Application Procedures and Key Dates (Macao, Taiwan and International Applicants)

Key Dates

Admissions Exercise - September 2026 Intake (For Macao, Taiwan and International Applicants)


*For Mainland applicants, please see here.

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) 1

 Late November 2025 to early July 2026
Application Deadline To be announced 
Conditional/ Firm Offer Announcement by Email Before the end of July 2026
Pay New Student Registration Fee and Student Service Fee to Accept Offer Payment deadline/ instructions as stated in the offer email/ payment advice
Student Visa and Hall Application (if applicable) [Note 2 - 5] Before the end of July 2026
Pay the 1st Instalment of Tuition Fee6 Early August 2026
No Offer Announcement by Email Mid-August 2026 (Tentative)
Registration7 and Orientation End of August to early September 2026 (Tentative)
Class Commencement Early September 2026 (Tentative)

Note(s):

  1. 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.
  2. Applicants are to settle fees payment by the designated method and mail the related documents for Hong Kong Study Visa application to the Mainland and International Affairs Office by speed post (courier).   Normally the Hong Kong Immigration Department takes 6-8 weeks for processing the visa application. 
  3. 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. 
  4. 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.
  5. 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, except in the event of programme cancellation or if your study visa application is not approved.
  6. 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.  
  7. Offering campus will inform you of the arrangement on verifying your documents for admission. Please provide 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.

How to Apply

Application Procedures (For Macao, Taiwan and International Applicants)


*For Mainland applicants, please see here.

Admission Application

  • 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. If more than one application is submitted, only one will be processed. The duplicate application fee is non-refundable. 
  • Applicants who do not provide details of their completed or expected completion (by 2026) of Senior Secondary School Education or an equivalent qualification, the application for the Higher Diploma Programme will not be processed.
  • You are required to prepare the softcopies of documents below:

Identity Document

 Passport / Passport Photo
Documents of Academic Qualifications

Official certificates / Transcripts / Graduation Certificates / Result Slips of Qualifications issued by Exam Boards:

  • GCE A-Level / AS-Level Qualification
  • GCE O-Level / GCSE / IGCSE Qualification
  • International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) Qualification
  • Degree / Higher Diploma or other equivalent qualifications
  • Other Overseas / International Qualifications
Other Documents
  • English Language Qualifications, e.g. IELTS*, TOEFL* (if applicable)
  • Professional Qualification / Work Experience / Other Qualifications and Achievements (if applicable) 
  • Documents of Disabilities or Special Educational Needs (if applicable)

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

Notes: 

After submitting the application and paying the application fee, if there are any changes to your personal information, please contact the Mainland and International Affairs Office (iss@vtc.edu.hk) for updates.

 

Programme Selection

  • Applicants may select no more than 3 Higher Degree programmes in the application. If the programme you have chosen is offered in 2 or more campuses, you need to indicate at least 1 of the preferred campus choice.
  • Among the Higher Diploma Programmes offered by VTC, 34 are Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme (VPAS) eligible full-time Higher Diploma programmes. For more information about VPAS, please refer to the Mainland and International Affairs Office (MIAO) Webpage. 
  • Applicants are NOT allowed to change the programme choices and campus preferences after submission of the application.

Application Fee

  • You must pay an Application Fee through the online payment platform in the “NLS Admission Portal” after completing the application. You can pay by Visa or MasterCard online.
  • 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). Your application will not be processed until the application fee is paid.
  • 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.
  • Admission applications for which the application fee has not been settled will not be processed. All application fees paid will not be refunded. 

Online Interview/ Written Test

  • Applicants may be invited to attend written test(s). The eligible applicants may be invited by the discipline to attend an online interview for further assessment. 

Offer Announcement

  • Offering of study places is subject to the applicant's academic qualifications, interview / written test performance (if applicable), other learning experiences and achievements, related work experience, and availability of study places.
  • Offer result will be announced no later than end of July by email.   No offer announcement will be released in mid-August 2026.

Offer Acceptance

  • Successful applicants will receive individual notifications by email. To accept the offer, students are required to settle the New Student Registration Fee and Student Service Fee (i.e. a total of HK$8,000) by the payment due date in accordance with the payment instructions of the payment advice.
  • Failure to pay the required fees before the stipulated deadline will render the offer null and void.   The payment for the New Student Registration Fee and Student Service Fee is non-refundable, except in cases where the programme is cancelled or the student visa application is not approved by the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

Student Visa Application and Coming to Hong Kong

  • Students shall submit the required documents for visa applications to the Mainland and International Affairs Office by email as early as possible. Normally the Hong Kong Immigration Department takes 6-8 weeks for processing the visa application.
  • There are two student residential halls in VTC which are located in Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Island and Tsing Yi Island, New Territories. Full-time and part-time students undertaking Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) programmes at the study level of Master’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Higher Diploma and Diploma of Foundation Studies in VTC and preparing for transition from education to work are welcome to apply for residence places. Due to limited availability at the VTC Halls of Residence, dormitory spaces will be allocated through a lottery draw system based on demand. For more details, please refer to Accommodation | Mainland and International Affairs Office.

