Number of Hong Kong students attending British independent schools drops by 6%

The number of Hong Kong students attending independent schools in the United Kingdom has fallen by 6 per cent, the biggest decline witnessed in recent years, according to an annual census by the sector.

This coincided with the Labour government’s introduction of a 20 per cent value-added tax (VAT) on school fees in January.

An education consultant who specialises in assisting Hong Kong students with enrolment in British independent schools said the new tax had deterred some parents, despite most private schools absorbing some of the increase by raising fees by only about 12 per cent.

According to an annual census conducted by the UK’s Independent School Council, mainland China and Hong Kong remain the largest and second-largest markets, respectively, for international students in British independent schools this academic year.

However, the number of students from Hong Kong dropped this year.

The census, the first survey since the VAT was introduced, was carried out in January this year and covered 1,423 schools, 12 more than last year.