Number of Hong Kong school leavers seeking education elsewhere hits 14-year low

A sharp decline in students studying abroad coincides with a rising influx of mainland Chinese students into Hong Kong's universities. | Contesto: cronaca

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• Number of Hong Kong school leavers seeking education elsewhere hits 14-year low

Contesto

The number of Hong Kong secondary school leavers pursuing higher education outside the city has plummeted to its lowest point in 14 years, according to official 2025 data. A survey by the Education Bureau revealed that only 2,671 Form Six graduates, representing a mere 6.5 percent of the 40,948 students entering full-time courses, chose to study abroad last year. This figure marks a 13 percent drop from the 3,061 students who left in 2024 and establishes a new low not seen since 2011. Education experts directly link this significant downturn to a concurrent and powerful counter-trend: a dramatic surge in the number of mainland Chinese students securing undergraduate places at Hong Kong's top institutions. As local universities aggressively recruit high-achieving students from across the border, competition for coveted spots has intensified exponentially. For many Hong Kong students, the calculation has shifted; the perceived advantage of an overseas degree is being weighed against the rising difficulty and cost of securing a place at a prestigious local university like the University of Hong Kong or the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The declining interest in studying abroad represents a stark reversal from patterns observed over the past decade and a half. For years, a substantial portion of Hong Kong's academic elite viewed universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia as the premier path for tertiary education, often associated with greater global exposure and prestige. The current data suggests a fundamental recalibration of that outlook. The record-low departure rate indicates that more families and students are now looking inward, prioritizing the local education ecosystem amid changing social, economic, and geopolitical landscapes. This demographic shift within Hong Kong's universities carries profound implications for the city's academic culture and its future workforce. An increased mainland student presence diversifies the campus experience and deepens academic ties with the rest of China, aligning with broader integration policies. However, it also raises questions about the long-term composition of Hong Kong's...

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Categoria: cronaca