Non-local Student Programmes

VTC Higher Diploma Programmes provides a fine balance of theoretical and practical, vocational and general education with internationally recognised qualifications. Our strong industry links ensure access to work-integrated learning and industrial attachment opportunities to prepare work-ready professionals.

Non-local Admission

Admission Period

The application process for non-local student admission to Higher Diploma programmes for the 2026/27 academic year has closed. Details of the application for non-local student admission to Higher Diploma programmes for the 2027/28 academic year will be announced in mid-November 2027.

Application Procedures and Key dates

Information on applications for Non-local Student admission to Higher Diploma programmes for the 2026/27 academic year is provided below for reference.

From 27 November 2025	Accept Applications (Written Test (if applicable): Normally within 3 weeks of completing the application process and submitting all the relevant documents that meet the requirements)^{[Note 1]}
7 July 2026 11:59 p.m.	Application Deadline
Before the end of July 2026	Conditional/ Firm Offer Announcement by Email^{[Note 2]}
Payment deadline/ instructions as stated in the offer email and payment advice	Pay New Student Registration Fee and Student Service Fee to Accept Offer
Within 7 days by POST from the date of offer acceptance or by 3 August 2026, whichever is earlier (postmark date applies)	Student Visa Application (if applicable)^{[Note 3 - 4]}
As soon as possible after accepting an offer	VTC Halls Application (if applicable)^{[Note 5]}
13 August 2026 (An email notification regarding tuition fee payment will be sent to offered applicant in late July or early August)	Deadline for Payment of 1st Instalment of Tuition Fee^{[Note 6]}
Mid-August 2026	No Offer Announcement by Email
End of August to early September 2026 (Tentative)	Registration^{[Note 7]} and Orientation
1 September 2026 (Tentative)	Class Commencement

Note(s):

In addition to admission online written test (if applicable), eligible applicants may be invited by the discipline to attend an online interview for further assessment. The discipline will contact the applicant directly.
Failure to pay the required fees before the stipulated deadline will render the offer null and void. Please also note that the fees paid are non-refundable.
Applicants must follow the instructions in the visa application checklist to mail the required documents for their Hong Kong Study visa application to the Mainland and International Affairs Office by post (courier) (whichever is earlier and based on the postmark date) within 7 days of accepting the admission offer or before 3 August 2026. (The Hong Kong Immigration Department generally takes about 6 to 8 weeks to process visa applications). Applicants must also apply for the 'Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau' (applicable to Mainland applicants) and complete other relevant procedures for studying in Hong Kong (if applicable).
Please refrain from purchasing air or train ticket or incurring any expenses related to going to Hong Kong before you have received the Notification Slip for Hong Kong Student Entry Visa / Permit Hong Kong Study Visa.
Due to the limited availability of accommodation places at the VTC Halls of Residence, dormitory spaces will be allocated through a lottery draw system depending on the demand.
An email notification regarding the First Instalment of Tuition Fee will be sent to the enrolled in late July or early August. Please download the payment advice for the first Instalment of tuition fee and settle the required fee by the deadline specified.
Offering campus will inform you of the arrangement on verifying your documents for admission. Please provide your your identity document and original of academic qualification for verification. If an applicant (i) provides any false / misleading information or cannot provide relevant document on academic qualification for verification; or (ii) fails to meet the entrance requirement of the programme concerned, his / her enrollment will be disqualified, and the resultant registration will be cancelled. Any fees paid will not be refunded. VTC reserves the right of final decision in case of any dispute.

General Entrance Requirements (for non-Chinese Mainland Qualifications)

General Entrance Requirements
Applicants with completed Senior Secondary School Education, or equivalent qualifications. For example, holders of GCE A-level, GCSE, IGCSE, IB Diploma, etc. will be considered for admission. OR / AND Applicants with completed Senior Secondary School Education, or equivalent qualifications, and possessing post-secondary education qualifications, such as college diploma, associate degree, professional diploma, university degree, etc. AND Recognised English Language Qualification (e.g. TOEFL^, IELTS^, GCSE/IGCSE/GCE English Language, IB English Language, SAT, etc.) or pass an English assessment administered by VTC; and Applicants would be evaluated on their Chinese proficiency during their application. Certain Higher Diploma programmes, e.g. programmes with Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) as the Medium of Instruction, will require a higher level of Chinese Proficiency. Students who apply with Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) qualification must present proof of place of residence. Applicants who obtain OSSD qualification through online or distance learning would not be considered. ^ TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online, and IELTS Indicator test results will not be considered. For Chinese Mainland applicants, please see here.

General Entrance Requirements

Applicants with completed Senior Secondary School Education, or equivalent qualifications. For example, holders of GCE A-level, GCSE, IGCSE, IB Diploma, etc. will be considered for admission.

