Hong Kong (China)Student visa

Study visa in Hong Kong (China)

A visa or entry permit for study gives a foreign national the right to enrol on a full-time or part-time programme at a registered educational institution in Hong Kong — from school to university. The permission is issued by the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR subject to admission, financial means and a local sponsor.

Source: Hong Kong SAR Immigration Department (immd.gov.hk)

Who can obtain a visa for study

The requirements depend on the level of education the applicant is entering.

By level of education

Primary school — aged between 5 years 8 months and 11, at an institution registered under the Education Ordinance
Secondary school — up to the age of 20; among public-sector schools only the English Schools Foundation and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools are eligible, while other government and aided schools are closed
Post-secondary education — there is no upper age limit; a full-time locally accredited programme, including short courses, or a part-time locally accredited postgraduate programme
Exchange — a full-time locally accredited programme at bachelor's level or above for no more than a year, or a programme below bachelor's level for no more than six months

Mandatory conditions

A letter of admission from the educational institution
Proven ability to pay for tuition, accommodation and maintenance without working and without recourse to public assistance
A valid travel document, a clean criminal record, and no grounds for refusal on security considerations
The scheme does not extend to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Nepal and Vietnam, apart from particular exceptions for specific programmes

What it costs

Visa/entry permit — the ordinary category (study does not fall under the specified schemes)	330 HKD

Documents to gather

The applicant submits form ID 995A and the sponsor form ID 995B (except where the sponsor is the educational institution itself).

Form ID 995A with a photograph of the applicant
A copy of the applicant's valid travel document
A copy of the applicant's Hong Kong identity card, if held
A letter of admission from the educational institution
Form ID 995B from the sponsor (not required where the sponsor is the educational institution itself)
For an applicant under 18 — a parent's consent to the guardianship arrangement and proof of the accommodation arrangement
Where the sponsor is not the educational institution — proof of the sponsor's financial position (bank statements, income certificates) and a written undertaking to provide maintenance and accommodation

How the process runs

The Department starts considering the application only once the full set of documents has been received.

1
Find a sponsor and obtain the letter of admission
The sponsor may be the educational institution itself or a private individual aged at least 18 — a bona fide resident of Hong Kong who is known to the applicant and financially able to support them and provide accommodation.
2
Submit the documents
The applicant submits form ID 995A and the sponsor (if it is not the educational institution) form ID 995B, together with the set of supporting documents, online through GovHK or by post to the headquarters of the Immigration Department.
3
Wait for the decision
usually six weeks
The Department considers the application once all the documents have been received; the standard period is six weeks from receipt of the full set.
4
Pay the fee and receive the electronic visa
Once the application is approved, the Department sends a link for payment; after payment the applicant downloads or prints the e-Visa themselves and presents it together with the travel document on entry to Hong Kong.

Timelines and rights

Work

As a general rule students may not work. Students on bachelor's programmes and above at local accredited institutions lasting at least one academic year may take up a study-related internship of up to one academic year, work on campus for no more than 20 hours a week, and from June to August work without restriction as to the type of employment.

Who you can bring with you

Dependants may be brought only by a student on a full-time bachelor's or postgraduate programme at a local degree-awarding institution.

A spouse or a partner in a union officially recognised abroad

The student acts as the dependant's sponsor; maintenance appreciably above the subsistence level and suitable accommodation in Hong Kong must be proven. The initial permission to stay is 12 months, followed by annual extension. The dependant may not work without separate permission from the Immigration Department, but may study.

Unmarried children under 18

The same conditions as for a spouse: proven maintenance, accommodation, an initial 12 months with annual extension.

Renewal and the grace period

The application for extension is lodged no later than four weeks before the permitted period of stay expires, provided the applicant still meets the criteria of the programme. Extension is normally granted for a year or for the remaining period of study, whichever is the shorter.

Frequently asked questions about Study visa

Who can obtain a visa or entry permit for study in Hong Kong?

For primary school the age is between 5 years 8 months and 11, for secondary school up to 20, and for post-secondary education there is no upper age limit. A letter of admission is required, along with proven ability to pay for tuition, accommodation and maintenance without working and without public assistance. The scheme does not extend to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Nepal and Vietnam, apart from particular exceptions for specific programmes.

How much does a visa for study cost?

Under the Immigration Department's fee table an ordinary visa or entry permit that does not fall under the specified schemes (study does not fall under them) costs 330 Hong Kong dollars.

How long does it take to consider an application?

Usually six weeks from the moment the Department received the full set of documents. While the documents are incomplete, processing of the application does not start.

May a student work while studying in Hong Kong?

As a general rule no — neither paid nor unpaid work, nor running a business. There is an exception for students on full-time locally accredited programmes at bachelor's level and above lasting at least one academic year: a study-related internship (up to one academic year or a third of the length of the programme, whichever is the shorter), work on campus for up to 20 hours a week, and work from 1 June to 31 August without restriction as to the type of employment.

Can the family be brought along?

Yes, but only by students on full-time bachelor's or postgraduate programmes at local degree-awarding institutions. A spouse or a partner in a recognised union and unmarried children under 18 may come; the student acts as the sponsor. The dependant's initial permission to stay is 12 months with annual extension, and the dependant may not work without separate permission.

How is the permission to stay extended in order to continue studying?

The application for extension is lodged no later than four weeks before the current period of stay expires, provided the applicant still meets the criteria of the programme. Extension is normally granted for a year or for the remaining period of study — whichever is the shorter.

Other ways to move to Hong Kong (China)

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Hong Kong (China).

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.