Registration and Orientation

  • New students are required to present the original copies of their proof of identity and academic documents for verification when they arrived campus. If necessary, VTC may request students to apply for verification of their submitted academic documents from the appropriate institutions or organizations. 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. 
  • Details of the orientation will be notified by the admitted campus/ institution.

Notes to Applicants

  1. The Higher Diploma programmes offered by the Vocational Training Council (VTC) are 2-year programmes. If you wish to apply for the Bachelor's Degree programmes offered by the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), please visit Home - Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong for more information.
  2. 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 | VTC Admission.
  3. Applicants must submit their applications personally through the Vocational Training Council (VTC) online application system and provide their own personal information and contact details (including mobile number and personal email address).   VTC will contact applicants directly to provide the latest information on the application.
  4. Applicants who do not provide details of their completed or expected completion (by 2026) of Senior Secondary School Education or an equivalent qualification, the application for the Higher Diploma Programme will not be processed.
  5. The Vocational Training Council (VTC) will review and verify all applicants' academic documents, results, and any other relevant documents.   VTC may also confirm the authenticity of these documents and results with the issuing institutions or organizations.   The Council reserves the right to withdraw the offer of admission or de-registrate the applicant.
  6. Offering of study places is subject to the applicant's academic qualifications, interview / written test performance (if applicable), other learning experiences and achievements, related work experience, and availability of study places.
  7. For students under the age of 18 as of 1 September of the admission year, consent from their parents / guardians will be required for enrollment into VTC programme.
  8. New students are required to present the original copies of their proof of identity and academic documents for verification on campus.   If necessary, VTC may request students to apply for verification of their submitted academic documents from the appropriate institutions or organizations, and the verification fees incurred must be borne by the student.   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.
  9. Some programmes may have other specific requirements.   Please refer to the programme details and specific requirements of individual programmes.
  10. Applicants can apply with the results of the same public examination in different years of award.   The best grade of multiple attempts on a particular subject will be assessed for admission. 
  11. Applicants admitted to Hospitality-related programmes are required to undergo a medical check (applicable to certain programmes). 
  12. If you have any inquiries about non-local student admission applications, please email to the Mainland and International Affairs Office at iss@vtc.edu.hk.

Am I a Non-local Applicant?


Persons who do not have the right of abode or right to land in Hong Kong and wish to enter Hong Kong for study are regarded as “Non-local Applicants”.


According to the Education Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong SAR, for the purpose of admission to post-secondary programmes, persons holding any of the following documents will NOT be regarded as Non-local Applicants:

  • Hong Kong Identity Card (Permanent)
  • Documents issued by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR showing right to land/right of abode in Hong Kong
  • One-way Permit for entry to Hong Kong
  • Full-time employment visa/work permit
  • Dependent Visa/Entry Permit (who were below 18 years old when they were first issued with such Visa/Entry Permit by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR)
  • Visa/Entry Permit for Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
  • Visa/Entry Permit for Capital Investment Entrant Scheme
  • Visa/Entry Permit for Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
  • Visa label for unconditional stay

Click here if you have any of the above documents.


According to the current immigration regulations of Hong Kong, this entry arrangement does not apply to nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, Korea (Democratic Peoples' Republic of), Nepal and Vietnam. The above information is for reference only, please visit the website of the Hong Kong Immigration Department for further information.


The applications of local and non-local applicants are processed under separate admission exercises. If the applicant’s status is changed after submitting the application, the offer made according to the previous applicant status may be cancelled and the application will be re-considered by another appropriate admission exercise. 

Applicants With Special Circumstances


Applicants with Special Circumstances will be required to attend admission interviews or individual assessments.

Applicant with Special Educational Needs

  • Applicants with Special Educational Needs refer to applicants with special circumstances, such as hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical handicap, speech impairment, intellectual disabilities, mental illness, autism, visceral disability/chronic illness, specific learning disability, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
  • Please give details of the special educational needs in the section on Supplementary Information for Applications under Special Circumstances and upload copies of relevant documents regarding the special educational needs via the “NLS Admission Portal” .
 

Personal Information Collection Statement

  1. The information collected from the application will be used for the following purposes:
    1. for processing and selection of applications for admission to VTC programmes; and related purposes;
    2. for obtaining information from relevant institutions/organisations about your candidature in public examinations and studies in institutions in Hong Kong and elsewhere;
    3. for obtaining records of your examination results attained in the programmes provided by member institutions under the VTC;
    4. for checking of application records and the study records of the programmes provided by member institutions under the VTC;
    5. for storage of information on the successful applicants in the Student Records System; and if applicant indicated his/her wish to receive VTC information, the application data will be retained for such purpose.
  2. VTC undertakes to keep personal data provided by applicants confidential. However, VTC may provide such information to any other persons or agents for the purposes described in (1) under a duty of confidentiality to VTC.
  3. In accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, an applicant has the right: to check whether VTC holds his/her personal data;
    1. to check whether VTC holds his / her personal data;
    2. to request a copy of such data; and
    3. to require VTC to correct any of the personal data which is inaccurate.
  4. If you wish to access your data, you should submit your request in writing to the Director at:
    Mainland and International Affairs Office, VTC
    14/F, VTC Tower, 27 Wood Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
  5. In accordance with the terms of the Ordinance, VTC reserves the right to charge a fee for the processing of data access request.