OR / AND

Applicants with completed Senior Secondary School Education, or equivalent qualifications, and possessing post-secondary education qualifications*, such as college diploma, associate degree, professional diploma, university degree, etc.

AND

Recognised English Language Qualification (e.g. TOEFL^, IELTS^, GCSE/IGCSE/GCE English Language, IB English Language, SAT, etc.) or pass an English assessment administered by VTC; and
Applicants would be evaluated on their Chinese proficiency during their application. Certain Higher Diploma programmes, e.g. programmes with Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) as the Medium of Instruction, will require a higher level of Chinese Proficiency.

* Students who apply with Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) qualification must present proof of place of residence. Applicants who obtain OSSD qualification through online or distance learning would not be considered.

^ TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online, and IELTS Indicator test results will not be considered.

For Chinese Mainland applicants, please see here.

General Entrance Requirements
Applicants with completed Senior Secondary School Education, or equivalent qualifications. AND Substantial work experience and/or prior qualification(s) obtained in or outside Hong Kong relevant to the Higher Diploma programme applying with demonstrated ability to undertake sub-degree education AND Recognised English Language Qualification (e.g. TOEFL^, IELTS^, GCSE/IGCSE/GCE English Language, IB English Language, SAT, etc.) or pass an English assessment administered by VTC; and Applicants would be evaluated on their Chinese proficiency during their application. Certain Higher Diploma programmes, e.g. programmes with Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) as the Medium of Instruction, will require a higher level of Chinese Proficiency; and Attend the Admission Interview / Written Test and pass the assessment arranged individually by the Department concerned. ^ TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online, and IELTS Indicator test results will not be considered.

General Entrance Requirements

Applicants with completed Senior Secondary School Education, or equivalent qualifications.

AND

Substantial work experience and/or prior qualification(s) obtained in or outside Hong Kong relevant to the Higher Diploma programme applying with demonstrated ability to undertake sub-degree education

AND

Recognised English Language Qualification (e.g. TOEFL^, IELTS^, GCSE/IGCSE/GCE English Language, IB English Language, SAT, etc.) or pass an English assessment administered by VTC; and
Applicants would be evaluated on their Chinese proficiency during their application. Certain Higher Diploma programmes, e.g. programmes with Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) as the Medium of Instruction, will require a higher level of Chinese Proficiency; and
Attend the Admission Interview / Written Test and pass the assessment arranged individually by the Department concerned.

^ TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online, and IELTS Indicator test results will not be considered.

Language Requirements

Applicants may apply for Higher Diploma programmes with the following English Language qualifications:

English Language Qualifications	Required Qualifications
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)*	A score of 500 (paper-based) / 173 (computer-based) / 61 (iBT)*
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)*	An overall score of 5.0*
GCSE / IGCSE / GCE O-level English Language	Grade D
GCE A-level / GCE AS-level English Language	Grade E
International Baccalaureate (IB) English Language	Level 2 (Standard- / Higher-Level English Language Syllabus A / B)
English Language results of overseas examinations recognised by VTC	To be considered on individual merits

* TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Online, and IELTS Indicator test results will not be considered.

Applicants may apply for Higher Diploma programmes with the following Chinese Language qualifications:

Chinese Language Qualifications	Required Qualifications
GCSE / IGCSE / GCE O-level Chinese Language	Grade D
GCE A-level / GCE AS-level Chinese Language	Grade E
International Baccalaureate (IB) Chinese Language	Level 4 (Standard-Level Chinese Language Syllabus A) or Level 3 (Standard- / Higher-Level Chinese Language Syllabus B)
Chinese Language results of overseas examinations recognised by VTC	To be considered on individual merits

Remark:

In addition to the above language requirements, applicants may be required to pass a Chinese / English language proficiency assessment administered by VTC.

How to Apply

English

Before completing the online application form, please ensure that you have prepared clear scanned copies of identity documents, academic qualification documents and work experience proof, etc.

Please refer to the User Guide of “VTC Non-local Admission Portal” and “Guidelines on Submission of Academic Qualification Documents for Non-local Students” for detailed information on application submission and our requirements for academic qualification documents.

You must submit programme applications and choices via the “NLS Admission Portal” on or before the application deadline.

Applicants are required to register an account for the Non-local student admission system, then follow the step to complete the application form. Applicants should provide a frequently used and valid personal email address and phone number in the application. Please note that VTC will inform/ update applicants about the application via the provided email address.

Each applicant should submit only one application. For Year 1 Admission, you can select a maximum of 5 programme choices, of which no more than 2 Degree programmes and no more than 3 Higher Diploma programmes. If the programme you have chosen is offered in 2 or more campuses, you need to indicate at least 1 campus choice. Please note that after the application submission and payment of application fee, you are not able to change your programme choices or campus preferences.

