Hong Kong’s education system is consistently ranked among the best in Asia and is well-regarded worldwide. It’s no wonder it’s a popular study-abroad destination!

Now, if you score admission into one of Hong Kong’s reputable universities or institutes, the first document you will need is a student visa. Getting a student visa is a pretty big deal because it’s a document that allows non-local students to pursue education and take up residence in Hong Kong for a fixed period of time. 

So, to get you started, we’ll give you a complete guide on the visa application process for students. We’ll be discussing all the requirements, fees, and the whole application process, as well as the post-arrival requirements – all to make your student visa application experience smooth-sailing!

What are the student visa requirements in Hong Kong? 

Documents Required to Get a Student Visa in Hong Kong

Here’s an overview of the documents that need to be submitted by the applicant to obtain a student visa in Hong Kong: 

• Accomplished and signed Visa Application (Form ID995A)
• Recent photograph attached on page 2 of Form ID995A  ( must show the full frontal face, should have a plain white background, and must be 50mm (height) X 40mm (width)
• Photocopy of valid travel document
• Photocopy of Hong Kong identity card (if any)
• Consent letter duly signed by both one of the applicant’s parents and the chosen sponsors or relative/friend in Hong Kong to authorize the sponsor or relative/friend in Hong Kong to act as guardian to the applicant (if the applicant is under 18 years old)
• Photocopy of accommodation arrangement (if the applicant is under 18 years old)
• Photocopy of proof of financial support like bank statements, tax receipts, salary slips, and savings account passbooks (if the applicant’s sponsor is the education institution)

Meanwhile, here’s a list of the required documents to be submitted by the sponsors:

If the sponsor granting the acceptance is an educational institution in Hong Kong:

• Accomplished and signed Entry for Study (Sponsor Form ID995B)
• Pledge or undertaking indicating that the sponsor is ready to provide lodging and financial support to the applicant during his/her study period in Hong Kong (if the applicant is under 18 years old)

If the sponsor is an individual resident in Hong Kong:

• Accomplished and signed Entry for Study (Sponsor Form ID995B)
• Photocopy of the Hong Kong identity card of the sponsor
• Photocopy of the travel documents of the sponsor (if the local sponsor is a non-permanent resident of Hong Kong)
• Photocopies of proof of the sponsor’s financial standing, like bank statements, tax receipts, salary slips, and savings account passbooks
• Pledge or undertaking indicating that the sponsor is ready to provide financial support and lodging to the applicant throughout his/her study period in Hong Kong

Academic and Language Requirements for Student Visa in Hong Kong

Listed below are the supporting academic and language requirements that should accompany the applicant’s student visa application:

• Acceptance letter from the conceding university or college (without this, you can’t push through the application process!) 
• Photograph of the applicant’s passport that’s valid for the entire course program
• IELTS or TOEFL scorecards and qualifications (only necessary for non-native English speakers as proof of English language proficiency) 
• Copy of transcripts, scores, and certifications on the most noteworthy/highest public examinations or academic assessments

Financial Requirements to Obtain a Student Visa in Hong Kong 

• Photocopy of proof of financial standing/condition like bank statements, tax receipts, salary slips, and savings account passbooks (depending on the applicant’s educational program or duration of stay, the applicant must have around HKD 120,000 or the amount equivalent in other currencies to show that he/she support their living expenses in Hong Kong without recourse to public funds) 
• Photocopy of accommodation arrangement (if the applicant is under 18 years old)

What is the step-by-step process to get a student visa in Hong Kong? 

Now that you know the requirements for a student visa, it’s time to understand the step-by-step process to get your student visa in Hong Kong. 

1. Accept the admission offer or acceptance letter from the conceding university or college. 

Before you can even consider studying in Hong Kong, you must receive an admission offer or acceptance letter from a university or institution in the city. Many local organizations, universities, and institutions in Hong Kong offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs for non-local students. 

If you have applied and qualified for any of the programs offered for international students, you must receive an admission offer or acceptance letter. It’s an important document that’s required for your student visa application. 

2. Get or nominate a local sponsor.

Nominating a local sponsor is a must for non-local students seeking entry to Hong Kong. That’s because local sponsors can pledge financial support to the applicants during their period of study in the city. 

Fortunately, the educational institution, college, or university that granted acceptance or admission to the applicant can easily be their local sponsor. 

