18th November 2023 – (Washington) According to recent figures released by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, together with the Institute of International Education, the count of undergraduate students from Hong Kong in American universities has hit an all-time record low. This concerning trend marks the ninth consecutive year of declining enrolment from the city.
The current numbers are the lowest since record-keeping began in 2000 and stand at just half the peak level. The last academic year saw only 3,021 undergraduate students from Hong Kong studying in the U.S., representing a decrease of more than 8% compared to the 2021-22 academic year and less than half of the peak of over 6,200 recorded in 2002-03.
This decrease in Hong Kong undergraduates’ presence in the U.S. contrasts starkly with an overall increase in international student numbers, following four years of travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the last academic year, there were a total of 5,867 Hong Kong students in the U.S., a slight year-on-year increase of 0.3%, placing the city 25th worldwide in terms of residents studying in the country. The top five US states hosting Hong Kong students at all levels were California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington and Illinois.
The figures also revealed that there were 1,589 Hong Kong postgraduate students, 193 non-degree students, and 1,064 students participating in optional practical training, allowing graduates to pursue work following their studies.
The number of Hong Kong students pursuing higher education in the US had dropped to below 5,000 by the 2016-17 academic year and further down to 4,000 in 2019-20. The largest group of international students in the US last year hailed from mainland China, totalling 289,526, marking a slight decrease of 0.2% compared to the 2022-23 academic year.
This downward trend is observed elsewhere too, with the number of applications from Hong Kong to U.K. universities falling for the second consecutive year. In contrast, countries like Canada and Australia have seen a surge in enrolment from Hong Kong, with Canada surpassing the UK for the first time as the most sought-after destination for Hongkongers pursuing tertiary education overseas.