Basic Information

The programme equips students with bakery, pastry and confectionery knowledge and management skills, and apply them to baking and pastry operations so as to prepare them for supervisory roles in the hospitality industry.

Cultivates students' notion for lifelong learning and develops students to become independent learners with a global perspective for further studies and professional development in the local, national and international hospitality arena.

Equips students with the necessary technical and professional knowledge and skills, initially at paraprofessional level, through a mix of theoretical and practical application.

Click here to view a video to learn more about the programme (in Cantonese)

Mode of Study Full-time

Duration of Study 2 Years

Offering Campus(es) / Venue(s)

International Culinary Institute¹

Study Places International Culinary Institute - 120

Admission Score Average Result: 13 ²
Score Range: 10 - 17 ²

Professional Recognition

Institute of Hospitality (IOH) Graduates who successfully completed the programme are eligible to apply for the Affiliate grade of membership
Students who study food preparation and catering programmes are required to take the food hygiene and safety module. Students who have attained the specified score or above at the relevant examination will be awarded the “Basic Food Hygiene Certificate for Hygiene Supervisors” which is recognised by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong.
Graduates of Higher Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts who meet the following entrance requirements can sit for the “Certified Pastry Cook” Trade Test that is jointly offered by the International Culinary Institute and the Handwerkskammer Koblenz (Chamber of Skilled Crafts) HwK Koblenz, Germany. Successful candidates will be awarded “Certified Pastry Cook”.

Minimum 22 years of age
Minimum of 1 year’s relevant work experience
Relevant Certificate in Hygiene and Safety

Remarks

Class and training venues include but not limited to International Culinary Institute, VTC Pokfulam Complex, VTC Kowloon Bay Complex, Tin Shui Wai Training Centre, Chinese Training Restaurant and Western Training Restaurant at Pokfulam, The T Hotel, Training Café and Western Training Restaurant at Kowloon Bay.
Admission score in 2024 refers to score of the best 5 HKDSE subjects, including Chinese Language and English Language of admitted students in 2024. For reference only. (Scoring scale: 5** = 7 points; 5* = 6 points; 5 = 5 points: 4 = 4 points; 3 = 3 points; 2 = 2 points; 1 = 1 point).

Notes

The programme information is applicable to local applicants. For non-local applicants, please visit here.
Except for modules of specific content, the medium of instruction for the programme is English.
Students may be required to attend classes on other VTC campuses. VTC reserves the right to cancel any programme, revise programme title, content or change the offering institute(s) / campus(es) / class venue(s) if circumstances so warrant.
Students enrolling for the programme must maintain the health standards required of a food handler throughout the duration of training. This encompasses taking a medical check at students’ own expenses, which includes chest X-ray, urine routine, stool routine, stool culture, hepatitis A virus Ab lgG.
For students who have a negative hepatitis A virus antibody result, a vaccine is recommended.
Students are required to have a medical check, purchase the designated reference books, uniform and shoes where applicable, at their own costs. Institute reserves the rights not to admit students who fail to follow this clause.
Items listed in the curriculum are key modules only, more modules are included in the programme.
Upon completion of the food hygiene and safety module, students may sit for the “Level 2 Award in Food Safety and Hygiene” examination offered by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), UK at their own expense. Successful candidates will be awarded a certificate.
Subject to training requirements, students may be arranged to attend lessons or to undergo practical training which may be scheduled on evenings, Saturdays, Sundays or Public Holidays at other campuses or venues.
The revalidation of the programme will be conducted in 2025. The curriculum will be updated if circumstances so warrant.

Entrance Requirements

HKDSE

Chinese Language 2

English Language 2

Core/Elective Subject 2

VTC Diploma of Foundation Studies; OR
VTC Diploma of Vocational Education / VTC Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate; OR
Diploma Yi Jin / Diploma of Applied Education; OR
Relevant and substantial work experience and/or prior qualification(s) obtained in or outside Hong Kong (e.g. assessed through recognition of prior learning and credit accumulation and transfer), with demonstrated ability to undertake sub-degree education; OR
Equivalent