Meanwhile, if a Hong Kong resident (must be above 18 years old) is acquainted with the applicant and wants to be his/her local sponsor, the sponsor must comply with all requirements listed for an individual resident who wants to act as a local sponsor. 

3. Accomplish the necessary forms for student visa application. 

Once you’ve secured yourself a local sponsor, you have to complete and sign the student visa application form (Form ID995A), and your local sponsor must fill out Form ID995B. Make sure to affix a recent photo on page 2 of Form ID995A. 

You can download both forms at www.immd.gov.hk. 

If you’re in the area or you have free time, you can also get the forms from physical offices:

• Immigration Department Branch Offices and Headquarters
• Immigration Division of the Office of the Government of the HKSAR (Beijing) 
• Overseas Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Missions/Embassies
• Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Guangdong) 

4. Prepare all the documents needed for student visa application. 

Gather and organize all the necessary documents needed for a student visa in Hong Kong. This includes the required documents for the applicant and the local sponsor, as well as the supporting documents for the academic and language requirements and financial standing requirements. 

Feel free to refer to the list we made for you above, and make sure you double or triple-check it before you proceed to the next step! 

5. Ready the fees included for the visa application. 

Now, you might be wondering how much a student visa costs in Hong Kong. Well, for the visa fee, you need to prepare HKD 230, and this already covers the application, administration, and courier fees. 

You can easily remit the fee in cash or via debit/credit card when you submit all the required documents at the Chinese diplomatic consular or mission in your home country. 

That said, it’s best to keep in mind that many universities and educational institutions in Hong Kong offer financial support to international students throughout the visa application process, so the overall fees can vary. 

6. Submit the duly completed visa application form and all necessary documents to the Hong Kong Immigration Department via mail or fax. 

After all that, you just need to submit all the required forms and documents along with the visa fee to the Chinese diplomatic consular or mission in your home country. The embassy will then mail it to the Hong Kong Immigration Department. 

It’s important to note that all submitted documents will not be returned to you, so if they just require photocopied documents, don’t submit the original copies! 

Here are some important information you might need to successfully send your student visa application:

In some instances, you just need to send your visa application form and requirements to the educational institution or your individual local sponsor in Hong Kong, and they are the ones who will submit your application to the immigration department. 

7. Wait for your Hong Kong student visa application to be approved. 

After you’ve successfully submitted your application form and requirements to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the waiting game begins. The approval period typically lasts around six to eight weeks. 

However, it can still depend on a variety of factors. You can regularly track your application here or via calls through the immigration department’s 24-hour telephone inquiry system – (852) 3160 8663.

8. Collect and activate your student visa label. 

If your student visa application is approved, the Chinese diplomatic consular or mission will courier the Student Visa Package to you. This package includes a visa label/sticker, a no-objection letter, and an approval letter. 

It can be delivered directly to your mailing address, or you can personally pick it up at the nearest Chinese diplomatic consulate or mission in your home country.

Stick your visa label onto your visa, and upon arrival in Hong Kong, simply present it to the immigration officer. You’ll receive a Landing Slip afterward, and then you’re good to go. Congrats, and welcome to the start of your student life in Hong Kong! 

Tips for a Successful Student Visa Application

Remember that being granted a student visa in Hong Kong is a privilege, not a right. So, here are some tips to help you successfully process your student visa. 

• Read and understand the student visa policy in Hong Kong before you decide to apply. 
• Summer (May to August) is the peak season for visa applications, so there can be delays with the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s visa approvals. Submit your visa application as early as you can so you won’t have a problem registering for your chosen program. 
• Make sure to provide truthful, accurate, and up-to-date information when filling out documents to avoid discrepancies. 
• Don’t miss any of the required and supporting documents for a student visa. If you miss even just one, there’s a great chance that your application will be denied. 

What are the post-arrival requirements when you have a student visa in Hong Kong? 

Here are the post-arrival conditions you must follow when you stay in Hong Kong as a non-local student:

• He/she must only attend a specified school, university,  or educational institution, as well as undertake a course of study approved by the Director of Immigration
• He/she can only take up internships that are study or curriculum-related arranged by the educational institution they’re studying in
• Exchange students can’t take up any part-time on-campus employment
• Non-local students under full-time and locally accredited programs (undergraduate levels) can take part-time on-campus employment (must not be more than 20 hours per week) or employment during the summer months
• Only non-local students under full-time and locally accredited programs (postgraduate levels) can take up employment in Hong Kong during the currency of their stay

FAQs About Hong Kong Student Visa