Here’s why you should make Hong Kong your study abroad destination

29 Jan 2020

The Hong Kong protests have been dominating headlines but as the dust begins to settle, prospective international students shouldn’t discount this bustling financial hub as a potential study abroad destination.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and serves as a unique environment for students to enjoy an enriching experience.

But don’t let us do all the talking – the facts speak for themselves. Here’s why you should consider studying in Hong Kong:

Top universities in Asia

Hong Kong is home to several universities that are among Asia’s best. Source: Shutterstock

Hong Kong is home to many of the world’s top universities. For instance, three of its universities made it into the top 10 of the Times Higher Education (THE) Asian University Rankings 2019.

These include the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (third), University of Hong Kong (fourth) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (seventh).

Meanwhile, the City University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University are ranked 15th and 20th respectively.

To boot, many universities use English as the medium of instruction.

Internships and part-time work opportunities

Internships are essential for students to gain first-hand exposure into the professional world, while part-time work is invaluable for students to not only support themselves, but to gain certain skills that cannot be gained in the classroom.

According to Study in Hong Kong, there are opportunities for international students to find internships in the city or offshore, in addition to part-time work opportunities on campus to support themselves.

Fusion of cultures

Hong Kong attracts people from all corners of the globe. Source: Shutterstock

Hong Kong is a place that blends both eastern and western cultures, further heightening its appeal to students from various backgrounds.

It is also among the world’s leading international financial centres, thus attracting many expats around the world for work opportunities. Combined with the city’s excellent connectivity to China and the west, Hong Kong is truly an ideal study abroad destination for international students.

Explore Hong Kong’s wilderness

Hong Kong is not just about skyscrapers dotting its skyline – if you know where to go, there are many hiking trails to explore to escape the concrete jungle and take a break from your studies.

For instance, you can visit Po Toi Island, which is composed almost entirely of well-weathered granite, notes Discover Hong Kong. It is home to peculiar-looking rocks, in addition to being renowned for its seaweed.

Excellent public transportation

Hong Kong’s public transport system is said to be among the best in the world. Source: Shutter

Getting around can be costly for students, but Hong Kong has an efficient public transportation system to ease your concerns.

Their options include ferries, taxis, buses and trams to get by. Discover Hong Kong notes that the city is “one of the world’s safest, most efficient and frequent public transport systems and a convenient payment method in the form of the Octopus Card”.