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Requirements

    • The “International Students Admissions Scheme” is for non-local applicants who:
      • require a student visa / entry permit to study in Hong Kong; or
      • are holders of a visa / entry permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG); or
      • are holders of a dependant visa / entry permit who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the Director of Immigration.
    • Students from mainland China who are current Gaokao candidates (应届高考生) are not eligible to apply through this Scheme and their applications will not be accepted. They must apply through the National Colleges and Universities Enrolment System (全国普通高校统一招生计划) (For details, please refer to the recruitment section for Mainland China Students).

Applicants are required to meet (1) general requirements, (2) language requirements and (3) programme-specific requirements. General minimum requirements are for guidance only. Satisfying requirements does not guarantee admission, as admission is on a competitive basis.

1. General Requirements

You are eligible to apply for admission if, by 1 September of the year in which admission is sought, you possess any of the following qualifications:

(a) GCE-AL / International-AL / IB / Other High School Qualifications
      • GCE-AL / International-AL: 3AL passes / 2AL+2AS passes; different programmes have different subject requirements
      • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma (for subject preferences of the programmes, please click here)
      • Other high school qualifications: A recognised non-local qualification which qualifies them for admission to a university in the country/region where such qualification is originated (e.g. high school diploma plus SAT / ACT and AP Tests in the USA, UEC / STPM in Malaysia, ATAR in Australia, OSSD / BC diploma in Canada, AISSCE (CBSE) / ISC in India, SMA in Indonesia, etc.)
General Minimum Requirement
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) with 30 points out of 45
  • For subject preferences of the programmes, please click here.
  • For candidates who have completed only the first year of IB Diploma studies with outstanding results, they may be considered admission under special circumstances on individual merits case-by-case.
General Minimum Requirement
  • European Baccalaureate with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • 3AL passes / 2AL + 2AS passes; different programmes have different subject requirements
  • For candidates who have completed only GCE-AS / International-AS with outstanding results, they may be considered for admission under special circumstances on individual merits case-by-case.
General Minimum Requirement

SAT Reasoning Test / ACT and Advanced Placement Tests

  • Senior Secondary School Graduation Diploma / Certificate; and
  • an overall total score of 1190 out of 1600 in SAT / a composite score of 24 in ACT; and
  • grade 3 each in 2 Advanced Placement (AP) Tests
General Minimum Requirement
  • Completed at least one year of undergraduate study at a recognised university; or
  • Completed at least one year of study leading to the qualification of associate degree / higher diploma or its equivalent.
General Minimum Requirement
  • Bachillerato with an overall average of 8.0 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Senior Secondary Certificate of Education; and
    • Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) score of 80; or
    • Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) score of 80; or
    • Universities Admission Index (UAI) score of 80; or
    • an Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) of 80; or
    • an Overall Position (OP) Band between 1 and 8
General Minimum Requirement
  • Reifeprüfung / Matura with an overall average of 1.5 on a 5-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) with an overall average of 4 on a 5-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs / Certificat d’Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur (CESS) /
    Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts with an overall average of 8 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Brunei-Cambridge GCE A-Level with 3 AL passes or 2 AL + 2AS passes in one sitting (all grades must be obtained from examination taken within a twelve month period), and with an average of grade C
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diploma za Zavarsheno Sredno Obrazovanie (Diploma of Completion of Secondary Education) with an overall average of 5 on a 6-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Baccalauréat (Upper Secondary School Certificate) with an overall average of grade C
General Minimum Requirement
  • Cameroon Baccalauréat with an overall average of 14 on a 20-point scale; or
  • Cameroon A-level with 3 AL passes in one sitting (All grades must be obtained from examinations taken within a twelve-month period.), and with an overall average grade of C
General Minimum Requirement
  • Alberta
    • High School Graduation Diploma with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 courses
  • British Columbia
    • Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 or BC Provincially Examinable courses
  • Manitoba
    • High school graduation diploma with five full credits at Grade 12 (40 level) in courses designated S(Specialized), G(General), or U(University-based), with an average of 80% in these subjects
  • New Brunswick
    • High School Graduation Diploma with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 courses
  • Newfoundland and Labrador
    • High School Diploma with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 courses
  • Nova Scotia
    • Honours University Preparatory Courses or in University Preparatory Courses in the High School Completion Certificate with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 courses
  • Ontario
    • Ontario Secondary School Diploma with an average of 80% in six Grade 12 U or M courses
  • Quebec
    • Diplome d’Etudes Collegiales (DEC)
  • Saskatchewan
    • High School Graduation Diploma with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 courses
  • Other provinces
    • Provincial High School Graduation Diploma with an average of 80% in five Grade 12 subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Licencia de Enseñanza Media (Certificate of Secondary Education) with an overall average of 5.5 on a 7-point scale
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in Preuba de Seleccion Universitaria (PSU).
General Minimum Requirement
  • JEE for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Students (港澳台僑高考) with an average of 80% in all subjects
  • International Qualifications
    Current-year high school students who are pursuing a non-Gaokao curriculum and will not take the mainland Gaokao in 2025 should refer to the country to which the qualification belongs for minimum general requirements.
  • Note for current mainland Gaokao Candidates
    Students who are currently pursuing the Gaokao curriculum should apply through the Mainland Admission Scheme. 
    (Please refer to http://admission.cuhk.edu.hk/sc/mainland/requirements.html)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Svjedodžba o državnoj Maturi / Matura with an overall grade of 4.5 on a 5-point scale
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in the state Matura examinations (državna matura).
General Minimum Requirement
  • Vysvědčení o Maturitni Zkouška / Maturita with an overall average of 1.5 on a 5-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Studentereksamen (Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate) with an average of 10 on a 12-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Certificate of General Secondary Education with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Bachillerato / Bachiller / Bachiller Academico with an overall average of 8.0 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Gümnaasiumi Lõputunnistus (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) with an overall average of 4.5 on a 5-point scale
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in Riigieksamid (State Examination Certificate).
General Minimum Requirement
  • Ethiopian University Entrance Examination Certificate with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Ylioppilastutkinto / Studentexamensbetyg (national matriculation examination) with four subjects, where no individual subject score is below (M) Magna cum laude approbatur (very good)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Baccalaureate d’Enseignement du Second Degré /
  • Baccalaureate General /
  • Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB) with an average of 15 (out of 20), provided that 10 is achieved in each of the subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife (German Abitur) with a total score of 11 points on a 15-point scale or 2 on a 6-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Apolytirio Eniaiou Lykeiou with an overall average of 16 on a 20-point scale
General Minimum Requirement

