How to Apply to Business at City University of Hong Kong: Nine BBA Majors and Two Elite Programmes, With Requirements and Timelines for Chinese (Gaokao), International-Curriculum, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), undergraduate business degrees are offered by the College of Business. They take four years and are taught in English. Here is what you need to know for 2027/28 entry, based on CityUHK’s official information, for students at high schools in China (Gaokao and international curricula), students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. Programmes

• Two College Elites Programmes:
  • BBA Global Business: one of CityUHK’s Flagship Programmes, JUPAS code JS1001. CityUHK says students can join up to three exchanges (one compulsory), may attend summer programmes at the MIT Data Science Lab and Harvard Summer School with full sponsorship for top students, must declare a second major, and can apply to the joint bachelor’s degree programme with Columbia University.
  • BSc Computational Finance and Financial Technology: JUPAS code JS1000, with Computational Finance and Financial Technology streams, aimed at careers in quantitative finance, investment banking, asset management and algorithmic trading.
• Nine departmental BBA majors: Accountancy (JS1002), Management (JS1005), Marketing (JS1007), Business Economics (JS1013), Finance (JS1014), Global Business Systems Management (JS1018), Artificial Intelligence in Business (JS1019, subject to Senate approval), Business Decision Analytics (JS1026) and Global Operations Management (JS1027). These are JUPAS codes; international applicants should follow the programme list in the application system.
• Department-based entry: the Department of Economics and Finance (JS1012, Business Economics or Finance) and the Department of Information Systems (JS1017, Global Business Systems Management or AI in Business) also admit by department, with majors chosen after Year 1.
• Common first year: CityUHK says the Year 1 curriculum is identical for all BBA programmes. Everyone learns data modelling, Python programming and case analysis, plus core courses in accounting, business statistics, economics, financial management, management, marketing and operations management. Whether you enter a major directly or a department first, major courses start in Year 2.
• Major allocation: department-based entrants choose a major at the end of Semester B of Year 1. The top 40% of students in each department get their first-choice major, based on CGPA, no failed courses in Semesters A and B, and at least 30 credit units completed in those semesters; the remaining 60% are allocated by availability and each major’s selection criteria.
• Other options: double majors, joint bachelor’s degrees with overseas universities, and joint programmes combining business with law, engineering, computer science and environmental studies.

2. Students at high schools in China: CityUHK’s own Gaokao admission

• How it works: from the 2026 intake, CityUHK admits current-year Gaokao candidates through its own Chinese Mainland Gaokao admission scheme. It is not part of the national unified admission plan and does not use one of your national preference slots; you apply directly on CityUHK’s website. There are no provincial quotas, and admission is merit-based.
• Basic requirements: an actual Gaokao score (excluding bonus points) at or above the first-tier key university line or the special-type admission control line for your province, and at least 110 out of 150 in English. CityUHK also considers your application materials and any interview.
• Subject requirements for business majors: the pages we could read did not show the Gaokao subject requirements for each business major; check the majors and subject requirements page on CityUHK’s Chinese Mainland admissions site.
• Choices: up to two programme choices, in order of preference; you can change them between early June and 13 June 2027.
• Timeline:
  • applications open on 24 September 2026;
  • optional award certificates (international, national, provincial or city level) are due by 28 February 2027;
  • applications close on 13 June 2027, which is also the deadline for your Gaokao candidate number documents;
  • after results come out in late June, log in to enter your scores and upload a screenshot; late or incorrect entries void the application;
  • results are announced from late June to early July.
• Interviews: some programmes interview, and the college or department contacts invited applicants directly. The BBA Global Business page says shortlisted students may be interviewed by the Programme Leaders.
• Scholarships: Gaokao entrants are automatically considered for Entrance Scholarships, with no separate application, based on Gaokao scores, English and other factors. Awards can be a full scholarship, a full tuition waiver or a half tuition waiver, normally for four years and renewable if you keep the required cumulative GPA.
• Mainland students not taking the Gaokao (for example, in international curricula) apply through Chinese Mainland Non-Gaokao Admission, with the same requirements and deadlines as international applicants (below).

3. International curricula (A-Level, IB)

• What the College of Business says: applicants with international qualifications can select up to three choices and, depending on their qualifications, apply for first-year admission or advanced standing. First-year entrants are admitted either directly to a major or to a school/department with an undeclared major. CityUHK’s admissions office describes the application fee as covering “up to two choices”, so the two pages differ; follow what the application system allows.
• A-Level minimum: grade E or above in three A-Level (or A2 or International A-Level) subjects, with two AS counting as one A-Level, plus one English requirement such as E or above in A-Level or AS English, C/4 or above in IGCSE First Language English, or an IELTS or TOEFL score.
• IB minimum: the IB Diploma, plus grade 4 or above in English A Language and Literature or Literature (HL or SL), or English B at 4 (HL) or 5 (SL), or an IELTS or TOEFL score.
• Actual admission scores: for 2026 non-JUPAS entrants across CityUHK, the middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) was 136 to 160 UCAS tariff points for three A-Levels (about 2A1B to 2A*1A) and IB 33 to 39 including TOK and EE points. These are university-wide figures, not business-specific.
• AP: the pages we could read did not list CityUHK’s AP requirements; check the US-curriculum section of the international admission page.

