DSS Expansion: Transforming Hong Kong into International Education Hub

      The Chief Executive announced in this year’s Policy Address that, on a trial basis, schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) will be allowed to apply for an increase in the number and size of classes to expand their intake of non-local students with student visas, who will study on a self-financing mode (“DSS expansion”), thereby extending the development of Hong Kong into an international education hub to cover basic education.  In this regard, the Education Bureau (EDB) issued a letter today (December 11) to all DSS schools, inviting those with sufficient resources and capacity to apply for “DSS expansion”.

Hong Kong’s competitive edge in education

      Under “One Country, Two Systems”, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantage of strong support from the Motherland and close connections to the world.  Hong Kong’s basic education emphasises “biliteracy and trilingualism”[1] and students’ balanced development across the five domains of whole-person education[2].  In line with the recommendations of the Curriculum Development Council[3], public sector schools provide coherent and rich learning experiences for primary, secondary and kindergarten students.  Meanwhile, non-public sector schools (such as DSS schools) offer local parents other choices and allow non-local children holding student visas to study on a self-financing basis.

      Hong Kong boasts a multitude of world-class higher education institutions.  It is the only city in the world with five public universities among the global top 100, six within Asia’s top 50, and four among the 10 most international universities worldwide.  This strong position attracts outstanding talent from around the globe to pursue studies and conduct research in Hong Kong.  Leveraging this advantage, the city not only draws overseas students for post-secondary education but also encourages international parents to consider relocating their children to Hong Kong for basic education.

East meets West, diversity thrives

      At present, there are 78 DSS schools in Hong Kong.  Among the 57 DSS secondary schools, 26 offer international curricula at Secondary five and Secondary six, which appeals to non-local students who wish to study such programmes in Hong Kong.  In addition, as primary and secondary education in Hong Kong adopts the “biliteracy and trilingualism” policy, non-local students may also choose to study the local curriculum in DSS schools and build a solid foundation through learning across different Key Learning Areas. Thanks to Hong Kong’s unique geographical proximity to Mainland cities and its convenient cross‑boundary transport and related facilities, non-local students may deepen their understanding of Chinese history, culture and development and foster their vision and cultural literacy that integrate both Chinese and Western perspectives through study tours, visits and exchanges with their Mainland peers.  With their Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination results, non-local students can apply for admission to local post‑secondary institutions, as well as more than 1 100 higher education institutions worldwide and 165 institutions on the Mainland.

Synergy of cultural integration

      As the school places offered under the “DSS expansion” are considered additional places, they will not affect local students’ opportunities to enrol in their preferred DSS schools and study local or non-local curricula.  On the contrary, the increase in non-local students, for example, those from the Association of South East Asian Nations and Belt and Road countries, will help local students gain a deeper understanding of different social customs and geographical environments, broaden their international outlook, enrich their cross-cultural understanding, and increase their opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges, promoting cultural integration and enriching the learning experiences of all students.

Building education hub together

      The EDB is pleased to learn that quite a number of DSS schools hold a positive attitude towards the “DSS expansion” and have expressed their commitment to contributing to the development of Hong Kong into an international education hub.  We will learn more about the needs and concerns of overseas parents and non-local students holding student visas, continuously refine various supporting arrangements, and draw on shared practical experiences among DSS schools for implementing the scheme through a “small-step” approach.

      In the days ahead, the EDB will maintain close contact and collaboration with DSS schools. For example, it will participate in international education expos and arrange duty visits to promote the scheme.  It will also work with Hong Kong Talent Engage and the overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to introduce overseas parents to Hong Kong’s high‑quality, diversified and internationally recognised basic education, while promoting the city’s advantages as an international metropolis where Chinese and Western cultures converge.

      Education is the foundation for long-term development.  The “DSS expansion” initiative marks the first step in extending the development of an international education hub to basic education.  The EDB will adopt a pilot approach to implement the scheme progressively and, in due course, study the strategic way forward to foster broad participation across the education sector in developing an international education hub and supporting the high-quality development of Hong Kong’s education. We will also provide DSS schools with the necessary support and gain a deeper understanding of overseas parents’ demand for Hong Kong’s basic education, with a view to refining the scheme and telling good stories of “Study in Hong Kong”.

[1] This refers to proficiency in both Chinese and English, encompassing the ability to write coherently in both languages and to speak Cantonese, Putonghua, and English fluently.

[2] This refers to the domains of ethics, intellect, physique, social skills and aesthetics.

[3] The Curriculum Development Council is a free-standing advisory body appointed by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to give advice to the Government on matters relating to curriculum development for the local school system.

11 December 2025