3-year decline in number of Hongkongers applying for UK universities, UCAS data shows
- But figures may not reflect applicants who relocated through BN(O) pathway as they may have declared themselves as UK domiciled
- Number of applicants from city declined over three-year period despite more young people moving to the UK
The number of Hong Kong students applying for British universities has dropped for three years in a row, sliding from a peak of 6,400 to 5,130 in 2024, official data shows.
But the figures might not fully reflect the overall number of applicants from Hong Kong, as British admission authorities on Thursday said students who relocated to the UK through a bespoke immigration pathway might have declared themselves as domiciled there, so their applications would not be seen as originating from the city.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), a centralised platform used to apply for higher education institutions in the United Kingdom, said 594,940 people sent in applications before the deadline last month, down by 0.3 per cent compared with last year.
Data also shows international applicants rose by 0.7 per cent from 114,910 to 115,730.
The admissions service reported that the number of applicants from mainland China showed the largest growth, rising from 27,710 in 2023 to 28,620 this year, followed by Turkey with an increase of 710 applicants and Canada by 340.
Hong Kong, as well as Nigeria and India, was among the locations that saw a drop in applicants. Only 5,130 students from the city applied for UCAS during the latest round, sliding from 5,680 in 2023, 6,010 in 2022 and a peak of 6,400 in 2021.