4. Students at Canadian high schools

• British Columbia: the BC Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma with grade B in five Grade 12 subjects.
• Ontario: the OSSD with an average of at least 70% in six Grade 12 U or M courses; other provinces: at least 70% in five Grade 12 subjects; Quebec CEGEP is also accepted.
• These are minimum requirements, and admission is competitive.
• English: CityUHK expects applicants with international qualifications to meet its English requirements, and its list does not name Canadian high school qualifications, so plan on IELTS, TOEFL or another listed option.

5. Timeline for international and non-Gaokao mainland applicants

• applications open on 24 September 2026;
• early round deadline 15 November 2026, with results in December 2026;
• main round deadline 15 January 2027, with results from February to May 2027;
• Semester A of 2027/28 is provisionally set to start on 30 August 2027.

6. English requirements

• IELTS Academic 6.5 overall;
• TOEFL iBT 4.5 out of 6 for tests on or after 21 January 2026, or 79 for earlier tests; single test date only, no MyBest scores;
• IELTS and TOEFL scores must be within two years of the start of Semester A in your admission year, and home, online and one-skill-retake results are not accepted;
• other options include PTE Academic 62, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 590, and ACT English and Reading 24 each in the same sitting.

7. Transfer students: advanced standing

• Who can apply: applicants with a 13-year school-leaving qualification, the IB Diploma, A-Levels, an associate degree, a higher diploma or bachelor’s study can apply for first-year entry or for Advanced Standing I. The College of Business also says international applicants may apply for first-year admission or advanced standing depending on their qualifications, and welcomes holders of eligible bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees and higher diplomas.
• Length: Advanced Standing I normally takes three years. The advanced standing codes and places for each business major were not shown on the pages we could read; check the programme pages on CityUHK’s admissions site.
• Credits: no credit transfer is given for pre-admission qualifications; you can apply for exemption from specific courses, but exempted courses carry no credit.
• IB for advanced standing: at least 30 out of 45 points.

8. Fees and scholarships

• Non-local tuition: two different figures on CityUHK’s websites:
  • the admissions office’s Fees and Scholarships page: HK$240,000 a year for 2027/28 entry, reviewed annually and, once approved, applying until you finish your programme;
  • the College of Business’s BBA Global Business page: HK$190,000 a year for non-local students, with no year stated.
  Follow the admissions office’s latest figure.
• Other fees: application fee HK$600; acceptance fee HK$20,000, non-refundable and credited towards tuition.
• Living costs: HK$50,000 to 60,000 a year; a double room in student residence is HK$20,800 (2026/27 rate), and off-campus housing is about HK$50,000 to 60,000 for two semesters.
• Scholarships: CityUHK offers various entrance scholarships with no application needed, notified in the offer letter; see section 2 for Gaokao Entrance Scholarships. The College of Business’s own entrance scholarships for its two elite programmes (one-off HK$20,000 or HK$40,000) list criteria only for HKDSE candidates.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China (Gaokao):

• Apply on CityUHK’s website between 24 September 2026 and 13 June 2027, with up to two choices
• Aim for the first-tier (special-type) line or above and at least 110 in English
• Upload award certificates by 28 February; enter your Gaokao scores promptly in late June

International-curriculum students and mainland students not taking the Gaokao:

• Apply by 15 November 2026 (early round) or 15 January 2027 (main round)
• University-wide middle range: A-Level about 2A1B to 2A*1A, IB 33 to 39
• IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 4.5 (79 on the older scale)

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• A minimum of B in five BC Grade 12 subjects; this is only the threshold, and higher is better
• Prepare IELTS or TOEFL; apply by 15 November or 15 January

Transfer students:

• Apply for advanced standing, normally three years; earlier courses can bring exemptions but not credits

Sources: City University of Hong Kong, College of Business undergraduate programmes; Programmes overview; Departmental majors; Major allocation; International / mainland applicants; BBA Global Business; BBA Global Business admissions; College of Business scholarships; International admission; Chinese Mainland non-Gaokao admission; Chinese Mainland admissions; Gaokao admission notes; Admissions score reference; Fees and scholarships; programme codes from JUPAS programme pages. Information is for 2027/28 entry. Check CityUHK for the latest details.