Hong Kong Universities Tighten Scrutiny on Application Materials

Recently, the peak season for Master's applications in Hong Kong has seen an increase in strictness during the application review process. Many students have reported that the 2025 Fall application review has become significantly more stringent. Some applicants mentioned that their application materials must now be sent directly by their undergraduate institution, in the name of the school, and the documents must be stamped with the official seal. The review process has clearly been upgraded to a higher level of scrutiny.

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has posted an important notice on its application portal, emphasizing that applicants must submit authentic materials. The notice explicitly states that if any false documents are discovered, the applicant’s admission could be canceled, or an already issued offer might be revoked.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has also stated that applicants with overseas undergraduate degrees must provide supporting documents to verify the authenticity of their qualifications. It is clear that Hong Kong universities have become much more cautious and meticulous in reviewing student materials, largely in response to a series of previous scandals involving fake academic qualifications at several universities.

These changes signal a crackdown on fraudulent academic documents and highlight the increased importance of submitting truthful, verifiable information in the application process for Hong Kong institutions.