The number of Hong Kong secondary school graduates choosing to study outside the city has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to the latest pathway survey released by Hong Kong’s Education Bureau.
The 2025 Secondary 6 Students’ Pathway Survey, published in April 2026, found that only 2,671 students pursued full-time study outside Hong Kong in the year of graduation. This accounted for 6.5% of the 40,948 graduates who continued full-time education after completing Secondary 6 in 2025.
The figure represents a 13% decline from 2024, when 3,061 students chose overseas study, and marks the lowest level recorded since the survey began in 2012.
Most students continue education in Hong Kong
Among the 43,561 surveyed Secondary 6 graduates, most students remained in education or employment after graduation:
- 94.0% pursued full-time study
- 2.2% entered full-time employment
- 2.6% engaged in part-time work or study
- 1.2% were neither employed nor studying
Of the students pursuing full-time education, 93.5% remained in Hong Kong, up from 92.2% in 2024, indicating stronger retention within the local higher education system.
Bachelor’s degree programs remained the most common pathway, attracting 46.2% of students continuing full-time study, followed by post-secondary programs (33.7%) and other full-time courses (19.8%).
Mainland China leads overseas destinations
For the smaller group of students who chose to study abroad, mainland China emerged as the leading destination.
Among the 2,671 students studying outside Hong Kong:
- 1,259 students (47.1%) chose mainland China
- 480 (18.0%) went to the United Kingdom
- 363 (13.6%) selected Australia
- 196 (7.3%) studied in Taiwan
- 78 (2.9%) went to Canada
- 77 (2.9%) chose the United States
Nearly 89.6% of outbound students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs, indicating that overseas study remains primarily degree-focused.
Why fewer students are studying overseas
Several structural factors may explain the continued decline in overseas study among Hong Kong graduates.
One factor is a change in student demographics. In recent years, Hong Kong schools have enrolled a growing number of students from mainland China. Many of these students are more likely to pursue higher education in Hong Kong rather than traditional overseas destinations such as the UK, Australia, Canada, or the US. For these students, Hong Kong offers internationally recognized qualifications, strong employment opportunities, and geographical proximity to mainland China.
At the same time, Hong Kong’s universities continue to strengthen their global reputation. The city is home to several internationally ranked institutions recognized for excellence in business, finance, engineering, medicine, and research. For many students, staying in Hong Kong provides access to high-quality education without the higher financial and logistical burden of overseas study.
Student pathway choices are also evolving alongside policy and market changes. While demand for university places remains strong, students today have access to a wider range of higher education pathways, including publicly funded universities, self-financing institutions, transnational programs, and study opportunities in mainland China. These diversified options may reduce the urgency for some students to pursue overseas education immediately after Secondary 6.
Cost remains another major consideration. Overseas education often requires significantly higher spending on tuition, accommodation, travel, insurance, and living expenses. By contrast, Hong Kong permanent residents can benefit from subsidized tuition fees at publicly funded universities, making local study a more financially attractive option.
A changing student mobility landscape
The decline in outbound student mobility suggests Hong Kong’s higher education landscape is entering a new phase.
While overseas education remains an important pathway for some students, more graduates are now choosing to remain in Hong Kong or pursue further study in mainland China. The combination of stronger local universities, lower education costs, diversified study pathways, and changing student demographics is reshaping post-secondary decision-making in the city.
For universities in traditional destination markets, the trend signals growing competition for Hong Kong students as the city increasingly retains more of its own graduates.
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