What a year costs: tuition, accommodation and living expenses

The published budget (2026-27 academic year)

These figures come from CityU's "Costs and scholarships" page and are based on the 2026-27 tuition rates:

The two payments at application stage

• The application fee, once paid, is neither refundable nor transferable. An application is only processed after the required information is complete and the fee is paid.
• The deposit is paid when you confirm acceptance of an offer, and it too is neither refundable nor transferable.

An important rule about tuition

CityU notes on the costs page that this is the tuition for non-local students entering government-funded bachelor's degree programmes in 2026-27, and that during your studies the Hong Kong SAR Government may revise the minimum tuition level. Once approved, that tuition applies to the student for the rest of their studies, through to graduation.

In other words: once you are admitted at a given level, you pay that level through to graduation — but the level itself can be raised.

Accommodation: the first two years are covered, then you are on your own

• Non-local students entering a government-funded four-year undergraduate programme at CityU have priority when applying for a hall place in their first two years.
• CityU also states that because hall places are limited, students in later years may need to arrange off-campus accommodation themselves.
• The reference budget for off-campus accommodation (the final two years) is $50,000 – $60,000 a year.

How much money to bring to Hong Kong

CityU's financial matters page gives a very practical piece of advice:

• About HK$10,000 is enough to cover your living expenses in the first month.
• You do not need to carry large amounts of cash to campus — Hong Kong has banks everywhere and licensed money changers are easy to find.
• It is advisable to remit larger sums in Hong Kong dollars only after the student has opened a bank account.

About scholarships

CityU offers an "Entry Scholarship" to Mainland students admitted through the Gaokao route. There is no separate application: it is awarded automatically on the basis of Gaokao results, interview performance and overall qualities. See how entry scholarships are assessed.