Overview
Basic facts and historical timeline, world and subject rankings, admissions/tuition and graduate outcomes.
00 Overview Overview · Facts · History
9 articlesBasic facts, FAQ, key figures, pre-founding history, historical timeline, motto and crest, and governance structure.
The University of Hong Kong: Fact Card and Historical Statistics
HKU is Hong Kong's oldest tertiary institution (founded 1911, with the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese of 1887 as its predecessor); it now has 10 faculties and about 45,000 students. In recent years TPg enrolment and the share of non-local students have risen, and tuition income has overtaken government subvention.
HKU Key Figures at a Glance
A one-page quick-reference table covering HKU's year of foundation, faculties, student and staff numbers, campus, QS/THE rankings, finances and donations.
University of Hong Kong — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A quick Q&A overview of the basic facts about HKU: incorporated by ordinance in 1911, began teaching in 1912, currently enrols about 45,000 students across ten faculties, operates a hall system rather than a collegiate one, the Chancellor is the Chief Executive and the President is Xiang Zhang, and ranks 11th in the 2026 QS World University Rankings.
History of the University of Hong Kong, Part I — Pre-Founding, Inauguration, and Wartime Closure (1887–1945)
HKU's medical roots trace to the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese of 1887 (where Sun Yat-sen studied); the University was constituted under the University Ordinance in 1911 and opened in 1912 with faculties of Arts, Engineering and Medicine; the Japanese invasion of 1941 caused the only full closure in HKU's history, the Medical Faculty relocated to Chengdu, and the University resumed in 1945 after liberation.
The University of Hong Kong: A History, Part II — Post-War Reconstruction, the Centenary and Recent Developments (1945–2026)
The second half of HKU's history: post-war reconstruction under Lindsay Ride (1949–1964), faculties completing with Social Sciences (1967), Law (1969), Dentistry (1982) and Business and Economics (2001); the 2011 Centenary and the 2012 Centennial Campus and four-year curriculum arriving together; non-local students now in the majority.
The University of Hong Kong — Motto, Shield, Coat of Arms, Colours and Anthem
A guide to HKU's motto "明德格物" (Latin: Sapientia et Virtus) from The Great Learning, the 1913 shield and the 1984 full coat of arms, the dark-green colours, and the University Anthem composed in 1912 and revived for the centenary.
The University of Hong Kong — Governance Structure and Successive Vice-Chancellors
HKU governance rests on the University of Hong Kong Ordinance: the Chancellor is the Chief Executive ex officio; the Court (over one hundred members) is the supreme advisory body; the Council (24 seats) controls governance and finance; and the Senate (about sixty seats) governs academic affairs. Includes the full list of Vice-Chancellors from 1912 to the present.
The University of Hong Kong — Firsts and Superlatives
A round-up of HKU's verifiable "firsts" and "superlatives": the oldest university in Hong Kong; the earliest lineage of medical education (the 1887 Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese); the only faculty of dentistry in Hong Kong; the only university in Hong Kong with an official coat of arms; the first Chinese Vice-Chancellor; the first women students; and several discipline-ranking highs, each with its source.
Hong Kong and The University of Hong Kong are my intellectual birthplace" — Sun Yat-sen's 1923 Address at HKU
Sun Yat-sen studied at the College of Medicine for Chinese, Hongkong (absorbed into HKU in 1912) from 1887 to 1892, graduating with distinction in its first cohort; on 20 February 1923, invited by the Students' Union, he returned to HKU and spoke in what is now Loke Yew Hall, declaring that "Hong Kong and The University of Hong Kong are my intellectual birthplace" — the most quoted sentence in HKU's history.
03 Rankings World · Subject
6 articlesWorld rankings from QS / THE / ARWU and their year-on-year trends, plus standout subject rankings.
HKU Rankings Decoded: How QS Recovered from the 2024 Ruler Change to Reach 11th
HKU ranks 11th worldwide on QS 2027 (highest in Hong Kong) and 40th on U.S. News 2026-27 (up four); this article dissects the QS five-year "ruler change — rebound" trajectory and the U.S. News pure papers-and-citations contest, with close-ups on Dentistry, Education and other strong subjects.
HKU Ranked 11th in the World by QS — Interpreting the Trends Across the Four Ranking Systems
HKU's latest overall rankings: 11th in the world in QS 2027 (an all-time best), 33rd in THE 2026, 67th in ARWU 2025 and 40th in U.S. News 2026–27 — the highest of any Hong Kong university in each; this page charts the historical trends across the four systems and their methodological differences.
Subject Rankings
HKU placed 51 subjects on the 2026 QS subject table, with 8 in the global top 20 and Dentistry at world No. 2 as the standout; the Faculty of Education has topped U.S. News "Education and Educational Research" for three consecutive years; ShanghaiRanking GRAS and the QS Faculty Areas give two further, cross-checkable perspectives.
The "No. 1 in Asia" Title, Lost and Found: HKU's Fifteen-Year Arc in the QS Asia Rankings (2011→2026)
HKU lost the top spot in the QS Asia University Rankings around 2011 when it was overtaken by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; it remained near the top but never first for over a decade. In the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, released in November 2025, HKU returned to No. 1, overtaking Peking University — the first time in fifteen years — while simultaneously rising to 11th in the QS World Rankings.
