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Meta title: CityUHK: Admission, Fees and Scholarships for 2027
Meta description: CityUHK for international applicants: school certificate entry, IELTS 6.5, rounds to 15 Nov 2026 and 15 Jan 2027, HK$190,000 fee, vet medicine, scholarships.
Last modified: 2026-09-28

# City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK)

CityUHK is a publicly funded university in Kowloon Tong, strong in computing, engineering, business, creative media and law, and home to a six-year veterinary medicine degree developed with Cornell University. School leavers apply directly: CityUHK accepts the Russian school certificate with excellent grades plus Unified State Exam (EGE) results, together with IELTS Academic 6.5. Applications for 2027 entry opened on 24 September 2026; the early round closes on 15 November 2026 and the main round on 15 January 2027. Non-local students admitted in 2026 pay $24,220 (HK$190,000) a year, fixed until graduation; the 2027 intake rate has not yet been announced.

The main courtyard of City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. Photo: PrzemekJaczewski / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:City_University_of_Hong_Kong_main_courtyard.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

The official abbreviation is CityUHK, though most people say CityU. It is not CUHK (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), a separate university with its own campus in Sha Tin, requirements and fees. CityUHK began in 1983 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and later became a university. It is 73rd in the THE World University Rankings 2026, and the university reports that THE has named it the world's most international university three years running (2024–2026).

| At a glance | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Campus | Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, next to Kowloon Tong MTR station |
| Status | public, funded through the University Grants Committee (UGC) |
| Structure | 7 colleges (including veterinary medicine) and 3 schools — creative media, energy and environment, law |
| School qualifications | Russia: certificate with excellent grades + EGE; Kazakhstan: certificate with excellent grades + UNT; Kyrgyzstan: certificate + national scholarship test (ORT) |
| English (undergraduate) | IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79 (4.5 for tests from 21 January 2026) or CAE grade C |
| 2027 entry | 24 Sep 2026 – 15 Jan 2027; early round to 15 Nov 2026 |
| Application fee | $76 (HK$600), up to two choices |
| Non-local tuition | $24,220 (HK$190,000) a year for 2026 entrants; veterinary medicine $49,970 (HK$392,000) |
| Housing | not guaranteed, priority for junior years; double room HK$20,800 for two semesters |
| Scholarships | half tuition to full tuition plus HK$60,000 a year, awarded automatically |
| Master's | 50+ programmes, all self-financing (except some PCLL places) |

## Who CityUHK suits {#section-1}

Consider CityUHK if you want:

- computing, data and AI through its College of Computing;
- engineering and biomedicine, including BEng Biomedical Engineering;
- creative media at the School of Creative Media, which selects by portfolio;
- law at its own School of Law;
- veterinary medicine — the six-year BVM accredited by the UK's RCVS and Australasia's AVBC;
- a moderate fee — HK$190,000 a year for 2026 entrants, well below HKU, HKUST and PolyU.

It is a harder fit if you need university housing throughout the degree or want to study human medicine: there is no MBBS, which HKU and CUHK offer. For a comparison of all eight public universities, see [universities in Hong Kong](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-hong-kong).

## Colleges, schools and subject areas {#section-2}

| Unit | Areas and example programmes |
| --- | --- |
| College of Biomedicine | BEng Biomedical Engineering, BSc Biological Sciences, BSc Biomedical Sciences |
| College of Business | business and finance, e.g. BSc Computational Finance and Financial Technology, BBA Global Business |
| College of Computing | computer science and related fields |
| College of Engineering | engineering disciplines |
| College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences | humanities and social sciences, including the interdisciplinary SAGE programme |
| College of Science | natural sciences |
| Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences | veterinary medicine (BVM) and life sciences |
| School of Creative Media | creative media, portfolio-based selection |
| School of Energy and Environment | energy and environment |
| School of Law | law |

The undergraduate admissions catalogue lists more than 100 entries, including interdisciplinary options. Non-local students apply directly; JUPAS, the local school-leaver system, is not open to them.

## Entry requirements for Russian and CIS applicants {#section-3}

CityUHK lists the Russian certificate of secondary education with excellent school grades and EGE results, the Kazakh certificate with excellent grades and UNT, and the Kyrgyz certificate with excellent grades and the national scholarship test. It publishes no EGE cut-offs, but "excellent grades" means that a certificate with average marks in core subjects weakens an application considerably.

| Qualification | CityUHK minimum |
| --- | --- |
| IB Diploma | diploma; 30+ points for Advanced Standing entry |
| A-level / International A-level | grade E or above in three subjects (competitive programmes expect far higher) |
| SAT / ACT | SAT 1190+ or ACT 24 composite, from one sitting |

Advanced Standing I. IB holders with 30+ points may enter with advanced standing and need at least 91 credit units to graduate. There is no credit transfer for school courses; instead, specific courses may be exempted, and exempted courses earn no credits.

