Overview
Table 1: Number of Hong Kong and Macau Students in the U.S.
| Region | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
Hong Kong Students in the U.S. | 5,848 | 5,867 | 5,627 |
Macau Students in the U.S. | 394 | 360 | 408 |
Data Sources: Open Doors Report from IIE, EducationUSA
With one of the highest GDP per capita rates compared to other Asian markets, Hong Kong ranks among the top 25 sources of students to the United States, with more than 6,000 Hong Kong and Macau students in the United States in 2024. The high standard of education in the United States and the potential increase in job prospects after graduation, makes the United States a preferred destination for Hong Kong students.
Country/Region | GDP Per Capita (2024 estimate) |
Hong Kong | $66,200 |
Japan | $46,100 |
Mainland, China | $23,800 |
The U.S. Commercial Service in Hong Kong has historically provided U.S. schools that seek our support with pre-screened meetings with education agents and secondary school administrators. Word of mouth is a significant factor in Hong Kong when deciding where to study overseas, and international universities are increasingly relying on their Hong Kong alumni network to reach potential students.
The U.S. Consulate has an EducationUSA program that is run by the State Department which maintains a network of local secondary schools and can provide insights on educational trends and recruiting strategies. U.S. academic institutions interested in the Hong Kong market can consider partnering with EducationUSA to coordinate outreach visits and other opportunities in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s Education System
Hong Kong’s public education system consists of twelve years of free education, from Primary 1 to Secondary 6 (see table below). Upon completion of Secondary 6 year, students take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) exams. Upon obtaining the minimum requirements on these exams, students can apply for undergraduate programs at local universities.
Average Age | Year | School | U.S. Equivalent |
3-4 | Kindergarten 1 | Kindergarten | Nursery |
4-5 | Kindergarten 2 | Kindergarten | Preschool |
5-6 | Kindergarten 3 | Kindergarten | Kindergarten |
6-7 | Primary 1 | Primary School | Elementary School |
7-8 | Primary 2 | ||
8-9 | Primary 3 | ||
9-10 | Primary 4 | ||
10-11 | Primary 5 | ||
11-12 | Primary 6 | ||
12-13 | Secondary 1 | Junior Secondary School | Middle School |
13-14 | Secondary 2 | ||
14-15 | Secondary 3 | High School | |
15-16 | Secondary 4 | Senior Secondary School | |
16-17 | Secondary 5 | ||
17-18 | Secondary 6 | ||
> 18 | University | University | University |
In the 2024-2025 academic year, 55,781 students sat for the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams. Of these, 16,393 (38.5%) of students achieved the minimum marks required to enter publicly funded undergraduate programs in Hong Kong. In other words, most students who sat for this exam must look for alternative options if they wish to continue their education. Data Source: Hong Kong Education Bureau
In the past 10 years, Hong Kong has seen a steady decline in secondary and post-secondary students. According to UNESCO, 35,361 Hong Kong students are studying abroad at present. The most popular study destination is the United Kingdom, followed by Australia, the United States, and Canada. A total of 5,867 students studied in the United States during the 2022-2023 academic year, a 0.3 percent increase from the 2021-2022 academic year.
In June 2025, the Hong Kong Bureau of Education expanded and updated the National Security Education Curriculum Framework for primary and secondary schools, aligning it with mainland China’s Patriotic Education Law and the 2024 SNSO. The revised framework introduces subject-specific guidelines across six disciplines, including music, visual arts, and physical education – to highlight a broad “holistic security” concept. Hong Kong officials said that under the new “Patriotic Education” framework, students are expected to understand the role of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and China’s political system from upper primary onwards.
Study Abroad Trends to the United States
Student Interest
- According to the Open Doors Report, the number of Hong Kong students enrolling in U.S. universities has been in decline. However, most recently, due to the change in U.K. and Canadian immigration pathways for Hong Kong, there is a resurgence of interest in the United States as a study abroad option.
- According to Hong Kong media, more Hong Kong students now opt for local alternatives in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area due to good institutional rankings and comparatively lower cost of tuition. However, per the Open Doors Report, demand for U.S. Master’s and MBA programs remains relatively steady as it is more affordable than pursuing undergraduate studies in the United States and may offer higher employment opportunities after completion.
Cost and Affordability
- U.S. tuition and living expenses remain considerably higher than those in competing destinations, amid rising global inflation and currency volatility.
- Economic uncertainty in Hong Kong has made families more value-conscious, pushing many to consider more affordable pathways like community colleges, hybrid programs, high school completion, or graduate programs.
Safety, Security, and Visa Policy - Continued concerns about racial bias, campus safety, and visa policy in the United States have also led some Hong Kong families to favor other destinations.
Leading Sub-Sectors
Undergraduate Programs: As mentioned above, many Hong Kong students cannot gain admission to local universities despite meeting the minimum requirements because of the limited availability of seats. Additionally, students that do gain admission to Hong Kong universities may not be admitted into their preferred programs, which include finance, law, and medicine, as these programs are highly competitive. Consequently, there is a strong demand to study these fields in the United States. Feedback received from the U.S. Commercial Service’s recruitment partners also highlighted an increased demand in healthcare and the life sciences, game design, and data science fields.
Community Colleges: Apart from traditional four-year universities, there is also an emerging market for two-year community colleges where admission requirements and tuition are comparably lower. Hong Kong students tend to be more interested in community colleges with guaranteed transferable credits to universities, particularly those schools with established paths to transfer to top four-year universities in the U.S.
Boarding Schools: A growing number of Hong Kong parents are interested in finding opportunities for their high school and middle school aged children to study at U.S. boarding schools. This trend is partly driven by the fact that some parents and students feel that a private boarding school education can equip them with academic, cultural, and linguistic skills that may improve their chances of entering colleges and universities in the United States.
Opportunities
Education Technology
There are opportunities in the Hong Kong market for U.S. education technology companies. The Hong Kong Government’s Quality Education Fund (QEF) provides annual grants of approximately US$30 million for Hong Kong’s K-12 schools and companies to support innovation education programs. Local K-12 schools and companies can apply for QEF funding to procure the necessary information technology equipment and curricula for these programs. U.S. education technology firms are suggested to work with Hong Kong distributors to tap into these funding as they are familiar with U.S. edtech solutions and open to additional U.S. supplier relationships.
In June 2023, the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) announced several initiatives to promote innovation and technology education in schools, including the “Module on Artificial Intelligence for Junior Secondary Level.” This module serves as the city’s first curriculum on artificial intelligence (AI) for junior secondary students and includes topics such as computer vision, computer speech and language (large language models like ChatGPT), ethics, and the social impact of technology.
This module will be used in more than 450 public secondary schools and will require teachers to incorporate a total of 10 to 14 hours of AI education in the information and communication technology (ICT) subject per year starting September 2023. Additionally, the bureau will offer workshops on teaching AI to more than 1,000 public secondary school ICT teachers.
As Hong Kong continues to adopt AI, this will provide tremendous opportunity for edtech companies that leverage generative AI or provide platforms and content to teach AI and coding.
Resources
Hong Kong Trade Shows:
- Education and Careers Expo (annual)
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - Hong Kong International Education Expo (annual):
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - Learning and Teaching Expo (annual):
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre - International Conference on Education and Training Technologies
Government Agencies
Government Education Bureau
For more information about this industry sector, please contact:
U.S. Commercial Service, Hong Kong
Christopher Lui, Commercial Assistant
Email: christopher.lui@trade.gov