A Different Yardstick: HKU's Ten-Year Trajectory in the THE World University Rankings
HKU ranks 33rd globally in the THE World University Rankings 2026 (highest in Hong Kong), with an all-time high of 30th in the 2022 edition; international outlook and research quality are near-perfect while teaching and research environment lag; all eight Hong Kong universities rose in 2026, with CUHK reaching a historic high of 41st.
How the Rankings Are Calculated — Indicator Weights, Methodology Disputes, and HKU's Strategic Response
The three rankings measure different things: nearly half of QS's weight is reputation surveys, THE's largest chunk is citation impact, and U.S. News is almost pure bibliometrics. The QS 2024 overhaul dropped HKU from 21st to 26th in a single year; three years later it rebounded to 11th — the key was "a different ruler".
香港大学 ranking overview(updated 2027)
| University | QS World | U.S. News World |
|---|---|---|
| HKU · This university | 11 | 40 |
| CUHK | 18 | 28 |
| HKUST | 33 | 82 |
| CityU | 52 | 47 |
| PolyU | 50 | 52 |
World rankings as officially reported by each list; every figure is sourced — see each university's deep-dive for detail. Machine-readable data (JSON · with sources) ↗.
香港大学's world-class subjects
Ranking FAQ
What is 香港大学's (HKU) QS World Ranking in 2027?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027 (released 2026-06-18), 香港大学 is ranked 11 in the world.
What is 香港大学's U.S. News World University Ranking?
In U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026-2027 (released 2026-06-16), 香港大学 is ranked 40 in the world.
How do Hong Kong's five universities rank in QS 2027?
QS 2027: HKU #11, CUHK #18, HKUST #33, CityU #52, PolyU #50.
What are 香港大学's strongest subjects?
香港大学's world-class strengths include 牙医学 Dentistry (ranked 2 in the world), 教育与培训 Education & Training (ranked 5 in the world), 地理学 Geography (ranked 11 in the world), among others.
02 Admissions Admissions · Tuition · Outcomes
8 articlesAdmission pathways, mainland and international applications, tuition and scholarships, and graduate outcomes.
HKU DSE Admission Requirements and the Complete JUPAS Application Guide
HKU's four undergraduate entry routes — JUPAS (local DSE, "3322" threshold), Non-JUPAS international qualifications, the Mainland Admissions Scheme (no provincial quota ceiling) and sub-degree articulation; the non-local quota ceiling rose from 20% to 40% in 2024/25.
HKU Postgraduate Scholarships and Undergraduate Tuition at a Glance (HKPFS / Presidential Scholarship)
For 2026–27 (current year), HKU local undergraduate tuition is HK$47,000 while non-local STEM-band fees reach HK$249,000 (a cumulative rise of 17.6% over three years); full-time research postgraduate tuition rises in step to HK$47,000; PhD students can apply for the HKPFS, expanded to 400 places.
Graduate Destinations and Employment
According to the CEDARS Graduate Employment Survey, HKU bachelor's graduates have sustained employment rates above 98% for many consecutive years; the 2024 survey recorded a mean monthly salary of HK$33,492 (up 4.7% year-on-year) with 95.8% working in Hong Kong. This article also covers post-pandemic trends, cross-university comparisons and employability rankings.
Undergraduate Programme Catalogue (with JUPAS Codes)
A master list of HKU undergraduate programmes offered through JUPAS, itemising each JS code with its full programme title and grouped by subject area, as a snapshot of the 2025–26 and 2026 admissions cycles; also covers newly launched AI/data-science programmes, the three programme structures and an admission-score snapshot of the "sacred subjects".
The "334" Reform and the 2012 Double Cohort — Why HKU Went from Three Years to Four
Hong Kong's "334" new academic structure took effect from 2009; in 2012 new- and old-system candidates entered university simultaneously, creating a "double cohort" and swelling first-year intake across Hong Kong by roughly half; HKU responded by moving to a four-year degree, introducing new general-education and Science Foundation Courses, and building the Centennial Campus to house the surge in students.
The Complete HKU Taught Postgraduate Application Guide: Timeline, Document Checklist and "Safe/Reach" Strategy
HKU TPG applications run through the TOLA system, with no university-wide deadline — each programme sets its own Main Round and Clearing Round. This article sets out the document checklist, the new language requirements and the admission rhythm against official sources, and offers a rule-based approach to arranging "safe" and "reach" choices.
The Door Beyond JUPAS — International Students, Non-JUPAS and the IB/A-Level Route to Admission
Applicants without the HKDSE must use the Non-JUPAS route for HKU undergraduate admission; IB floors are roughly 32–43 points, A-Level about 3A–3A*, and English must meet IELTS 6.5; the non-local quota has risen to 40% (2024/25) and will rise again to 50% in 2026/27.
The Interview Hurdle and the "Divine Programmes" — Admission Thresholds and Alternative Excellence Routes for HKU's Competitive JUPAS Courses
HKU medicine, dentistry, BBA(IBGM) and law (LLB) are the most competitive courses in Hong Kong, with 2024 median admission scores ranging from 33 to 53 and rising steadily over five years; most run interviews, the HKU–PKU law dual degree demands even more, and SNDAS and SPN offer non-academic routes in.