Admissions · Hong Kong

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Acceptance Rate: Admissions Statistics and TOEFL & IELTS Requirements

HKUST does not publish an acceptance rate. It received nearly 30,000 non-JUPAS undergraduate applications for 2026/27 but does not say how many were admitted; 30% of its 2026-27 undergraduate intake is non-local.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) TOEFL and IELTS requirements at a glance

Minimum TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic scores for Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Applying for	TOEFL iBT	IELTS Academic
Undergraduate (international qualifications)	TOEFL iBTTests from 21 January 2026 onwards: 4.5 total in one sitting (2026 1–6 scale). Tests before 21 January 2026: 80 total in one sitting (pre-2026 0–120 scale). No section minimum stated.	IELTS Academic6.0 overall band (Academic; IELTS Academic for UKVI also accepted); no sub-score minimum stated

Full requirements and official sources · Check your TOEFL band with a free mock test

HKUST publishes the non-local share of each year's intake and, for 2026/27, an approximate count of non-JUPAS applications, but not the number of offers or admissions that goes with it. This page shows the official HKUST, UGC and LegCo figures, explains what each one counts, and lists the IELTS and TOEFL scores international applicants need.

Figures read from official sources on 26 October 2026 · LingoLeap Admissions Research

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) acceptance rate by year

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) applicants, admits and acceptance rate by admission cycle
Cycle	Applicants	Admitted	Acceptance rate
2026/27 · non-JUPAS undergraduate applications	Nearly 30,000 (local and non-local)	Not published	Not published source
2026-27 · undergraduate intake	Not published	30% non-local (headcount not published)	Not published source
2025/26 · first-year undergraduates (UGC-funded)	Not published	3,210 FTE (2,056 approved intake places)	Not published source
2025-26 · undergraduate intake	Not published	28% non-local (headcount not published)	Not published source

HKUST non-local share by level

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) acceptance rate by admission round, college or applicant group
Group	Cycle	Rate	Detail
Non-local share of undergraduate intake, trend	2022-23 to 2026-27	19% → 30%	Non-local share of the undergraduate intake: 19% (2022-23), 20% (2023-24), 22% (2024-25), 28% (2025-26), 30% (2026-27). source
Postgraduate intake	2026-27	88% non-local	Research postgraduate 83% and taught postgraduate 89% non-local (2025-26: 82% and 87%). HKUST received over 53,000 postgraduate applications for Fall 2026; admissions from them are not published. source
Non-local undergraduates enrolled	Sep 2026	3,239 of 12,216	1,112 international (Asia), 302 international (non-Asia) and 1,825 from the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan and Macau (all years of study). source
Non-local students, UGC-funded undergraduate programmes	2024/25	25.8%	2,207 full-time-equivalent non-local students, equivalent to 25.8% of HKUST's 8,545 local student places (provisional government figures; all years of study). source

What the numbers mean

None of these figures is an acceptance rate. The application count covers non-JUPAS applicants only and is rounded ('nearly 30,000'), and HKUST does not publish how many of them received offers or enrolled. The intake figures on the Facts & Figures page are percentages without headcounts, and the UGC figure is full-time-equivalent first-year admissions to government-funded degree places. Rates quoted by other websites are estimates.

The international intake is growing. Non-local students were 19% of HKUST's undergraduate intake in 2022-23 and 30% in 2026-27. UGC-funded intake places are local student places and non-local students are admitted in addition to them, up to a government ceiling, which is why HKUST's 3,210 first-year admissions in 2025/26 exceed its 2,056 approved intake places.

Local students mostly apply through JUPAS with HKDSE results; international students apply directly to HKUST with qualifications such as IB, GCE A-Level, SAT/AP or the Gaokao. HKUST says international students make up nearly half of its non-local undergraduates in 2026/27, and its non-local undergraduates come from over 65 countries and regions.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) TOEFL and IELTS requirements

Minimums for international applicants from the university's own pages. Since 21 January 2026 TOEFL iBT reports a 1–6 band score; the notes give the older 0–120 equivalent where the university states one. Convert TOEFL and IELTS scores.

Undergraduate (international qualifications)

TOEFL iBT: Tests from 21 January 2026 onwards: 4.5 total in one sitting (2026 1–6 scale). Tests before 21 January 2026: 80 total in one sitting (pre-2026 0–120 scale). No section minimum stated.

IELTS Academic: 6.0 overall band (Academic; IELTS Academic for UKVI also accepted); no sub-score minimum stated

No validity period or excluded test formats are stated on the requirements page. School- or program-specific requirements may apply.

HKUST Undergraduate Admissions, International Qualifications: English Language Admissions Requirements · checked 26 October 2026

Check your score against Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

Take a free 2026-format TOEFL mock test for a 1–6 band estimate, then compare it with the minimum above and with other universities' requirements.

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FAQ

What is the HKUST acceptance rate?

HKUST does not publish one. For 2026/27 it reported nearly 30,000 non-JUPAS undergraduate applications but did not publish how many were admitted, so there is no official acceptance rate. UGC data show 3,210 full-time-equivalent first-year undergraduates admitted to funded places in 2025/26.

What is the HKUST acceptance rate for international students?

Not published. HKUST's figures show non-local students made up 30% of the 2026-27 undergraduate intake, and international students are nearly half of non-local undergraduates. That is a share of the intake, not an acceptance rate.

What TOEFL score does HKUST require?

For TOEFL iBT taken from 21 January 2026 onwards: 4.5 total in one sitting on the 1–6 scale. For tests taken before 21 January 2026: 80 total in one sitting on the 0–120 scale. No section minimum is stated. Some programs may set higher requirements.

What IELTS score does HKUST require?

IELTS Academic 6.0 overall band; IELTS Academic for UKVI is also accepted. No sub-score minimum is stated. Some programs may set higher requirements.

How many international students does HKUST have?

As of September 2026 HKUST had 3,239 non-local undergraduates out of 12,216, and 11,356 non-local students across all levels, according to its Facts & Figures page.