Student Life and Part-Time Work in Hong Kong

Everyday life and getting around

Hong Kong is a compact, densely connected city with an extensive public transport network of trains (the MTR), buses, trams and ferries. The Octopus stored-value card is widely used to pay for transport and everyday purchases.

English is widely used on university campuses, in signage and in daily services, which helps international and Indian students settle in. The overall cost of living is high — especially housing — so plan your budget carefully and see our cost-of-studying guide for current estimates.

• MTR, buses, trams and ferries; Octopus card widely used
• English widely used on campus and in daily services
• High cost of living, especially housing — budget carefully

Accommodation and housing

On-campus halls and hostels are popular but limited and competitive, and they may not be guaranteed for the full length of your studies. Many students live in private, off-campus housing, which tends to be smaller and more expensive.

Apply for university accommodation as early as you can, and have a back-up plan for private housing. Because rents and hall fees change and vary by area, verify current costs on official university and housing sources rather than older figures.

Campus life and support

Universities run orientation activities, student societies and clubs, and offices that support international students with settling in, wellbeing and academic matters. These are good first points of contact when you have questions.

Health cover and insurance arrangements differ by university, and some may require or recommend specific insurance. Check what your university expects and arrange any required cover before you arrive.

Part-time work rules

This section is general information, not immigration advice. As a rule, non-local students need the Hong Kong Immigration Department's permission to work, and permission has traditionally been limited to on-campus jobs, summer work and course-related internships under a 'No Objection Letter'.

More recently, full-time non-local students on eligible programmes have been temporarily exempted from some part-time work restrictions on a trial basis — this began for postgraduate students in late 2023 and was extended to undergraduates in late 2024. Because this is a trial subject to conditions and change, do not assume it still applies to you; verify the current rules and any conditions on the Immigration Department website before taking any job.

• Non-local students normally need Immigration Department permission to work
• Recent temporary exemptions apply to eligible full-time students on a trial basis
• Verify the current rules and conditions on the official Immigration Department site

Working legally and staying safe

Always confirm your own specific work permission before accepting any job, and keep within the rules — working outside them can put your student status at risk. If in doubt, ask your university's international student office.

No one can guarantee you a part-time job, and legitimate employers do not ask you to pay to be hired. Be wary of anyone promising guaranteed jobs or charging fees for placements, and treat such offers as a warning sign.

After graduation

This is a neutral official fact, not immigration advice: under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), eligible graduates of Hong Kong programmes may apply to stay and work after finishing their studies.

Eligibility, time limits and conditions are set by the Immigration Department and can change, so verify the current details on the official source and see our IANG guide for the general process.