Remarks

Applicants can use HKDSE Applied Learning (ApL) subjects (except ApL Chinese) for admission purpose. An "Attained", "Attained with Distinction (I)" and "Attained with Distinction (II)" in an ApL subject (Category B subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2", "Level 3" and "Level 4" respectively for admission purpose.
For 2024 HKDSE and before, a "Grade D or E" and a "Grade C or above" in an HKDSE Other Language subject (Category C subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" and "Level 3" respectively; From 2025 HKDSE onwards, Language Proficiency Level A2 or above in French / German / Spanish, N3 or above in Japanese and TOPIK II: Grade 3 or above in Korean are also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement (Subject to approval by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ)). One Other Language subject can be counted for admission purpose.
An "Attained" in HKDSE Citizenship and Social Development is regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" for admission purpose.
If one of the five HKDSE subjects is Citizenship and Social Development, the general entrance requirement would become "Attained" for Citizenship and Social Development and Level 2 or above in four other HKDSE subjects including Chinese Language and English Language. Besides, Level 2 or above in Mathematics Extended Part (Module 1 or Module 2) is also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement. If applicants have taken both Module 1 and Module 2, either one of the modules (with a higher level) will be counted for admission purpose.
Applicable to holders of Diploma in Vocational Education / Diploma of Vocational Education (DVE) (students admitted to DVE in AY2017/18 or before are required to complete prescribed further studies modules).
Upon completion of the Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate (DVB) programmes, students can progress to Higher Diploma programmes in VTC, subject to their BTEC and IGCSE results.
Applications with work experience and/or prior qualification(s) submitted will be assessed individually by the departments concerned.

Articulation / Employment

Articulation

Graduates may articulate to the Degree programmes offered by Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi):

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Culinary Arts and Management

Graduates may pursue relevant accredited Degree programmes offered by local or overseas institutions, e.g.:

BSc (Hons) in Bakery and Patisserie Technology or BA(Hons) in International Hospitality and Tourism Management offered by the University College Birmingham* in UK

* Applicants should meet the English language requirement set out by the University, i.e. HKDSE English Language at Level 3 or above (with all components at Level 3 or above) / IELTS with an overall score of 6.0 or above (with all components at score 5.5 or above) or equivalent
(Interview may be required for certain programmes)

Career Prospects

Graduates may be employed in operative positions like Junior Pastry Chef, in patisseries, bakeries, cafés, restaurants, hotels, resorts, theme parks, clubhouses and more. By accumulating relevant experience in the industry, they can advance to supervisory positions such as Demi-Chef, Chef de Partie, and Pastry Sous Chef. Equipped with management know-how in bakery and pastry operations and business, graduates may also choose to open their own bakery, pastry shop or café.

Curriculum

Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry
Cookies, Petits Fours and Tarts
Fundamentals of International Breads
Fundamentals of Chocolate
Work Integrated Learning*
Beverage and Café Service
Food Hygiene and Safety
Introduction to Management and Organisations
Essential Workplace Communication: Effective Oral Interaction
Whole Person Development - MindShift: Achieving Personal Growth & Effectiveness

Classical Cakes
Delicatessen and Savoury Foods
Work Integrated Learning*
Food Nutrition for Chefs
Human Resources Management
Kitchen Management
Essential Workplace Communication: Digital Written Correspondence
Vocational Chinese Communication: Putonghua Conversation and Reports
Whole Person Development - Collaboration, Teamwork & Social Engagement
Enrichment Module A

Frozen Desserts
Work Integrated Learning*
Bakery and Confectionery Science
Professional Workplace Communication: Storytelling and Job Search
Information Technology: Data Analysis and Promotion

Contemporary Plated Desserts
Viennoiserie
Innovative Baking and Pastry Project
Menu Planning & Development
Quality Management Systems for Food Processing
Services Marketing
Law and Ethics for Catering Operations
Accounting for Hospitality Management
Professional Workplace Communication: Proposal and Report Writing

Innovative Baking and Pastry Project
Professional Workplace Communication: Pitching and Persuasive Presentation
Vocational Chinese Communication: Putonghua Presentations, Administrative and Technical Text Writing
Whole Person Development - Enhancing Competencies in the 21^st Century Workplace
Enrichment Module B

1 out of 2 Elective Modules

Chocolate and Confectionery Arts ^#
Pastry Arts ^#

Remarks

Students are required to select one elective modules.

Depending on the job nature and study programme, the work integrated learning will be arranged at an appropriate time during the period of study.

Tuition Fees

1st Year Tuition Fees (HK$)

$33,310

2nd Year Tuition Fees (HK$)

$33,310

Remarks

The study duration of Higher Diploma programmes is normally 2 years. The tuition fee is payable in two installments each year.
In addition to tuition fees, students will be required to pay other fees, such as caution money and students’ union annual fees. Students of Higher Diploma programmes will be required to pay the study package fees for Chinese & Putonghua modules.
Some students may be required to study bridging modules or enhancement programmes to support their study; or to attend additional training, industrial attachments, public examinations for which separate fees will be charged.
Tuition fees are subject to annual review. The tuition fee levels for 2nd Year will be reviewed subject to inflationary adjustments and other relevant factors.
The information listed above is only applicable to local students.

Programme Highlights

Graduate of ICI Higher Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts, Jarvis Yiu Ho-Man, Excels in International Culinary Competitions

Jarvis Yiu Ho-man, a graduate of the ICI Higher Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts, earned the silver in the Pâtisserie and Confectionery category in WorldSkills Lyon 2024 competition.