Studying in Hong Kong
A Gateway to Asia
Hong Kong is a great place for international students to experience Asia and witness history in the making. Because Hong Kong is a part of yet still separate from the People's Republic, it offers a distinctive "inside-yet-outside" perspective on how China is changing as it integrates into the emerging global system-all in an open intellectual environment where academic freedom prevails.
Students with little or no Asian language training can benefit fully from the rich academic and cultural offerings of Hong Kong's professional education because English is the major language of business and management. All colleges and universities offer 35 to 50 different academic programs at the undergraduate's and graduate's degree levels.
Some of the reasons that make Hong Kong the first choice for international students include:
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Guidelines for Studying in Hong Kong
Most students will arrive at Hong Kong International Airport. The World's Best Airport 2007. When you arrive at passport/immigration control please ensure that you have to hand your passport with your entry clearance stamp (if applicable), your proof of enrolment letter from LCHE and copies of any other documentation you were required to produce when seeking pre-entry clearance.
Hong Kong International Airport The airport was built on a largely artificial island reclaimed from Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau. The two former islands that were levelled comprise about 25% of the surface area of the airport's 12.48 km² platform. It is connected to the northern side of Lantau Island near the historic village of Tung Chung, now expanded into a new town. Land reclamation for the airport added nearly 1% to the entirety of Hong Kong's surface area. It replaced the former Hong Kong International Airport (popularly known by its former name Kai Tak Airport), which was located in the Kowloon City area with a single runway extending into Kowloon Bay close to the urban built-up areas. Website: www.hongkongairport.com Transport to the Airport Hong Kong International Airport is served by a highly efficient and comprehensive transportation network. Connected to Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2), the four-level Ground Transportation Centre houses the station for the Airport Express trains and an extensive public transport interchange with facilities for taxis, franchised buses and private cars. Passenger for tour coach, including Mainland Coach Services, Hotel Shuttle Bus Services and Residents' Service, please proceed to the Coach Station in Terminal 2 (T2) for boarding; while Limousines (both Local and Mainland) in the Hotel & Travel Agent Limousine Lounge (T1) . Baggage trolleys can be found at all passenger drop-off points and porter service is available at the passenger terminal departures kerbside. Airport Express 
Airport Express is a special train linking the airport with the urban area and the subway (MTR). They also have free shuttle buses taking you from their Kowloon or Hong Kong station to different places (after you have ridden the Airport Express train to the urban area, or planning to take that train to the airport). There are 6 shuttle bus routes. They serve some Hong Kong and Kowloon hotels. One serves the KCR train station.The Airport Express train takes about 25 minutes to get from the airport to the Central District. It takes slightly shorter to go to the Kowloon Station. It generally runs every 12 minutes and costs HKD 100 (~US$ 12.50) one way. Generally speaking, a good combination is taking it and connecting to a taxi after it arrives urban Hong Kong, i.e. Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, etc. This way you can get to your destination in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island in about an hour but for less cost than taking a taxi all the way, and there will be people to help you with your lugguage pretty much at each point. Immigration Controls If you have not already made an application through your local Hong Kong Consulate, High Commission or Embassy for your student visa, please do so as soon as possible. Students may check the Immigration Policy on Education with the Hong Kong Immigration Department. 
Passengers who travel to Hong Kong by air, arriving at the Hong Kong International Airport, can complete entry formalities within 15 minutes. During busy hours, however, the waiting time for clearance may be slightly longer.In 2006, the control point at Airport was able to clear over 99% of passengers within 15 minutes, exceeding the pledge of clearing 92 % of passengers within the standard waiting time of 15 minutes. For other control points at Lo Wu, Hung Hom, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok, Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal, China Ferry Terminal and Macau Ferry Terminal, they were able to clear on average over 99% of the passengers within 30 minutes, the control point at Lok Ma Chau was able to clear over 97% of passengers within 30 minutes, exceeding the pledge of clearing 92 % of passengers within the standard waiting time of 30 minutes. When you arrive at HK Immigration you will have your passport stamped to specify the length of time you have been given leave to remain in HK. This can vary and may not cover the whole period you intend to be in HK to study. You are likely therefore to have to extend your leave to stay in HK at some point during your studies. If this is the case, our HK admissions department will be happy to give you advice on this upon arrival, including the address of the Home Office department to which you will have to apply when your visa is due to expire.
