The outbreak of Covid-19, combined with social unrest since last year, is creating significant impact on students, schools and universities in Hong Kong. This may in turn create significant impact for UK institutions looking to recruit students.

Please note that the Covid-19 outbreak is an evolving and unpredictable situation, so exact outcomes and timelines can only be speculative at this stage. At the British Council we are in regular contact with agents, school counsellors and local institutions, the below is a summary of impacts and potential implications for UK institutions that have been reported to us.

Student Grade Attainment

The Education Bureau has announced that schools will remain closed until March 16. While both international and local schools are using online learning alternatives, schools, agents and students themselves have expressed concerns that due to reduced face to face teaching hours they might not achieve predicted grades. If this occurs this will obviously affect students university applications.

Younger Students

Since the outbreak of social unrest last year, agents have mentioned that they have seen more applicants to UK boarding schools this year comparing with the same time last year, and there is an increase in the number of students looking for prep schools. The students are from both DSE and international schools. This corresponds with significantly higher registration data at our Schools and Colleges Fair in October 2019.

Compressed Student Recruitment Timelines

The Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) has already announced that HKDSE results will be released one week later, with further delays possible (please refer to our news item here).

Agents have suggested that with a late result release, there will be significantly more late applications and confirmation of places. This potentially means more work within a much shorter timeframe, and potentially more overlap with recruitment work for GCE A-levels students, resulting on pressure for agents, institutions and stress for the students and their parents.

UK universities should be expected to receive more late applicants, and the admissions teams in universities should prepare to deal with more work within a much shorter timeframe.

Students Transferring from Hong Kong Universities

As a result of social unrest in recent months, including protests on university campuses, agents have reported a significant number of cases of local university students wishing to transfer into year two or three at UK universities, either in January or September. This may be an opportunity for universities in the UK to attract high quality transfer students, these students would all have achieved at least 555+ in HKDSE if they are coming from first-tier universities in Hong Kong.

A local university has also indicated to us that they have seen a significant drop in application numbers from the non-JUPAS route (i.e. students with qualifications other than the HKDSE) compared to the same time last year. This may be a result of a change in decision making hierarchy from a preference to study locally to studying abroad.

Student Exchange and Summer Schools

As a result of both social unrest and Covid-19, local universities have stopped all inbound activities for this semester, and suspended international summer schools that they would usually host. If the local semester is extended to a later date this may also limit Hong Kong students’ ability to partake in summer schools in the U.K.

Considerations for U.K. universities

Providing flexibility for HK students who wish to transfer from local universities to UK universities

Flexibility in refund policy – The postponement of the HKDSE result release will likely mean postponement of JUPAS results (the application system for local universities). Some families will likely still wait for the JUPAS results, which could come out in late August. One agent has suggested a more flexible refund policy, allowing these families to confirm U.K. places early and starting other arrangements early, minimizing disruption and delays.

Flexibility in late-arrival policy – With the postponement of HKDSE result release, agents expect that they and admissions teams in universities will need to deal with more work within a much shorter timeframe, potentially leading to delays.

Availability of accommodation – According to agents, availability of accommodation is always a key factor in decision making. Availability in the later stage of the admissions cycle could become an increasingly attractive selling point for universities.

For more analysis of the Hong Kong market, please contact Anna Lee, Northeast Asia Hub Lead, British Council IES, anna.lee@britishcouncil.org.hk