Among the VTC Higher Diploma (HD) programmes, 34 HD programmes are eligible full-time Higher Diploma programmes under the Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme (VPAS). For details, please visit the VPAS webpage.

Admission applications for local and non-local students are processed using different application forms, mechanisms, and availability of study places.   Before submitting your application form, please confirm your application identity.

If an applicant submits their application through the wrong system, they must resubmit the form using the correct system.   Please note that duplicate application fees will not be refunded.   For more details, please refer to the Definition of Local / Non-local Students / Applicants.

You are required to pay the non-refundable application fee of HK$600 (Early Bird Discount – application fee is HK$300 if applied on or before January 31, 2026). You may make your payment online using Visa or Master. After payment is completed, the system requires some time to update the payment record.   Please be patient and avoid making duplicate payments for the application fee.   Please note that VTC will normally take a few working days to verify the application fee payment record. You are advised to pay the fee as soon as possible before the application deadline. The paid Application Fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Notes to Applicants

Higher Diploma programmes offered by the Vocational Training Council (VTC) are two-year programmes. If you wish to apply for bachelor's degree programmes offered by Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), please visit Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) website.

When applying for Higher Diploma programmes, if applicants fail to provide the academic qualification documents as required in the Guideline on Submission of Academic Qualification Documents for Non-local Applicants, their applications will not be processed.

The Vocational Training Council (VTC) will review and verify all applicants' academic qualification documents, results, and other relevant proof. For certain qualifications, applicants are also required to request the issuing institution to send official documents directly to VTC, and any verification fees incurred shall be borne by the student. If necessary, VTC may check the authenticity of documents and grades with the issuing institution or body. The Vocational Training Council (VTC) reserves the right to withdraw admission offers or cancel student registration.

Whether qualified applicants will be admitted depends on their academic qualifications, interview / written test performance (if applicable), other learning experiences and achievements, relevant work experience, and availability of study places.

If a student is under the age of 18 at the time of admission, written consent from a parent or legal guardian must be obtained, i.e., the parent or legal guardian must complete a separate "Parental / Guardian Consent Form". This consent form will be collected via the New Student Registration System / Campus Secretariat. If VTC does not receive the consent form, it may be difficult to arrange certain learning activities for minor students, which may affect their normal learning life. If the consent form is not completed and submitted within a reasonable period, the student's registration status will be cancelled, and all paid fees will not be refunded.

Admitting institutions will inform you of document verification arrangements at a later stage. You must present the originals of your identity document and academic qualification documents in person to campus staff upon on-site registration (including but not limited to proof of completion of senior secondary / undergraduate / sub-degree education) for verification by the institution. If you fail to provide relevant documents for verification, the place allocated shall be null and void even if registered, fees paid will not be refunded, and VTC reserves the right of final decision on programme admission.

Some programmes have specific admission requirements. Please refer to Programme Details.

Applicants admitted to Hospitality-related programmes (applicable to specified programmes) and Maritime-related programmes are required to undergo a self-funded medical check-up before or after admission. The institution will inform students of the relevant arrangements.

Applicants with special circumstances are required to attend an interview or individual assessment. Applicants with special educational needs (SEN) refer to those with the following conditions: hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical disability, speech impairment, intellectual disability, mental illness, autism, organ disability / chronic illness, specific learning difficulties, or attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder. Please specify any special educational needs in the Supplementary Information column for applications with special circumstances on the "Non-local Student Admission System", and upload copies of relevant supporting documents.

Progression Pathways

Notes:

The Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE), Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT), International Culinary Institute (ICI) and Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI) are member institutions of VTC.

VTC’s Higher Diploma graduates can also apply to the following degree programmes with credit exemption where applicable:

Degree programmes offered by THEi
Top-up degree programmes offered by SHAPE overseas partner universities [not applicable to Chinese Mainland Applicants]
Degree programmes offered by local and overseas universities

According to the current immigration laws and regulations in Hong Kong, non-locally accredited programmes are normally not applicable to Chinese Mainland, Macao and Taiwanese applicants. Non-local programmes that are locally accredited are not applicable to Chinese Mainland applicants in general, except for those having been approved by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China.

The above progression pathways are provided for reference only. Eligibility and study duration may vary according to programmes, entry requirements, number of credits transferred, the prevailing visa requirements and other considerations. For details, please contact the respective institutions.

General Enquiry

If you have any enquiries about non-local student admission applications, please email to the Mainland and International Affairs Office at iss@vtc.edu.hk.

If you have any enquiries regarding non-local student admission applications for Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree programmes offered by the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), please refer to the THEi website or email thei-nls@thei.edu.hk.