The Subway (MTR)
MTR - the subway. It's the most convenient way of traveling in Hong Kong. The greatest thing is that you will not get lost as long as you can find your way back to one of its stations. It reaches many parts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. And the contactless "Octopus" fare-card is probably the most advanced in the world - even if it is not, it has to be the most widely used since a few million people has it and use it regularly. It is great electronic-cash for tourists when it comes to transportation. Unfortunately, they just started charging a fee for returning it within 3 months. But even with that, saving the hassle of figuring out the coins is well worth the small fee.
Websites: www.mtr.com.hk or
Octopus Travel Card
Buses 
Hong Kong may not be London, but big double-decker buses with many different routes go just about everywhere. And most of them are air-conditioned - but there is no heater, and even in the winter, the air-conditioners pump out cold air!To experience vertigo, ride bus number 7 on the top deck in the front seat from the Star Ferry terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, all the way to the end (Lok Fu). Buses route numbering system - many of those with 3 digits go through one of the cross harbor tunnels. For example, the 100s go through the tunnel between Wanchai and Hung Hom, the 600s go through the Eastern Cross Harbor Tunnel (Quarry Bay - Lam Tim), the 900s go through the Western Cross Harbor Tunnel (Sai Ying Pun - Yau Ma Tei). Supposedly you cannot take luggage larger than 0.1 cubic meter on board. Trams 
They run on tracks and operate only on the northern part of Hong Kong Island. It is a leisurely and inexpensive ride to see the Hong Kong Island. The route is pretty much a line along the curves of the island with just one extra loop to go into the Happy Valley area. The tram fare for adults is HKD 2 (~US 25 cents). Half price for children and elderly.Peak Tram - a cable tram going up to Victoria Peak from Central district. (Check out the open top bus to and from the lower Peak Tram terminus). Taxis 
Taxi - mainly there are 3 kinds: red, green, and blue. The blue ones can only operate on the Lantau Island (where the airport is located, but most likely your hotel is not there).The green ones can only operate in the New Territories. The red ones can go anywhere except for outlying islands not connected with a bridge. All three kinds can go to and from the airport. So at the airport, get in the right queue! And when in doubt, ask! If you don't want to ask, just get in a red one! Trains (KCR) 
KCR - the train that goes north into the New Territories and ultimately stops at Lo Wu. Lo Wu is the border where you can cross into China mainland - with the right visa.From urban areas, you can easily get to the "Kowloon Tong" station of the KCR via the subway (MTR). Just get off the station by the same name on the MTR and walk over. KCR also runs the West Rail, the latest railroad link between Kowloon and western part of New Territories. Light rail - the tram that runs mainly between Yuen Long and Tuen Mun in the New Territories. Ferry 
They can take you across the harbor. There are also ones that run between the main parts of Hong Kong (i.e. Hong Kong Island/Kowloon) to the "outlying islands" (e.g. Lantau Island, Cheung Chau, Peng Chau, Lamma Island). The piers to the outlying islands are concentrated in Central on Hong Kong Island near the MTR Hong Kong Station, and west of the Central Post Office, a short walk outside the IFC 2. As of Nov 12, 2006, the Star Ferry pier in Central district has also been moved there. No reservations necessary for the ferries.The Star Ferry is a must for tourists. It is just a short 5-minute ride between Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon and Central on Hong Kong Island. Helpful Web Address Transport in Hong Kong
The cost of living in Hong Kong is generally considered to be relatively high in comparison to many other world capitals. However, there is a vast range of prices in most areas and it is possible to live centrally and be able to live well without problems as long as some sensible management of money is employed.
Please be noted that the currency rate of Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) with US$ is roughly 7.8:1 and with EUR (Euro) is roughly 11.4:1 (based on December 2006).
The general expenses for living as single person in Hong Kong are around HKD 140,000 (approximately US$ 18,000 or EUR 12,300) for one year, excluding tuition fee. Website: Hong Kong in brief Accommodation 
For the rental cost of the accomodation, because of the high rental cost here, the range of a twin room can be rather great. For the hotel room for twin with the plan for
monthly rental, the cost ranges from HKD 8,000 to HKD 20,000+, depends on the district of the hotel. In Hong Kong, they usually have a flat (apartment) for 4 with two rooms in around
500-900 square feet, and the rental cost per square feet is around HKD 15-35 (New Territories), HKD 15-45 (Kowloon) and HKD 20-50 (Hong Kong Island), again depends on the district.
On the average, a single-bedroom apartment in Hong Kong can cost around HKD 6,000 every month including utilities and water. Prices of course depend on quality and condition.
