
A guide for your children transitioning to Hong Kong primary & secondary schools
- 17 Apr 2025
- Education
Equipped with world-class facilities and resources, Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools are well-prepared to provide students from all backgrounds with comprehensive and engaging learning. The city’s education system offers multiple pathways for children of talent to begin schooling. If you are unsure of where to start in preparation for your child’s enrolment, this guide is designed to give a streamlined view of key steps in the application process, covering essential topics such as bridging curricula, admission timelines, and enrolment requirements to ensure a smooth transition for your child into Hong Kong’s academic environment.
Step 1: Selecting a Hong Kong school and school curriculum
Your approach to education planning in Hong Kong may vary depending on your child's current curriculum. Hong Kong education differs notably in its main medium languages of instruction, types of schools, and courses. As both local and international curricula are offered to students in Hong Kong, it is important to understand the related trajectories and qualifications when exploring the suitable education pathway for your child.
Pursuing local education in Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s local curriculum aims to foster students’ whole-person development and learning-to-learn capabilities, cultivate their proper values and attitudes, sense of national identity as well as global vision through diversified and balanced learning experiences. Major emphases for the primary and secondary education curricula include values education (including national education), STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education, language learning, etc. At the senior secondary level, students should study the four core subjects (Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, and Citizenship and Social Development), two or three elective subjects (up to a maximum of four), and participate in Other Learning Experiences. Upon completion of three-year senior secondary education, students can take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination to apply for local and non-local universities and higher education institutions.
Continuing international education in Hong Kong
If your child follows an international curriculum, you may consider enrolling in a Hong Kong school that offers the same course of study. Currently, there are various Hong Kong schools offering IB curriculum. Additionally, there are other schools providing GCSE, IGCSE, GCE, and IAL courses for students. This popular offering of international education enables a seamless transition for your child as they begin schooling in Hong Kong. If you wish to know more about the schools offering international curricula, you may refer to this webpage here.
Step 2: Finalising a list of schools
After familiarising yourself with common education pathways in Hong Kong, it is time to move forward in the application process. As you and your child begin to finalise a list of prospective schools, here are a few key factors to consider:
- Location of the school
- Programmes offered by the school
- Enrolment policies of the school
- Verify the school’s acceptance of transfer students
Talent should stay tuned to when admission sessions begin for their prospective schools. Depending on your child’s specific circumstance, application timelines and requirements may also vary. If you are planning to enrol your child in primary or secondary schools which offer the local curriculum, please refer to this overview of Hong Kong’s education system and the key application dates on our website for further details. If you are planning to enrol your children in schools that offer international curricula, please refer to webpage here for information about the general admission procedures.
Step 3: Preparing for admission interviews and tests
You may contact schools directly to apply for a place for your children. For information on individual schools, please visit “School Profiles” on the website of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation or via the “School Search” engine mentioned on the Education Bureau’s (EDB) website. EDB provides school placement support services for children aged 6 to 15 who are eligible to enrol in public sector schools. Parents may approach the nearby Regional Education Offices of EDB to seek placement assistance.
During the application for school admission, your child may be invited to a school interview or aptitude test. Understanding common school interview questions and test subjects can help your child tackle these assessments confidently.
Step 4: Checking admission results and enrolling in a school
Once your child has received their admission results and decided on their school of enrolment, be sure to respond by the designated deadline. Failure to respond in a timely manner may result in incurring reservation fees or the cancellation of your child’s admission.
Finally, ensure a seamless transition to Hong Kong for your child through a dependant visa. Visit the Immigration Department website for more details on the application process.
By following the above steps for applying to primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, you and your child will be able to navigate the enrolment process with assurance and ease. Best of luck and success as your child embarks on their exciting education journey!
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