; the school year generally starts 1 September
- On graduation (apply within 6 months of the graduation-certificate date to be classed as a 'recent graduate')Apply under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) to stay and work — no job offer is required at this stage for recent graduates
What it costs
rupees at ECB rates of 2026-09-25- Tuition — bachelor's
- HKD 90,000–265,000 / year · about ₹11 lakh–32.4 lakh (Combined range across government-subsidised and self-financed programmes, all levels — source: studyinhongkong.edu.hk; check each university/programme individually for the exact figure)
- Tuition — master's
- HKD 90,000–265,000 / year · about ₹11 lakh–32.4 lakh (Same combined range as UG; the source page did not split figures by level — check each university/programme individually)
The student visa
- Visa
- Student visa/entry permit ↗
- Processing
- Not confirmed from an official page in this research pass
Steps
- Get admission from a Hong Kong institution
- Apply for the student visa/entry permit (the institution typically assists/sponsors this)
- Travel to Hong Kong and complete any required registration
Where to apply, funding, official help
Application platforms
- Study in Hong Kong — Official Education Bureau portal listing universities and admission contacts
- JUPAS — Joint University Programmes Admissions System, for government-subsidised undergraduate programmes (mainly for local/DSE students; non-local applicants typically apply direct to universities)
Scholarships
- Belt and Road Scholarship — Mentioned on the Education Bureau's Study in Hong Kong scholarships page; details not confirmed beyond the name in this research pass — check the Education Bureau site directly
Top universities in Hong Kong
by ARWU 2025 world rank#67The University of Hong KongCentral and Western District, Hong Kong · UG fees ~₹34.2 lakh/yrAdmission guide#99City University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong KongAdmission guide101–150The Chinese University of Hong KongSha Tin District, Hong Kong · UG fees ~₹28.1 lakh/yrAdmission guide151–200The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong, Hong Kong · UG fees ~₹29.3 lakh/yrAdmission guide201–300The Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong Kong, Hong KongAdmission guide601–700Hong Kong Baptist UniversityHong Kong, Hong Kong · UG fees ~₹23.2 lakh/yrAdmission guide801–900The Education University of Hong KongHong Kong, Hong Kong901–1000Lingnan UniversityTuen Mun District, Hong Kong—Tung Wah CollegeHong Kong, Hong Kong—The Hang Seng University of Hong KongHong Kong—Hong Kong Metropolitan UniversityHong Kong, Hong Kong
This guide was built from: studyinhongkong.edu.hk/en/ · studyinhongkong.edu.hk/en/hong-kong-education/tuition-fee-and-living-expenses.php · studyinhongkong.edu.hk/en/hong-kong-education/education-system.php · immd.gov.hk/eng/ · immd.gov.hk/eng/services/index.html · immd.gov.hk/pdforms/ID(E)991.pdf — checked 2026-09-28.