Eating 
Food is relatively cheap in Hong Kong. Usually having HKD 120-200 you can already have a nice
dinner and about HKD 6,000/monthly for food is more than enough for you to cook yourselves in Hong Kong.But buying food in supermarkets can be a much cheaper way of eating and these days there are many items sold which are ready to eat or easy to heat in a microwave cooker, usually available at apartments. Travel Public transport is outstanding in Hong Kong and good value. Taxis and MTRs are the usual modes. It is ideal to travel on foot or take the bus to save more while others ride bicycles around town. Daily transport in Hong Kong costs around HKD 20 to 120. Monthly public transport costs are about HKD 400. There are also a number of special airlines offers with destinations all over the world, which makes travelling to HK an affordable option with prices frequently under HKD 6,000 for return tickets. Books and Stationery 
Specialised business topic text books can be expensive but are not as costly as books required for some science, law and medical subjects. On average a textbook recommended for a bachelor or master degree level class would be around HKD 100-200. Certain books will be recommended and extremely useful to have on hand throughout a course but much of the required reading material can be accessed through libraries and on the internet.
Other costs to take into account Staying in contact - students may wish to purchase mobile telephones. Using mobile phones is relatively cheap in Hong Kong. Local airtime cost just HKD 0.25/min and international calls to Europe are just HKD 0.50/min. Health care is also given importance especially to senior citizens. Medical and rehabilitative services are not subsidized and each student is recommended to have medical insurance. Clothing Clothing is relatively cheap in Hong Kong. Price for clothing of famous brand is more or less the same in Hong Kong and most cities in the world, and HKD 5,000-10,000/year per a household of 2 can be enough for clothing if you are not looking for the world class brands. Bank Accounts 
If you are planning to be in HK for at least six months you can apply to open a student bank account at any of the main banks. Student accounts usually allow access to your money via a cashpoint card for use at automatic cash dispensers which doubles up as a debit card (that is, when you use it the money is debited direct from your account) for general use in shops etc. There are usually restrictions on cheque book facilities on student accounts but policies can vary between banks so it is worth getting information from more than one before opening an account. The banking hours are usually 09:30 to 16:30 from Monday to Friday.
Money Transfers If you need to have money transferred to you from home in a hurry this can be done through Western Union. There are branches throughout Hong Kong and Kowloon. Maximum principal payout is HKD 35,000 per transaction at Hong Kong Post locations (calling 2117 9088) or receiving money transfers from a WU Agent location at Budget Finance Ltd, City Foreign Exchange Ltd, Patel's Wall St. Exchange or Lotus Forex Ltd.
LCHE encourages all new students to have their accommodation arrangements in place before arriving for studying in Hong Kong.
The Student Services Co-ordinator is available to help students find accommodation, and it is advised that students inform the school as early as possible about their accommodation needs. LCHE makes use of specialised companies to place students in comfortable and affordable accommodation throughout Hong Kong. Of course, students are welcome to make their own private accommodation arrangements, and we will gladly assist with any advice and support that might be necessary in this regard. Hostel Accommodations in Hong Kong Complete List of Hostels run by non-profit organizations. Private Accommodation or Flat More independent students might prefer to stay in a student flat or residence. This option is usually self-catering, and students can enjoy the privacy and independence of their own room, whilst also profiting from a vibrant and student-orientated environment. Private accommodation in Hong Kong is relatively fair compare to London or Tokyo but most landlords tend to only consider at least a one-year lease. The average rent ranges from about HKD 2,500 per month for a small single room to HKD 9,000 per month for a small flat depending on the size and quality of the unit. Those advertised through property agencies may be more expensive and if students are to find accommodation through them, normally they have to pay a commission equivalent to 50% of a monthly rental fee.
Accommodation
The decision of when to participate in one of our programmes is one which only you can make in consultation with your family and academic advisor. Usually students consider financial timing, their current academic status, and their credit standing. Whatever the factors you consider and decision you make here is an overview of the LCHE academic terms and year structure to assist you in the process.
LCHE conduct four academic terms per calendar year, Terms are beginning in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
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It is a requirement of HK Immigration Authorities that citizens of a number of countries must hold a visa to study full time in HK. We advise all students to contact their nearest Hong Kong (Chinese) Embassy or Consulate to determine whether they fall into this category. If a visa is required a student should not travel to HK in order to begin his or her course without first obtaining the necessary pre-entry clearance.