More Hong Kong students pick Britain for further education as pound sinks to record low
- DSE results out this week, but many applied for popular courses earlier as pound kept sliding
- Some students choosing Britain with an eye to migration after they graduate, consultants say
More secondary school graduates are considering studying in Britain now that the pound has sunk to a 40-year low against the Hong Kong dollar, according to veteran education consultants.
About 50,000 candidates sat for the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exams this year, of whom 43,000 were school candidates.
The overall and individual results of the university entrance exams will be announced on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. The majority of students are expected to continue their education in the city.
Britain, already a favourite destination for those heading overseas, became more attractive this year with the exchange rate sinking to a new low at around HK$9.30 (US$1.18) to a pound, a level last seen in 1985. It was HK$10.60 in July 2020 and HK$9.70 the year before.
According to the British Council, international students could expect to pay between £10,000 and £26,000 annually, and typically an undergraduate degree course would last for three years.
Angus Tang Chi-wing, director of Hkies Overseas Education & Study Tours, said inquiries about overseas studies had risen by more than 20 per cent, partly because of the exchange rate.
He estimated that the lower pound meant students would spend 30 per cent less in tuition fees compared with 2014. He recalled that the exchange rate in 2007 was HK$16 to a pound.
