Hong Kong may require minimum stay to obtain ‘local student’ university status

Hong Kong may require students to have lived in the city for a minimum period to be classified as “local” after some mainland Chinese professionals were accused of exploiting talent schemes to secure cheaper university tuition for their children.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said on Tuesday she would take reference from jurisdictions such as England and Singapore to potentially redefine local students, a category which determines eligibility for subsidised university places.

Choi said the government was reviewing the definition and would soon make a decision on any changes.

“We will take reference from some practices internationally and we will consider the implementation, we may have to set a transition period,” she said in a press conference with officials from other bureaus.

The government said in October last year it would review the definition after a group of parents voiced worries. The group said “some people and intermediaries” arranged for parents who did not intend to settle in the city to apply for talent admission schemes to obtain dependant visas for their children.

Students who first received dependant visas or entry permits when they were under 18 years old are considered local under the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (Jupas).