When parents plan for their children to study abroad, they should choose popular overseas study destinations or emerging Asian destinations.

Parents also need to consider the cost of studying abroad. Find out more about the services provided by each country for your child's study abroad.


UK - If you want to study abroad, plan as early as possible

The United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada are famous for their complete education systems. If you plan to apply for a British university, you must prepare early and submit an admission application through the British Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) in September every year. DSE candidates The admission requirements range from grades 4, 3, 3 to 5**, 5, and 5 in 3 subjects.

If you decide to study in the UK after taking the DSE, it may be too late, because the chances of applying to a better university are slim, or you may have to focus on a second-tier university or even a new university.


United States - Universities accept multiple letters of recommendation from students

To apply for an American university, you need to take the American entrance exam, namely SAT or ACT. The full SAT score is 1600 points. Generally, you need to score 1200 points to get into a better school. To get into top universities such as Harvard University, you need to get 1500 points. points or more.

British and American universities attach great importance to students' personal statements (Personal Statement). The United States adheres to the liberal arts education concept and accepts multiple letters of recommendation from students. They also hope that the writers can express their classmates' participation in the class through their own experiences of observing students. , curiosity, etc. British universities value students' enthusiasm for studying subjects and will accept third-party evaluations from students in their self-introductions.


United States/Canada - Budget options available for progression through community college

The tuition and living expenses of universities in the United States and Canada are expensive. If you have a limited budget, you may wish to consider the "two plus two" study model, which means you first study at a community college for two years, and then study for two years at a university. Taking Canada as an example, the total tuition for four years of university is 40 The tuition fee ranges from HK$170,000 to HK$1.3 million1, but if you complete the course in the "two plus two" way, the tuition fee is only about HK$170,000 to HK$500,0002, a saving of about 40%.


Australia - Admissions to degree programs are more relaxed

The admission requirements for degree programs in Australia are relatively loose, generally requiring DSE scores of 3 to 4 in three to five subjects. Tuition fees are cheaper than those in the United Kingdom and the United States. If your children have average academic performance and are unable to enter their favorite university subjects in Hong Kong, Australia may be a good choice. The Australian university academic year starts at the end of February and early March, so students still have room to apply after DSE.

New Zealand - Shaohua students can practice English well

New Zealand, which is adjacent to Australia, has the same university academic system as Australia, with semesters starting in February and July every year. There are eight national universities in the local area, among which subjects related to environmental development and health are more popular among students. The local area also offers subjects such as programming and computer software applications that have become popular in recent years to meet the needs of different students. New Zealand mainly hosts homestays, which allows international students to integrate into the local culture more quickly.


Mainland - study for bachelor's degree and then study for master's degree abroad

There are 102 universities in the mainland that have implemented a program to recruit Hong Kong students without examination. The DSE scores of Hong Kong students are used as the basis for admission. Generally, the minimum threshold is "3322" in four core subjects.

Tuition fees in the mainland are cheap and there are many well-known universities. Tsinghua University ranked 25th in the 2018 QS World University Rankings. Admitted students from Hong Kong who are exempted from examinations are even exempted from tuition fees. Its courses are high-level and their academic qualifications are recognized around the world, which can be used as a "springboard" ”, connecting to the graduate school of a famous foreign university will save you much more money than studying directly at a foreign university.

Taiwan - Specialized subjects most popular

There are more than 100 universities in Taiwan, offering various specialized subjects such as veterinary medicine, shipbuilding, materials engineering, horticulture, etc. In recent years, the veterinary medicine department has been particularly popular. There are many ways for Hong Kong students to study in Taiwan. Among them, the overseas joint admissions program that registers in February and March every year and releases results in July is the easiest.

According to the website of National Taiwan University, the total tuition fee for its six-year veterinary course is about HK$180,000; the tuition fee for the five-year veterinary course at National Chung Hsing University is only about HK$130,000, which is much higher than the six-year course at City University of Hong Kong, which is HK$720,000. It’s cheap, and both schools are recognized by the Hong Kong Veterinary Authority.


Singapore - Science is relatively strong

Although there are only 6 universities in Singapore, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) are no less than well-known universities in the United Kingdom and the United States. They are most famous for their engineering and science disciplines, and they ranked No. 1 in the QS World University Rankings in 2018. Ranks 11 and 15 are suitable for students who are strong in science.

The application period for NTU is from August to January of the following year, while for NUS it is from October to the end of February of the following year. Parents should not miss the opportunity to apply.

In addition to making choices based on subjects when studying abroad, you also need to make choices based on financial ability. Tuition fees for different subjects in the same country vary greatly. Sun Life Financial thoughtfully provides education funding calculators for parents, allowing parents to make proper financial planning as early as possible.

Regardless of whether they choose to study at a regular school or at a high school, parents should not only make plans and financial preparations in advance, but also purchase insurance for international students; and protection related to further studies, such as study interruption and education savings insurance.



source:

1&2 Education Bureau Career Planning – Instructions for further studies in various countries