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education

  • The minimum University requirements for applicants with Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) are 4 core and 2 elective subjects, or 4 core and 1 elective subject and the Mathematics (Extended Part) Module 1 or 2 / Other Language subject.
  • From 2024 entry, the minimum requirements for the 4 core subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics and Citizenship and Social Development are Levels 332A (that is, 332 and “Attained”). The minimum requirement for elective subjects is Level 3 (Grade E or above for Other Language subject). 
  • For minimum University and programme-specific requirements, please click here.
General Minimum Requirement
  • Érettségi / Matura with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Stúdentspróf (Matriculation Examination) with an overall average of 8 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Pass Certificates obtained on completion of Standard X and Standard XII (State or National Boards) with an average of 80% in all subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Ijazah – Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) (Diploma – General Senior Secondary School) with an overall average of 80%; or
  • Ijazah – Madrasah Aliyah (MA) (Diploma – Islamic Senior Secondary School) with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • High School Diploma with an overall average of 16 on a 20-point scale; or
  • Pre-University Certificate / Konkur with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Irish Leaving Certificate with H2H2H2H3H3 or better in five Higher Level subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Bagrut (Matriculation Certificate) with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diploma di Esame di Stato (Certificate of National Examination) with an overall average of 80 on a 100-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Senior School-leaving Certificate (e.g. Kotogakko Sotsugyo Shomeisho) with an overall average of 80%
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to submit National Center Test (Sentā) results.
General Minimum Requirement
  • Completion of Certificate of Secondary Education (Attestat / Svidetel’ stvo o Srednem Obrazovanii) with grade 4 on a 5-point scale in each of the subjects; and
  • an overall score of 80% or above in the Unified National Testing Examination (UNT)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Completion of Certificate of Secondary Education (Attestat o Srednem (polnom) Obrazovanii) with grade 4 on a 5-point scale in each of the subjects; and
  • an overall score of 80% or above in the National Scholarship Test (ORT)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Upper Secondary School Diploma with marks at a high percentage
General Minimum Requirement
  • Certificate of General Secondary Education (Atestāts Par Vispārējo Vidējo Izglītību) with an overall average of 80% for the examined subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Matura (Upper Secondary School Leaving Examination) with an overall average of 5 on a 6-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Brandos Atestatas (Maturity Certificate) with an overall average of 8 on a 10-point scale for school subjects
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in the state level examinations.
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diplôme de Fin d’Etudes Secondaires with an overall average of 48 on a 60-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Senior Secondary School Graduation Diploma / Certificate with an overall average of 80% in all Grade 12 subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Secondary School Leaving Diploma / Matura with an overall grade of 4.0
General Minimum Requirement
  • Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) with an average of grade C in four subjects in one sitting; or
  • Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) Senior Middle Level with grade B6 in six subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate with an overall average of grade C in three A-Level subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Mexican Bachillerato with an overall average of 8 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diplomã de Bacalaureat with an overall average of 8 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diplôme du Baccalauréat / Attestation du Baccalauréat (Baccalaureate Certificate) with an average of 14 on a 20-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Basic Education High School Examination / Matriculation Examination with an overall average of 75%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Higher Secondary Certificate at Grade 12 Level with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) Diploma with an average grade of 7 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement

National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level Three

  • 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three approved subjects
  • 10 Literacy credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
    • 5 credits in reading
    • 5 credits in writing.
  • 10 Numeracy credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
    • co-requisite Level 1 Numeracy unit standard 32406 or Te Pāngarau unit standard 32412, or
    • certain achievement standards.
  • For details of the standards and approved subjects, please refer to the NZQA website at https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/
General Minimum Requirement
  • Vitnemål for videregående opplæ ring (generell studiekompetanse) with an overall average grade of 4 on a 6-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Thanawiya Amma (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Completion of Higher Secondary School Certificate with an average of 80% in six subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • High School Diploma on an academic track of the K-12 education system with an overall average of 90%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Świadectwo Dojrzałości / Matura with 3 subjects at extended level and an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diploma Nível Secundário de Educação / Certificado Nível Secundário de Educação with an overall average of 17 on a 20-point scale
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in the Exames Nacionais do Ensino Secundário (ENES).
General Minimum Requirement
  • Diploma De Bacalaureat with an overall average of 8.0 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Attestat o Srednem Obshchem Obrazovanii with an average of 4.5 on a 5-point scale
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in the Unified State Examination (EGE).
General Minimum Requirement
  • Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level with passes in three H2 subjects or two H2 + two H1 subjects in one sitting (All grades must be obtained from examinations taken within a twelve-month period.), with an average of grade C
  • An acceptable Diploma obtained from one of the following 5 polytechnics in Singapore: Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, and Temasek Polytechnic, with a cGPA of 3.0 out of 4.0
General Minimum Requirement
  • Vysvedčenie o Maturitnej Skúške (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) with an overall average of 1.5 on a 5-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Spričevalo o splošni maturi / Matura with an overall average of 4.5 on a 5-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • National Senior Certificate with an overall average of 70% (Grade 6 on a 7-point scale)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Senior Secondary School Graduation Diploma / Certificate with a grade of “mi” in each of the subjects
  • To make your application competitive, you are recommended to have high marks in the College Scholaristic Ability Test (CSAT)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Titulo de Bachiller and reválida de Bachillerato with an overall average of 8.0 on a 10-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Sri Lanka GCE A-level with 3 AL passes in one sitting (All grades must be obtained from examinations taken within a twelve-month period.), with an overall average grade of C
General Minimum Requirement
  • Högskoleförberedande Examen with an overall average of 15 on a 20-point scale or an overall average grade of C
General Minimum Requirement
  • One of the following qualifications with an overall average of 5 on a 6-point scale:
    • Maturitätszeugnis
    • Certificate De Maturité
    • Baccalauréat
    • Attestato Di Maturità
    • Eidgenössisch Anerkanntes Kantonales Maturitätszeugnis
    • Certificat de Maturité Cantonal Reconnu par la Confédération
    • Attestato Di Maturità Cantonale Riconosciuto dalla Confederazione
    • Cantonal Maturity Certificate
General Minimum Requirement
  • General Scholastic Ability Test (GSAT) with at least 4 subjects within the top 13% of the cohort concerned**

** For Faculty / Programme requirements, please refer to http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/adm/intl/adm_guide/GSAT_Guide.pdf for details

