Hong Kong sees steady international school places amid talent drive
Hong Kong's government says 53 international schools had about 3,700 spare places in 2025/26, with plans to add 1,000 more by 2028/29. Authorities will allocate land in the Northern Territories for new schools next year to meet demand from incoming talent.
The Hong Kong government has said its 53 international schools had about 44,700 students in the 2025/26 academic year, with roughly 3,700 spare places remaining out of a total capacity of about 48,400. The figures were disclosed by the Education Bureau in a legislative written reply on 28 October 2026, in response to questions about whether school places meet demand from talent schemes.
According to the reply, the Education Bureau allocated two vacant school premises for international school development in February 2025, which are expected to provide about 1,000 places from the 2028/29 academic year. It also allocated land for Hong Kong's first non-profit private school offering a mainland Chinese curriculum, projected to provide about 900 places from the same year.
The government said it regularly reviews supply and demand through student censuses and consultant studies. A consultant report published in 2024 forecast about 4,400 spare places across the city in the 2028/29 academic year. Over the past 20 years, the government has allocated 18 plots or premises for international schools through a public bidding mechanism, which increased places by more than 13,000, or about 38 per cent, between 2007 and 2026.
The 2026 Policy Address announced plans to approve land in the Northern Territories or other areas for international school development within the next year. The Education Bureau said it would allocate the sites through its existing mechanism, with the number of places depending on applicants' proposals and classroom numbers.
The government also listed other measures to support the sector, including encouraging schools to raise enrolment caps, expediting approvals for schools to build or upgrade facilities — including dormitories — at their own expense, and maintaining a dedicated website to provide transparent information for families. In July 2026, the bureau published a register of private schools, including international schools, aimed at improving governance and informing parents.
The Labour and Welfare Bureau added that the Hong Kong Talent Services Office continues to liaise with over 100 partners from education and other sectors to help incoming families integrate and settle long-term.