In short: To study in Hong Kong as an international student you apply for: Visa/entry permit for study. Submit online with uploaded documents, or by post directly or via the local sponsor. Paid only after approval. Normally six weeks after all required documents are received; processing starts only when the file is complete. Every line on this page was read on an official page, which is linked beside it; the facts were last checked on 6 October 2026.
| Visa or permit | Visa/entry permit for study |
|---|---|
| Application fee | HKD 330 (immd.gov.hk) |
| Money to show | No fixed amount. Show you can pay course fees and living and accommodation costs without working, e.g. bank statements, passbooks, tax receipts, salary slips. (immd.gov.hk) |
| Processing time | Normally six weeks after all required documents are received; processing starts only when the file is complete. (immd.gov.hk) |
| Where you apply | Submit online with uploaded documents, or by post directly or via the local sponsor. (immd.gov.hk) |
| Last checked |
Authority: Immigration Department (ImmD), HKSAR. Official portal: Hong Kong Immigration Department.
Admission to a full-time locally-accredited programme; a local sponsor (institution or individual) is required.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Must be able to pay course fees and living costs without working or public funds; financial proof is submitted.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No fixed amount. Show you can pay course fees and living and accommodation costs without working, e.g. bank statements, passbooks, tax receipts, salary slips.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Paid only after approval. Ordinary visa fee HK$330; study is not a listed specified scheme (those cost HK$600/1,300). Fee label is our reading of the table.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
| Charge | Amount | What the official page says | Source, checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa fee (government) | HKD 330 | Paid only after approval. Ordinary visa fee HK$330; study is not a listed specified scheme (those cost HK$600/1,300). Fee label is our reading of the table. | immd.gov.hk, 15 September 2026 |
Submit online with uploaded documents, or by post directly or via the local sponsor. Mainland residents follow separate arrangements.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
The student completes form ID 995A and the local sponsor, usually the institution, completes form ID 995B. They can be submitted online with uploaded documents, or sent by post directly or through the sponsor.
GovHK online submission of Application for Entry for Study in Hong Kong (Immigration Department): gov.hk · form: ID 995A (applicant) and ID 995B (sponsor)
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Fees are paid only after approval, using the payment link in the result notice, GovHK or the ImmD app, by card, PPS, FPS or listed e-wallets, or in person at an Immigration office.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Once ImmD acknowledges receipt, the applicant can check the status online or by the 24-hour telephone enquiry line.
Official tracking page: gov.hk
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Normally six weeks after ImmD has received all the required documents. Processing does not start until everything is received.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
ImmD sends a result notice with a payment link. After paying, the student downloads or prints the e-Visa and shows it with the travel document at arrival; no visa label goes in the passport.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Even with a complete file, ImmD may ask the applicant or sponsor for further documents and information, which they must provide.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Steps as read on the official pages; checked on 15 September 2026.
Normally six weeks after all required documents are received; processing starts only when the file is complete.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No biometrics step is stated for the study visa application.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No health insurance requirement is stated on the ImmD study page.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No medical exam requirement is stated on the ImmD study page.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No police certificate requirement is stated on the ImmD study page.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No language requirement is stated by ImmD; the institution sets its own admission standards.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Documents not in Chinese or English need a Chinese or English translation certified by a sworn, court, certified or official translator.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
No apostille or legalisation requirement is stated on the ImmD study page.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
For local UG+ programmes of 1+ year: on-campus work up to 20 hours weekly, summer jobs, internships; these students are currently temporarily exempt from employment restrictions.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Only students in full-time UG/PG local programmes at local degree-awarding institutions may bring a spouse and unmarried children under 18; dependants cannot work without permission.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
Show travel document and e-Visa on arrival. Post-secondary students get a stay matching programme length, up to six years on entry.
Source: immd.gov.hk · checked on
ForiForeign prepares your student visa application with you and guides you through each step: the documents, the forms and the order to do them in. You file the application yourself with the authority named above, and that authority decides. ForiForeign is not a visa office or an agent of Hong Kong, and no one can promise a visa. Rules, fees and dates change: confirm each one on the official page linked beside it before you pay or travel.
The same facts for software and AI assistants: /facts/visa/hk.json.
ForiForeign.com · admin@foriforeign.com · WhatsApp +92 310 5048760 · Information drawn from official sources shown on each rule; not legal advice.
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