Applying to UK universities from Hong Kong
What they ask of HKDSE students — and the scholarships that can pay for the whole degree.
On the cover: Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Six of Hong Kong's nine routes to a UK degree are scholarships. Photo: Manson / Unsplash.
The Bottom Line
Hong Kong students apply to the UK with one of the most clearly mapped qualifications in UK admissions. 120 of the 145 universities we researched publish how they treat the HKDSE, and 37 publish a grade-by-grade ladder.
Paying for the degree is where Hong Kong differs from most places. Its government student loans are for study at home, and only three banks confirm they will lend for a UK degree. But the scholarships are unusually generous: two government scholarships, three foundations and ten UK universities offer awards to Hong Kong students, and some cover almost the whole cost.
What you absolutely need to know:
- The HKDSE is one of the most clearly mapped qualifications in UK admissions
- Most universities look at your elective subjects, at grades from 4 to 5*
- Hong Kong's student loans stay at home — but government scholarships reach the UK
- Hong Kong foundations can fund a UK degree almost in full
- Ten UK universities offer scholarships to Hong Kong students
- Three banks will lend for a UK degree
1. The HKDSE is one of the most clearly mapped qualifications in UK admissions
120 of the 145 universities we researched publish a requirement for Hong Kong applicants, and 37 of them publish a grade-by-grade ladder — setting out their UK offers alongside the HKDSE grades that match. Every requirement that states a route gives direct entry to the degree.
The qualification also appears under far fewer names than most countries' — 67 — because almost every university simply calls it the HKDSE.
What this means for you: look for the ladder on each university's Hong Kong page. It tells you where your predicted grades sit, not just whether they clear the bar.
2. Most universities look at your elective subjects, at grades from 4 to 5*
| University | Published requirement |
|---|---|
| University of Oxford | HKDSE accepted, with requirements set by offer level on a published ladder |
| UCL | Level 5 in English Language and Mathematics, with 5* in two elective subjects |
| Imperial College London | Grade 5 to 5* in the relevant subjects |
| University of Bristol | Two or three elective subjects at grades from 444 to 5*55, depending on the course |
| University of Edinburgh | Core subjects at Level 3 or above, plus three elective subjects |
| Anglia Ruskin University | A minimum of 433 |
Each university's published requirement for Hong Kong applicants. Individual courses may ask for more. Source: Telariq data.
The electives carry the weight. Most universities set their offer on two or three elective subjects, with minimum levels in the core subjects alongside. The range runs from 433 at Anglia Ruskin to 5* in two electives at UCL.
What this means for you: choose electives with your intended degree in mind. Many courses specify which subjects their grades must be in.
3. Hong Kong's student loans stay at home — but government scholarships reach the UK
All five of the Student Finance Office's loan schemes require a course accredited in, or studied within, Hong Kong. None funds a full degree overseas.
The government does fund overseas study through scholarships. The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Overseas Scholarships are worth up to HK$280,000 a year for up to three years, for outstanding students going to an overseas university of their choice. The Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme is a merit-based government scholarship that funds overseas undergraduate study, including in the UK. Both are competitive, and nothing is repaid.
What this means for you: if your grades are strong, apply for the government scholarships before you plan around a loan. They are the national route to a UK degree.
4. Hong Kong foundations can fund a UK degree almost in full
| Provider | What it offers | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund | Up to HK$280,000 a year, for up to three years, at an overseas university of your choice | Outstanding Hong Kong students; scholars are expected to contribute to Hong Kong afterwards |
| Hong Kong Scholarship for Excellence Scheme | A government scholarship for overseas undergraduate study, including in the UK | Outstanding students, on merit |
| Swire Youth Scholarship — any recognised UK university | Most or all of tuition, plus a living allowance of £16,000 a year | Hong Kong permanent residents educated mainly in Hong Kong, starting the first year of a UK degree |
| Swire Youth Scholarship — University College, Oxford | Tuition, plus a living allowance of £16,000 a year | Hong Kong permanent residents intending to build their career in Hong Kong |
| Prince Philip Scholarship | For Cambridge: £4,500 a year and a return flight each year, or — means-tested — up to full tuition, college fee and living costs | Students resident in Hong Kong for at least seven years |
| Li Ka Shing Foundation — Lord Sandberg Memorial Scholarship | Support at two designated UK universities; at King's College London, £5,000 a year for three years. Announced in 2017 to run for ten years | Outstanding Hong Kong DSE students, chosen by each university |
Each provider's own pages. Source: Telariq data.
The Swire scholarship for any recognised UK university covers most or all of the tuition, plus £16,000 a year to live on.
What this means for you: for a Hong Kong student with strong grades, a UK degree can be paid for largely by scholarships. Apply to several — but note that a Swire scholarship can't be held alongside another non-government scholarship.
5. Ten UK universities offer scholarships to Hong Kong students
We found 11 scholarships at 10 UK universities open to Hong Kong students. Unlike most countries' awards, most must be applied for — only Exeter's are automatic — but several are large.
| University | Value | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| King's College London | £22,500 across the degree | Apply |
| Edinburgh Napier University | £13,000 a year | Apply |
| University of Nottingham | £10,000 a year | Apply |
Three of the 11. The full list — every award, its value, whether it renews each year and how to get it — is in the Telariq app. Source: Telariq data.
What this means for you: the larger awards need an application and have their own deadlines. List them early, alongside the Hong Kong scholarships.
6. Three banks will lend for a UK degree
Of the 21 banks and lenders we checked in Hong Kong, three — all private-sector banks — publish terms confirming they can fund a UK undergraduate degree. Most of the rest don't say where or at what level their loans can be used.
What this means for you: if you need to borrow, start with the banks whose terms say so, and ask the others in writing.
Our advice
Find each university's HKDSE ladder and plan your electives around the courses you want.
Apply for the government scholarships and the foundations early — Youde, the Scholarship for Excellence, Swire and, for Cambridge, the Prince Philip Scholarship.
Add the UK universities' own Hong Kong scholarships, most of which need an application.
Borrow last, and only from a lender whose terms confirm it covers a UK degree.
Confirm entry requirements, scholarships and loan terms with each university and provider before you apply.
The not so fine print: what was excluded in this report
- Course-level entry requirements — these are each university's general requirement for Hong Kong applicants, and a course may ask for more
- English-language requirements, which are set separately
- Interest rates and the cost of borrowing
- The names of individual banks, which sit in Telariq's records
- Medicine, dentistry and veterinary sciences, which are outside Telariq's coverage
A note on this guide. This is what we found when we read each provider's own pages. Its purpose is to show you that options exist and where to start looking. There will be routes we haven't found yet, and some here may have changed since we checked — so treat it as a starting point, not a complete list, and confirm everything with the provider before you rely on it.
Have a question? We'd love to hear from you — admin@telariq.com