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 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).

Who CityUHK suits

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.

Colleges, schools and subject areas

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

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.

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

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.

Veterinary medicine (BVM)

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

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; for payments from Russia, see how to pay for studies abroad from Russia.

Scholarships for non-local students

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

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

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

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.

Master's and PhD

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.

Work during and after study

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

• 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

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

• CityUHK: International Admission (2027 requirements and dates); Non-local FAQ
• CityUHK: Fees and Scholarships; Entrance Scholarships for International Students
• CityUHK: Programmes; Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine
• CityUHK: Accommodation
• CityUHK: Student Visa / Entry Permit
• CityUHK: Taught Postgraduate Programmes; Entrance Requirements
• CityUHK: About (rankings); THE World University Rankings 2026: CityUHK
• UGC: History (City Polytechnic of Hong Kong, 1983)
• RGC: Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme
• Immigration Department: Students; IANG
• HKMA: Linked Exchange Rate System; ECB reference rates

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.

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.

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