Hong Kong won’t raise fees for non-local university students: education chief

Hong Kong’s education minister has said authorities would not raise tuition fees for non-local university students significantly despite the government’s fiscal deficit, so top candidates would not be deterred.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin told a radio programme on Saturday that having the best students come to Hong Kong was important in maintaining the quality of local higher-education, as well as the city’s research capabilities.

“For instance, Singapore is only charging their international students between around HK$100,000 (US$12,830) to HK$200,000,” she said.

“If we suddenly raise our fees to around HK$300,000, what could we lose out on? The best students won’t come to Hong Kong unless we are very attractive.”

Choi explained that if Hong Kong wanted to make money from international students, the city would need to consider if it had the necessary qualities, including being an attractive location to talent compared to other regions, and having local institutions that were competitive.

“Having the best students coming to Hong Kong is an important factor in the quality of our higher education and research abilities,” she said.