🇭🇰Study in Australia from Hong Kong

Apply through the university's international portal, through a school counsellor, or through an agent. Direct application is common for students from Hong Kong, and many apply to several countries at once. Agents are available but less relied on than in some markets.

The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education is accepted for direct entry to an Australian bachelor's degree by every university, each with its own subject and score requirements, so school leavers do not need a foundation year. Have certified copies of your Diploma results and, for postgraduate study, your degree transcript ready.

Most universities run February and July intakes and assess on a rolling basis. Apply two to three months ahead, or earlier if you are also waiting on Diploma results. Use the universities directory and the deadline calendar.

Tuition runs from the low A$30,000s at regional and newer universities to the high A$40,000s and beyond at the Group of Eight. Living costs depend on the city: budget around A$30,000 a year, more in Sydney and Melbourne, less in Adelaide, Perth, and regional centres.

On top of that: the A$2,500 student visa, roughly A$500 to A$700 a year for single Overseas Student Health Cover, flights, and initial setup. See the cost-of-living breakdowns by city and the most affordable universities.

For undergraduate entry, the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education is accepted directly by all Australian universities, each publishing the scores it wants, sometimes with subject prerequisites. GCE A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate are also accepted directly.

A Hong Kong bachelor's degree, now usually four years, maps directly to Australian master's entry. Universities publish Hong Kong-specific entry tables keyed to your classification or GPA, so the mark you need can differ by institution and course.

English is shown with the Hong Kong Diploma English paper, which many universities accept at Level 4 or above in place of a test, or with IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL. A medium-of-instruction letter is often accepted for degrees taught in English. The student visa has its own English rule, so confirm both.

International students hold the subclass 500 student visa. You apply after you receive and accept an offer and the university issues a Confirmation of Enrolment. You must meet the Genuine Student requirement, which replaced the Genuine Temporary Entrant test in March 2024, and show genuine access to funds.

Hong Kong is treated as a low-risk country, so the upfront financial and English evidence is among the lightest. The requirement is set by a provider-and-country matrix that is reviewed periodically, so confirm the current position with the Document Checklist Tool when you apply.

You still need to meet the Genuine Student requirement and show genuine access to funds for tuition, travel, and 12 months of living costs. Hong Kong applications are rarely refused, and where they are it is usually a study plan that does not connect to previous study.

Full detail on the visa itself, conditions, and family members is on the subclass 500 page.

Most bachelor’s and master’s graduates qualify for a Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), which gives two to three years of full work rights. That skilled work is the usual step toward permanent residence through the points-tested visas.

Check where you stand with the points calculator and track demand in the SkillSelect invitation rounds.