English: IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 79 (4.5 on the new scale for tests from 21 January 2026) or Cambridge Advanced (CAE) grade C. Some programmes ask for more: veterinary medicine requires IELTS 7 or TOEFL iBT 100.

## Applying for 2027 entry {#section-4}

| Stage | Date |
| --- | --- |
| Applications open | 24 September 2026 |
| Early round | until 15 November 2026; results in December 2026 |
| Main round | until 15 January 2027; results February–May 2027 |
| Offers | normally December to July |
| Semester starts | 30 August 2027 |

One application covers up to two programmes, with no ranking between them, for a non-refundable, non-transferable HK$600 ($76), payable by Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay or Asian payment services.

Non-English documents need an officially certified English translation. If a programme interviews, it does so by phone or video. Offers may be conditional on a test score or final results, and they are valid only for the admission semester: there is no deferral, and a place lapses if you do not enrol. After accepting, send official academic records well before you arrive. The full cycle is covered in [applying to Hong Kong universities](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-hong-kong-universities).

## Veterinary medicine (BVM) {#section-5}

The six-year BVM was developed with Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine and is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC). Requirements go beyond the general minimum:

- A-level grade C in mathematics, biology and chemistry, or IB grade 4 in Biology HL and Chemistry HL;
- IELTS 7 or TOEFL iBT 100;
- at least 70 hours of hands-on experience with animals;
- the CASPer online test;
- a multiple mini-interview with eight scenarios.

Non-local students admitted in 2026 pay HK$392,000 ($49,970) a year — HK$2,352,000, or about $299,820, over six years at an unchanged rate, before housing.

## What CityUHK costs {#section-6}

| Item | Amount | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tuition | $24,220 (HK$190,000) a year | 2026 entrants; 2027/28 rate to be announced |
| Veterinary medicine | $49,970 (HK$392,000) a year | 2026 entrants |
| Acceptance fee | $1,910 (HK$15,000) | 2026/27 rate; credited to tuition, non-refundable |
| Student residence | $2,650 (HK$20,800) | double room, two semesters |
| Off-campus housing | $6,370–7,650 (HK$50,000–60,000) | two semesters, university estimate |
| Living costs | $6,370–7,650 (HK$50,000–60,000) a year | food, transport, personal spending |

A first year with a hall place at 2026/27 rates comes to about HK$260,800–270,800 ($33,240–34,520). Once your cohort's fee is approved, it applies until you finish the programme, so annual tuition rises are not a risk. Budget separately for exchanges, summer programmes and medical costs, which the university flags. For all universities, see the [cost of studying in Hong Kong](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-hong-kong); for payments from Russia, see [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia).

## Scholarships for non-local students {#section-7}

Entrance scholarships are awarded automatically and announced in the offer letter, for non-local students admitted to full-time government-funded bachelor's programmes.

| Award | Covers | Conditions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Top Scholarship | full tuition plus up to HK$60,000 ($7,650) a year for university housing and part of living costs | renewable subject to CGPA |
| Full Tuition Scholarship | full tuition | same |
| Half Tuition Scholarship | half tuition | same |
| Diversity Grant | HK$30,000 ($3,820) a year, up to HK$120,000 over four years (three years with advanced standing) | for students from under-represented nationalities, excluding Top Scholarship holders; renewed with annual volunteering |

There are also awards for outstanding athletes, while the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund's entrance awards at CityUHK target first-year students from selected Belt and Road countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and Mongolia).

## Student residence {#section-8}

CityUHK states plainly that bed spaces are limited and residence is not guaranteed; junior-year students get priority. It has 11 halls in Kowloon Tong, 6 in Ma On Shan and Jockey Club House on campus, housing up to 6,000 students. Non-local students on full-time government-funded bachelor's programmes apply to the Student Residence Office, usually from early May to late June; late applications are not considered. If you do not get a place, the office helps with private and commercially operated housing.

## Student visa through CityUHK {#section-9}

After accepting your offer you upload documents to CityUHK's sponsorship system and pay a HK$600 ($76) administration fee. The university completes form ID 995B and applies to the Immigration Department; you pay the government visa fee to ImmD after approval. CityUHK warns processing can take eight weeks or more. For 2027/28, visa submissions open on 2 February 2027, and February to June is the recommended window. Documents, funds, work rules and IANG are covered in the [Hong Kong student visa and IANG guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-hong-kong-student-visa-and-iang).

## Master's and PhD {#section-10}

CityUHK offers more than 50 master's programmes, all self-financing except some government-funded places on the PCLL law programme, usually lasting one to two years depending on credit load. You need a bachelor's degree from a Hong Kong university or a recognised overseas institution (final-year students may apply) and IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 79 (4 on the new scale for tests from 21 January 2026); applicants with exactly IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 4 must pass an English interview run by the department. Fees are listed on each programme page.

