Internationally recognized for academic excellence and strategic position as a bridge between China and the World, HKUST has received about 200 demonstrations of interest from foreign students since the announcement of new restrictions in the United States
Harvard graduate students accepted scholarships to continue research at the University of Science and Technology of Hong Kong, after being affected by the ban on foreign entry into US institutions, the institution confirmed.
A spokeswoman for the University of Science and Technology of Hong Kong (HKUST) told the Hong Kong South China Morning Post newspaper that the five students from Pakistan, Georgia and Barra China received financial support to develop projects in science, technology and humanities.
Internationally recognized for academic excellence and strategic position as a bridge between China and the World, HKUST has received about 200 demonstrations of interest from foreign students since the announcement of new restrictions in the United States, consolidating itself as a possible academic refuge in the limitations imposed by Washington.
In May, the US internal security department ordered the departure or transfer of international students from Harvard, alleging bonds to structures associated with the Chinese Communist Party.
The measure, driven by the administration of Donald Trump, intensified tensions with the University of Massachusetts. However, a federal court suspended its application on Monday.
Hong Kong universities speeded up the registration processes to welcome affected students, issuing unconditional acceptance letters and creating support teams to deal with the transition, including accommodation and visas, to facilitate integration into the local system.
HKUST registered a record number of 20,000 international applications for the 2025-2026 school year compared to 15,000 of the previous year. Candidates come from 85 countries, including Germany, France, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Vietnam, vying about 800 vacancies available.
The increase in applications reflects Hong Kong’s growing appeal as an academic pole, in a context marked by geopolitical friction.
Hong Kong’s secretary of education, Christine Choi, said her cabinet encouraged local higher education institutions to facilitate the integration of affected students.
In October 2023, the Government of the Special Administrative Region doubled the limit of international admissions in public establishments to 40%, as part of a strategy to position Hong Kong as a global training center.
The Secretariat of Education has ensured that it will continue to follow the needs of students affected by international migratory policies, while HKUST stressed that it was the first institution in the region to formalize the integration of students from Harvard.
