Science, Engineering, Business and Management, Medicine, Humanities and Social Science
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was granted university status on 10 April 1988 and was officially opened on 10 October 1991, when the first students enrolled. It is established under Chapter 1141 of the Laws of Hong Kong. It was the third university of the territory and its first research university. Prince Charles laid the foundation stone on 8 November 1989. The campus opened three years ahead of its original schedule of 1994, although the project was criticised for exceeding its budget.
The campus is at Tai Po Tsai, on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Sai Kung District, in the New Territories. It is a rural campus of about 60 hectares on the shore, far from the dense districts of Hong Kong.
In 2025 the university enrolled 20,475 students. Of these 11,765, or 57.5 percent, were undergraduates and 8,710, or 42.5 percent, were postgraduates. Local students numbered 10,615, or 51.8 percent, and non-local students 9,860, or 48.2 percent, so almost half of the student body comes from outside Hong Kong. In 2025 and 2026 it counted 973 academic staff, which means about twenty-one students for each academic staff member. Postgraduates make up 42.5 percent of the enrolment, a share that reflects the research orientation of the university.
Five schools and an academy teach there: the School of Science, the School of Engineering, the School of Business and Management, the School of Medicine, the School of Humanities and Social Science, and the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies. The Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies works across the schools, and teaching is in English.
HKUST has a second campus, HKUST (Guangzhou), in Nansha, Guangzhou. Collaboration agreements were signed in 2018 with the Guangzhou Government and Guangzhou University. The Ministry of Education of China approved the campus on 29 June 2022, which made it the third university co-managed by mainland China and Hong Kong, and it opened on 1 September 2022. Fees differ for local and non-local students. Check the current tariff. Teaching is in English.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Data Analytics, Engineering, Finance, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
HKUST (Guangzhou) in Nansha, co-managed with mainland China, and the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies.
Research:
Science, engineering, business and management, humanities and social science, and interdisciplinary studies, with a research university profile since opening.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
973
Current students***:
20475
Foreign students***:
48%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Hong Kong’s first research university, hillside campus on Clear Water Bay, strong science, engineering and business, half non-local students.
Cons
Remote rural campus far from the city centre, competitive admission, steep terrain.
Best For
Students who want a research-oriented science, engineering and business university with half non-local students.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
On content, University of Hong Kong and this university are close, as both teach finance, chemistry and physics; it is larger, enrolling about 39,200 students against roughly 20,475 here, and is also a public institution.
Think of Chinese University of Hong Kong when finance, chemistry and physics is the priority: it has almost the same size, at about 21,110 students, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the finance, chemistry and physics focus of this institution but want another option nearby, City University of Hong Kong fits well: it covers materials as well and is also a public institution.
Where this university leans on life sciences, data analytics and software engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University does the same, and it is larger, enrolling about 33,900 students against roughly 20,475 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Seen from abroad, National University of Singapore (Singapore) is a close relative on subject matter, since finance, chemistry and physics are central to both, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
Seen from abroad, Yonsei University (South Korea) is a close relative on subject matter, since finance, chemistry and physics are central to both, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers electrical and electronics as well.
Looking internationally, Macquarie University in Australia is where finance, chemistry and physics get a comparable treatment; it is also a public institution and also offers graduate certificate programmes.
University of New South Wales in Australia pursues a similar profile in finance, chemistry and physics, and it is also a public institution and also offers graduate certificate programmes.
For finance, chemistry and physics outside the home country, University of Cape Town in South Africa is a natural reference; it covers astroscience and civil engineering as well, and is slightly larger, at about 28,233 students against roughly 20,475 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is HKUST?
At Tai Po Tsai, on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Sai Kung District, Hong Kong.
When did it open?
Officially on 10 October 1991, when the first students enrolled.
When did it gain university status?
On 10 April 1988.
What makes it unusual among Hong Kong universities?
It was the first research university of the territory.
How large is the campus?
About 60 hectares, in a rural setting.
How many students does it have?
20,475 in 2025, including 11,765 undergraduates.
What share of the students are non-local?
48.2 percent, or 9,860 students.
Which schools does it have?
Science, Engineering, Business and Management, Medicine, and Humanities and Social Science, plus the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies.
What is HKUST (Guangzhou)?
A second campus in Nansha, Guangzhou, approved on 29 June 2022 and opened on 1 September 2022.
What does it cost?
Fees differ for local and non-local students. Check the current tariff.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biology, Engineering, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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