PhD applicants can apply to CityUHK together with the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, open for 2027/28 until 1 December 2026. See [master's degrees in Hong Kong](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-hong-kong).

## Work during and after study {#section-11}

Full-time students on local degree programmes may currently work part-time without hour or location limits under a temporary exemption confirmed by an ImmD letter issued with the visa. After graduation, IANG gives 24 months' stay without a job offer if you apply within six months of the date on your certificate.

## Common mistakes {#section-12}

- Confusing CityUHK with CUHK. Check the university name on the portal, the form and every email.
- Applying with an average certificate. CityUHK asks for excellent grades; without strong EGE results an average record is unlikely to compete.
- Expecting three choices. For 2027 entry the limit is two.
- Assuming a hall place. Budget for private housing.
- Planning to defer. Offers are valid for one semester only.
- Leaving the visa late. CityUHK sponsorship takes eight weeks or more.

## FAQ {#section-13}

### Can I enter CityUHK straight from school?

Yes. CityUHK accepts the Russian certificate with excellent grades plus EGE results, together with IELTS Academic 6.5 or equivalent, with no foundation year.

### How much does CityUHK cost?

Non-local students admitted in 2026 pay HK$190,000 ($24,220) a year, or HK$392,000 ($49,970) for veterinary medicine. The 2027 intake rate will be announced later; the university quotes 2026/27 figures for reference.

### Does CityUHK offer scholarships to international students?

Yes, with no separate application: Top, Full and Half Tuition Scholarships are decided through admission. Students from under-represented nationalities may receive a HK$30,000-a-year Diversity Grant.

### Is residence guaranteed?

No. There are around 6,000 places, junior years get priority, and applications run in May and June.

### How many programmes can I choose?

Two, unranked, in one application costing HK$600.

### What IELTS score does veterinary medicine require?

7.0, or TOEFL iBT 100, plus 70 hours of animal experience, the CASPer test and multiple mini-interviews.

### Does StudyU help with CityUHK applications?

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step. Selecting programmes, preparing documents and applications, and supporting the visa stage are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university (CityUHK) alone decides on admission and scholarships and confirms housing, and Hong Kong's Immigration Department, as the visa authority, decides on the visa.

## Sources {#section-14}

- [CityUHK: International Admission (2027 requirements and dates)](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/admissions/international-admissions); [Non-local FAQ](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/faq?kind=nonlocal_applicants)
- [CityUHK: Fees and Scholarships](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/fees-and-scholarships); [Entrance Scholarships for International Students](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/entrance-scholarship-international-students)
- [CityUHK: Programmes](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/programmes); [Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/programmes/bachelor-veterinary-medicine)
- [CityUHK: Accommodation](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/accommodation)
- [CityUHK: Student Visa / Entry Permit](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/admo/non-local-students/visa/student-visa)
- [CityUHK: Taught Postgraduate Programmes](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/taught-postgraduate-programmes); [Entrance Requirements](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/taught-postgraduate-programmes/entrance-requirements)
- [CityUHK: About (rankings)](https://www.cityu.edu.hk/about); [THE World University Rankings 2026: CityUHK](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/city-university-hong-kong)
- [UGC: History (City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, 1983)](https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/about/overview/history.html)
- [RGC: Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme](https://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/funding_opport/hkpfs/)
- [Immigration Department: Students](https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/study.html); [IANG](https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/IANG.html)
- [HKMA: Linked Exchange Rate System](https://www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/key-functions/money/linked-exchange-rate-system/); [ECB reference rates](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/eurofxref/eurofxref-daily.xml)

USD amounts use the ECB reference rate of 28 September 2026 (HK$7.8448 per $1), rounded to $10; the Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar within a HK$7.75–7.85 band. All Hong Kong university profiles are listed on [studying in Hong Kong](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-hongkong).

If you want to check whether your certificate and English fit your chosen CityUHK programmes in time for the early round, [send us a request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply).

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [Master's Degrees in Hong Kong: One-Year Taught Programmes, MPhil and PhD, Costs and 2027/28 Admissions](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-hong-kong)
- [Applying to Hong Kong Universities: School-Certificate Requirements, Documents and 2027 Deadlines for International Applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-hong-kong-universities)
- [Cost of Studying in Hong Kong for International Students: University Fees, Housing, Living Costs and One-Off Payments for 2026/27 and 2027/28](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-hong-kong)
- [Hong Kong Student Visa and IANG: How Universities Sponsor Your Entry Permit, What It Costs and How to Stay After Graduation](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-hong-kong-student-visa-and-iang)
- [How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia)
- [Studying in Hong Kong for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-hongkong)

Updated: September 2026