The US restrictions on student visas have led to a notable increase in Hong Kong university enrollments, particularly among Chinese students who might have otherwise chosen to study in the US According to University World News, over 1,000 international students in the US recently had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, often without explanation.

Professor Joshua Mok Ka-ho, Provost and Vice-President (Academic and Research) of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, conducted research with Peking University last year, surveying students from elite mainland universities. He said that many respondents expressed a preference for studying in the US "because of the leading position of US institutions in the world."

"But when it comes to the decision [whether or not] to go, they are affected by the impact of geopolitics and the worsening relationship between China and the US, so these elite students chose not to go to the US," Mok told University World News. Mok pointed to visa problems and fears about personal security in the US due to reports in international media.

Hong Kong remains a popular destination for mainland Chinese students, though it has capped the proportion of non-local undergraduate students at publicly funded universities, recently raising the limit from 20% to 40% for the 2024 academic year.

Mok emphasised the importance of ensuring universities have the capacity to support the growing demand. "This is very much linked to the capacity of universities in Hong Kong – whether they can offer very good support to students," explained Mok. He pointed to his own university, one of Hong Kong's private universities, where the quota for non-local students increased from 20% to 30% this academic year. "We are very mindful that we have to make sure we have the capacity – including teaching staff, laboratory facilities, and dormitory facilities – so it really requires preparation," he stated.

Regarding the influx of overseas academics to Hong Kong, Mok noted that while large-scale movements are not yet evident, the Trump administration's policies have created "psychological barriers" that hinder international research collaboration. "Because of the psychological barriers and visa problems, I am sure international research and internationalisation will be affected," he said. "People are very worried about these kinds of barriers which will certainly affect research collaboration that brings not only research findings, but findings that are transferable to business and industry and may also affect future economic development [in China and Hong Kong]. "If you look at the whole situation from these particular angles, the impact of Trump is quite significant," he said.

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University World News  |  Warning on over-enrolment as Trump effect redirects students  |  30/04/25