Saint Francis University

About Saint Francis University

Saint Francis University developed from Caritas Francis Hsu College, established in 1985. It gained approved post-secondary-college status in 2001, received degree-conferring status in 2011, and then operated as Caritas Institute of Higher Education. In January 2024, the Hong Kong Government approved its change of name to Saint Francis University after an institutional review concluded that it met the expected standard for a private university. The rename represents institutional continuity rather than a closure or replacement. The university describes itself as a not-for-profit, self-financing degree-awarding institution. This means it is outside Hong Kong's University Grants Committee-funded university group, although eligible local students in designated programmes may receive government support through schemes such as SSSDP or NMTSS. In November 2024, the Education Bureau recognized SFU as a university of applied sciences after a separate review considered governance, quality assurance, the learning environment, student support, and industry collaboration. Its academic identity is consequently more professionally and practically oriented than that of a broad research-intensive university. The institution offers undergraduate, taught postgraduate, sub-degree, diploma, and professional programmes. Students should distinguish carefully among these award levels and between self-financing and subsidized places when comparing options. SFU remains rooted in the education mission of Caritas Hong Kong and presents community service, professional preparation, and whole-person development as central institutional priorities.

Admissions are programme- and applicant-specific. For 2026/27, the university separates routes for SSSDP undergraduate Year 1 entry, self-financing undergraduate Year 1 entry, senior-year entry, taught postgraduate study, sub-degree study, international qualifications, and applicants using Mainland Chinese, Macao, or Taiwan qualifications. Local applicants to self-financing undergraduate programmes may apply through SFU's admission portal or Hong Kong's E-APP system, while subsidized SSSDP places are generally associated with the JUPAS route. Applicants should use the route stated for their programme rather than assuming that one application covers every course. For self-financing Year 1 entry, SFU publishes general HKDSE rules, accepts combined sittings, and considers equivalent and international qualifications. Programme-specific conditions may apply. Applicants using international qualifications must also meet the stated language requirements; the official page provides qualification-specific guidance and English-language evidence options. Alternative Chinese-language qualifications may be accepted for eligible local non-Chinese-speaking applicants under defined circumstances. The central admissions page was last updated on 18 July 2026 and identified a final application round for 2026/27, while also listing programmes that had closed or would not be offered. Because availability can change during late admissions, applicants should verify live status in the application portal before paying. SFU states that fees are generally non-refundable and non-transferable, subject to limited published exceptions, and that the university retains final authority over admission decisions.

SFU's 2026/27 admissions material covers bachelor's and taught master's programmes as well as sub-degree and professional awards. Current bachelor's provision includes fields such as business administration, crime and security science, language and culture, social sciences, artificial intelligence and multimedia technology, community health and practice, pharmaceutical studies, physiotherapy, and social work. The taught postgraduate portfolio includes corporate governance, nursing and allied health, social work, ethics and religion, and artificial intelligence and creative technology. Availability, entry point, and study mode vary by programme, and several previously listed part-time courses are explicitly not being offered in 2026/27. The academic model emphasizes applied learning. Health-science facilities include mock wards, a simulation pharmacy, laboratories, and physiotherapy teaching spaces designed to approximate professional settings. Computing students have access to artificial-intelligence and digital-entertainment laboratories. Other specialist facilities include an early-childhood simulation classroom, hospitality training spaces, design and film-production studios, and social-science experimental classrooms. These resources are most meaningful when considered alongside the placement, practicum, or professional-recognition requirements of an individual course. All programmes advertised through the central admissions page are described by SFU as validated by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and recognized by the Hong Kong Government. Prospective students should nevertheless confirm the exact award, professional eligibility, curriculum, language of instruction, and 2026/27 delivery mode on the individual programme page. The official material verifies bachelor's and master's awards but does not establish a doctoral programme, so the database's stored PhD level should not be used.

Key Highlights

• Founded in 1985 and degree-conferring since 2011
• Renamed Saint Francis University with government approval in January 2024
• Recognized by the Hong Kong Education Bureau as a university of applied sciences in November 2024
• Operates as a not-for-profit, self-financing degree-awarding institution

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered on the Tseung Kwan O–Tiu Keng Leng campus. Shared facilities include a campus commons, library and learning commons, roof garden, multipurpose sports centre, chapel, lecture theatres, multimedia classrooms, and tutorial rooms. Student groups listed by the university include academic societies, service-learning teams, student ambassadors, faith-based groups, interest clubs, and sports teams. The published examples range from basketball, badminton, football, karate, and table tennis to board games, darts, camping, volleyball, and Chinese culture. The Student Affairs Office provides counselling, support for students with special educational needs, sports and health activities, development programmes, scholarships, bursaries, and financial-assistance information. Counselling is available to registered students, including part-time students. Separate support for non-local students has included arrival orientation, cultural-integration activities, practical pre-arrival assistance, and access to counselling and student programmes; students should confirm which arrangements will operate for their own intake. SFU does not present the main teaching site as a residential campus. Its accommodation page instead lists limited off-campus Caritas hostel options. The published locations in Kennedy Town and Prince Edward require roughly 45 minutes of travel to campus, and one is restricted to female students. Because capacity is small and prices and availability can change, non-local students should secure written confirmation before relying on these options.

Location & Surroundings

The university's principal campus is at 2 Chui Ling Lane in Tseung Kwan O, New Territories. It is beside Tiu Keng Leng MTR station, with the university directing visitors through Exit B. This rail access gives commuting students connections to the wider Hong Kong transport network without requiring a car. SFU moved to the Tseung Kwan O–Tiu Keng Leng campus in 2017. The compact urban site is organized around a nine-storey university building and connected facilities. It combines general teaching rooms with discipline-specific laboratories, student commons, sports space, a library and learning commons, a roof garden, and community facilities. The setting is therefore closer to a transit-oriented city campus than a large, self-contained residential estate. Students considering housing should account for Hong Kong travel times and the lack of general on-campus residence. The two university-listed Caritas hostel locations are in Kennedy Town and Prince Edward, each with an estimated journey of about 45 minutes. Renting privately may offer more choice but requires a separate assessment of cost, lease terms, commute, and eligibility.

Costs & Career Outcomes

SFU publishes programme-by-programme fees rather than a single university-wide tuition rate. The official 2026/27 schedule distinguishes local tuition, non-local tuition, study mode, programme length, year of study, and any applicable NMTSS or SSSDP subsidy. Costs vary substantially. For example, Year 1 of the full-time Bachelor of Social Sciences programme is listed at HK$84,700 for local students and HK$104,700 for non-local students; the stated local net amount after NMTSS is HK$49,580. Other degrees, especially laboratory- or professionally intensive programmes, can carry different fees, so applicants should calculate the complete programme cost from the relevant rows rather than extrapolating from this example. Government subsidy columns are relevant only where the student and programme are eligible. Applicants must also budget for accommodation, transport, food, learning materials, immigration-related expenses where applicable, and possible annual fee differences. The university's accommodation page lists monthly prices of HK$4,600 to HK$7,800 at its small Kennedy Town option and HK$5,500 to HK$9,500 at the Prince Edward option, but these are off-campus facilities with limited places. Availability and current terms require confirmation. The university maintains a Career Centre with advisers, a Career Lounge, training workshops, and career-coaching services. Applied laboratories, simulations, and professionally oriented courses may help students develop workplace-relevant skills, but outcomes depend on the programme and any external registration requirements. No reliable current graduate salary, employment-rate, or employer-placement statistic was found, so applicants should request programme-level outcome and professional-recognition information directly before making a career decision.