General Minimum Requirement
  • Completion of Certificate of Secondary Education (Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrazovanii) with grade 4 on a 5-point scale in each of the subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education with BBB or better in three Principal subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Completion of Mathayom Suksa (M6) with an overall average of grade 3 on a 4-point scale in all subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • Baccalauréat with an overall average of 14 on a 20-point scale
General Minimum Requirement
  • Turkey Anadolu Lisesi / Devlet Lise Diplomasi / Lise Bitirme Diplomasi with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Tawjihiyya (Secondary Education Certificate) with an overall average of 80%
General Minimum Requirement
  • Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education with BBB in three principal academic subjects
General Minimum Requirement
  • GCE A-Level / International A-Level
    3AL passes / 2AL + 2AS passes; different programmes have different subject requirements
    For candidates who have completed only GCE-AS / International-AS with outstanding results, they may be considered for admission under special circumstances on individual merits case-by-case.
  • Cambridge Pre-U
    An average of grade M3 in 3 Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects
  • Scottish Advanced Highers
    Passes in three SQA Advanced Higher subjects
  • BTEC
    BTEC Higher National Certificate (HNC); or
    BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND); or
    BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma, provided that an overall grade of MMM is achieved.
General Minimum Requirement
  • Senior Secondary School Graduation Diploma / Certificate; and
    an overall total score of 1190 out of 1600 in SAT / a composite score of 24 in ACT; and
    grade 3 each in 2 Advanced Placement (AP) Tests
  • For applicants pursuing an Associate Degree (AD) in the US:
    Associate Degree; or successful completion of one year’s study on a full-time AD programme at a recognised US university / community college
General Minimum Requirement
  • Bằng Tốt Nghiệp Trung Học Phổ Thông (High School Diploma) with an overall average of 7 (out of 10) in four subjects in Kỳ Thi Tốt Nghiệp THPT (High School Graduation Exam)
General Minimum Requirement
  • Zimbabwe GCE A-Level with BBB or better in three Zimbabwe GCE A-Level subjects with Grade A as the highest possible grade on the grading scale

If your country / qualification is not listed here, your application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

(b) Post-secondary Qualifications
      • Completed at least one year of undergraduate study at a recognised university
      • Completed at least one year of study leading to the qualification of associate degree / higher diploma or its equivalent
(c) Mature Applicants
      • Mature persons aged 23 or above on 1 September in the year in which admission is sought, provided they are able to show either by publication or by other acceptable evidence that they have achieved sufficient competence in their chosen field of study to justify admission; or have shown exceptional ability in appropriate academic or professional fields.
(d) Exceptional Achievements
      • Have other exceptional achievements which merit admission.

 

2. Language Requirements

Applicants should have attained an acceptable level of proficiency in the English language. Below are the minimum required scores or grades for some of the more common acceptable examinations. Applicants should have attained one of the following qualifications and the corresponding minimum attainments to be considered for admission to the University.

English Language Test Requirement
IELTS 6.0 (Overall Band Score)
TOEFL (iBT) 80 (Total Score)
SAT 590 (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)
ACT English Language Arts (ELA) 23
GCSE / IGCSE / GCE-OL Grade C / Grade 4
GCE-AL / AS E
IB 4
HKDSE Level 3
Australian State or Territory High School Certificate Grade 12 English 80%
Canadian Grade 12 English 70%
Indian Central or State Board Exam Grade 12 English 80%
Malaysian SPM / UEC-Senior English Language C / B4
Singapore GCE A-Level H1 General Paper C
GSAT / AST English Top 13% of the cohort

For more information related to University’s minimum language requirements, please refer to Q17 and Q18 of the FAQ section here.

 

3. Programme-specific Requirements

In addition to satisfying the University requirements, applicants shall satisfy the additional requirements of the Programmes concerned. Please visit the List of Programmes for details.

 
Selection

Applicants will be considered on the basis of their education background, academic and non-academic achievements. If they are invited to attend an interview, their performance at the interview will also be taken into consideration.

 
Admission with Advanced Standing

Applicants who meet specific requirements as stipulated by the University for particular qualifications (including GCE-AL / International-AL, IB, Cambridge Pre-U, HKALE, associate degree / higher diploma) may apply for “Admission with Advanced Standing”. The minimum number of units for graduation for students admitted with Advanced Standing may be reduced by up to 24 units (normative period of study may be reduced by up to one year).

Applicants will be required to indicate in the application form whether they would like to be considered for “Admission with Advanced Standing”.