Hong Kong’s education chief and a leading university in the city on Friday wooed high-achieving students affected by a recent US government ban on Harvard University’s enrollment of international students, vowing the city will provide support to ensure them a seamless transition.
The move follows US President Donald Trump’s administration’s decision on Thursday to revoke Harvard’s eligibility to admit international students after it refused to comply with federal policy demands.
Hong Kong Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin swiftly responded by extending opportunities to Harvard University students — including both current attendees and admitted candidates — inviting them to continue their studies in the city.
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In a social media post on Friday, Choi said the Education Bureau has called on the city’s universities to proactively draw in international students affected by the ban.
Choi said that all Hong Kong universities have offered support, pledging they will closely follow the situation, and make full use of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s recent policies such as the relaxation of non-local student quotas to further enhance the campaign of making “study in Hong Kong” as a brand.
Choi also said that the bureau has reached out to Harvard’s Hong Kong Alumni Association in a bid to provide all-round necessary support to those who are about to study at Harvard.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology made an unprecedented move by issuing an open invitation titled “HKUST Opens Doors to Harvard Students Amid Global Academic Shifts”, on its official website.
“The university will provide unconditional offers, streamlined admission procedures, and academic support to ensure a seamless transition,” HKUST pledged.
The effort aligns with the city’s “Study in Hong Kong” strategy — put forward by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his latest Policy Address in 2024. It aims to boost international student enrollment through streamlined visa processes and scholarships.
Chow Man-kong, chairman of the Legislative Council’s Panel on Education, urged Hong Kong’s publicly funded universities to collaborate in attracting affected students. The initiative, he said, would bolster Hong Kong’s role as an international education hub and strengthen global ties.
Samuel Chan Sze-ming, a senior overseas education consultant, reported receiving around 20 requests for assistance, including inquiries from families of current Harvard students. Chan dismissed concerns, noting that Harvard-caliber candidates would likely secure placements at other top universities.
Hong Kong universities rank among the world’s best. According to the 2025 World University Rankings by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, five Hong Kong universities secured spots in the global top 100: the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and City University of Hong Kong.
HKU led the pack, taking 17th place globally and fourth in Asia.
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All five Hong Kong universities that ranked among the world’s top 100 have flexible transfer policies for international students. In a recent move before the ban on Harvard, the University of Hong Kong issued a veiled invitation to students caught up in the Trump administration’s student policies, by introducing a special arrangement allowing transfer of those enrolled in or admitted to a top 50 global university with a grade point average of at least 3.0 or 70 percent of their institution’s maximum.
Contact the writers at lilei@chinadailyhk.com
