Complete Guide to Hong Kong Higher Education Scholarships HKEXC

Published on May 14, 2026

Every year, parents ask me: "Teacher, does the University of Hong Kong HKU offer scholarships for Taiwanese students?"

My answer is always: "Yes. Hong Kong's eight universities have generous scholarship structures for international students. HKU, HKUST, and CUHK offer HKD $250K-300K / yr full scholarships to top international students, equivalent to NTD 1 million per year."

Parents get excited: "How does this compare with MEXT / GKS?"

The answer is: For Taiwanese students, Hong Kong is geographically close, linguistically accessible, and work visa friendly. It is an underrated study-abroad option. This article breaks down Hong Kong's eight universities and scholarship structures.

1. Overview of Hong Kong's Eight Universities

Key focus for Taiwanese students: HKU, HKUST, and CUHK.

2. HKU / HKUST / CUHK Tuition Structure

Conclusion: Full undergraduate tuition in Hong Kong is about USD $23K / yr x 4 years = USD $92K (NTD 3.05 million), which is 70% cheaper than the United States.

3. HKU Scholarship Structure

3.1 Entry Scholarships

3.2 Faculty-Specific

3.3 Application Requirements

• A-level AAA or IB 42-45 or SAT 1500+ or multiple AP scores of 5
• TOEFL 100+ / IELTS 7.0+
• Strong leadership / service

4. HKUST Scholarship Structure

4.1 Major Scholarships

5. CUHK Scholarship Structure

5.1 Major Scholarships

6. HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund

6.1 HKEXC (HK Excellence Scholarship)

Selection rate for Taiwanese students: ~5-10% of applicants.

6.2 Application Process

7. Concrete Advantages for Taiwanese Students Applying to Hong Kong

7.1 Geography + Language

7.2 Post-Degree Employment

For more details on the Hong Kong IANG visa, see "Complete Guide to Hong Kong IANG".

8. HKU / HKUST / CUHK Application Process

8.1 Main Process (HKU Example)

8.2 Deadlines

9. Hong Kong vs Other Asian Study-Abroad Options

10. The "5 Hidden Gems" of Hong Kong Universities

10.1 HKU's "Major in the Pacific Rim"

HKU is a representative university at the intersection of Chinese / Western / East Asian cultures, giving its historical and humanities research a distinctive perspective.

10.2 HKUST's STEM Excellence

Although HKUST was only founded in 1991, it ranks in the global QS Engineering Top 30, making it a high-ROI choice for engineering and science students.

10.3 CUHK's "Strength in Humanities and Social Sciences"

CUHK has a strong three-part foundation: medical school + business school + humanities and social sciences.

10.4 Internship Opportunities in Hong Kong

HK is Asia's financial center, so studying for an undergraduate degree in HK makes junior- and senior-year summer internships much easier to access, including investment banking, Big 4 consulting, Tencent HK, and more.

10.5 Integration with Mainland China

HK students can intern in Shenzhen / Shanghai / Beijing during the summer after junior year, giving them excellent internship opportunities in mainland China's tech sector.

11. The "Dual-Insurance Strategy" for Hong Kong Applicants from Taiwanese Families

My advice for Dr. G. families: apply to the United States and Hong Kong on parallel tracks:

Real case: Student K (family budget: NTD 3.5 million)

• Yale ED wait-listed
• HKU + full ride confirmed
• Ultimately chose HKU full ride (USD 0) + summer internship at Morgan Stanley HK

12. Conclusion: Hong Kong Is an "Underrated High-ROI Asian Option"

Over the past 15 years, I have seen too many parents overlook Hong Kong. But for students from middle-class families who want to stay in Asia and remain close to Taiwan, Hong Kong can offer a higher ROI than the United States.

My final reminder for Dr. G. students:

Studying in Hong Kong is suitable for students who:1. Want to work in Asia (after the HK IANG visa, students may apply for PR)2. Want to stay close to family (1.5-hour flight)3. Want to be in a finance / tech center (HK is an Asian hub)4. Have a strong academic spike

Real ROI:- Four-year undergraduate cost of USD $90K (self-funded) or full ride (scholarship)- English + Chinese bilingual environment- IANG visa gives graduates 24 months to find work- Strong networking with mainland China / Taiwan / Southeast Asia

For Taiwanese students, HKU / HKUST offer Top 50 rankings + high ROI + cultural familiarity + work-friendly pathways. They are seriously underrated.

Further Reading:

• Singapore SMU / NTU International Student Scholarship Structure
• Complete Guide to Hong Kong IANG
• Complete Guide to Singapore Work Visas / PR / Citizenship
• Complete Guide to MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship
• Complete Guide to Korea GKS Scholarship