Since Hong Kong universities began enrolling students from the mainland, the application market for Hong Kong institutions has remained "extremely competitive." Many parents consider their children's education and even choose investment immigration to Hong Kong. However, after settling in Hong Kong, for candidates, the choice of major is not only related to their interests but also to future employment and lifelong career direction. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the strengths and recent changes of each university in detail.
For example, all majors at the University of Hong Kong are open to students from the mainland. A statistic from the university shows that the most popular first-choice majors among students are Economics, Finance, and Accounting, followed by Engineering, Architecture, and Bachelor of Science programs. This indicates that the science and technology programs at the University of Hong Kong are very attractive to students from the mainland.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong offers engineering programs for students from the mainland, while students from the mainland can only apply for majors in the arts and business categories.
Since 2011, the university has also introduced a uniquely competitive new program—the "CUHK-Fudan-Waseda Joint Asian Business Program," co-organized by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Fudan University, and Waseda University in Japan. Undergraduates enrolled in this program attend classes at all three universities, including both classroom learning and experiential internships, allowing students to understand the business operations of the three international metropolises: Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, and experience different cultural lifestyles. Candidates wishing to apply for the Asian Business Program can enroll in the foundation program at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and, after one year of study, further specialize in their major. The Director of the Admissions and Financial Aid Office, Zhou Chenwen, stated, "Although students in this program will study in three locations, tuition fees will not increase and will remain at HKD 100,000 per year. Considering the high cost of living in Japan, students will also receive financial support from the university during their study period in Japan."
All programs at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University are open to students from the mainland. The university's strengths include the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the School of Design, the Graduate School of Business, the Department of Textiles and Apparel, and the School of Hotel and Tourism Management. According to university officials, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is actively preparing to build a teaching hotel to further enhance the world-class teaching status of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, with some facilities officially opened in 2010.
All programs at the Hong Kong Institute of Education are open to students from the mainland. This year, the university has added new education-related programs, including: Bachelor of Music Education (Contemporary Music and Performance Education), Bachelor of Science Education (Network Technology), Bachelor of Science Education (Sports Science), Bachelor of Social Science Education (Greater China Studies), Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Development Education, and Bachelor of Arts in General Education. It is said that these programs are mostly being offered for the first time in Hong Kong and are unique to the Institute of Education. Additionally, this year the university will also introduce non-teacher training programs for students from the mainland, including Bachelor of Arts in Language Studies, Bachelor of Social Science in Global and Environmental Studies, and Bachelor of Arts in Creative Arts and Culture. Recent results from the joint admission applications of eight public universities in Hong Kong indicate that these new programs have received strong support from Hong Kong students, with over 6,800 applications for the Global and Environmental Studies program led by internationally renowned environmental scholars, making it one of the most competitive programs in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Baptist University has seven colleges offering over 40 majors for students from the mainland.
