Hong Kong Degree Evaluation: Diplomas, Degrees and Transcripts

Have you studied in Hong Kong and now need your education recognized in the United States? A Hong Kong degree evaluation states the U.S. degree equivalency of your diploma, degree or transcript, so that USCIS, an employer, a university or a licensing board can accept it. Because Hong Kong changed its school and university structure in 2012, the year you graduated matters as much as the degree itself. This guide is for anyone holding Hong Kong credentials, from the HKDSE to a doctorate, and for the immigration attorneys who file their cases. A standard evaluation from MotaWord costs $65 and is delivered in 72 hours.

Why You May Need Your Hong Kong Credentials Evaluated

U.S. institutions do not compare foreign education on their own, so they rely on an evaluation report. The usual reasons are:

• Immigration: H-1B petitions, EB-2 and EB-3 green card cases, and other USCIS filings that require a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher, or its equivalent.
• University admissions and credit transfer: graduate schools and colleges usually ask for a course-by-course report with a GPA.
• Professional licensing: state boards in fields such as accounting, engineering, nursing and teaching review foreign education against their own rules.
• Employment: U.S. employers often want an evaluation before they accept a foreign degree for a role that requires one.
• Military enlistment: recruiters may ask for an evaluation of a foreign secondary school diploma.

For a specialty occupation visa, the report has to show that your degree matches the position. See how an education evaluation supports an H-1B petition. Your attorney can tell you which degree level the petition needs to show.

The Education System in Hong Kong

Hong Kong SAR has its own education system, separate from mainland China. It was shaped by British models for many decades and was reformed in 2012 under the "3-3-4" structure: three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school and a four-year bachelor's degree, after six years of primary school.

Secondary School Exams: HKCEE, HKALE and HKDSE

Before the reform, students took the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) after Form 5. Students who continued to Form 6 and Form 7 took the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE), and some subjects were offered at the Advanced Supplementary level (HKASLE). A-Level results were the basis for university entry, and university degrees then usually lasted three years.

Since 2012, students take a single exam at the end of senior secondary school: the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE). Results are reported by level, from Level 1 up to Level 5**. Evaluators usually compare the HKDSE to a U.S. high school diploma. The older HKCEE and HKALE certificates are evaluated on the subjects passed and the years completed, and A-Level study is part of what made three-year degrees possible.

Inivèsite ak Akreditasyon

Hong Kong's public universities are funded through the University Grants Committee (UGC), which advises the government on higher education. Self-financing institutions offer degrees and sub-degree programs as well. The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) reviews programs from institutions that do not have self-accrediting status, and the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (QF) places qualifications on seven levels. Universities with self-accrediting status run their own internal quality reviews.

How Each Hong Kong Credential Is Usually Evaluated

The evaluation report always makes the final decision, based on your documents. As a general guide, evaluators usually reach these results:

• HKDSE: usually compared to a U.S. high school diploma.
• Associate Degree or Higher Diploma (two years): usually compared to a U.S. associate degree or to undergraduate credit, depending on the program and credits.
• Bachelor's degree (four years, after 2012): usually compared to a U.S. bachelor's degree.
• Bachelor's degree (three years, before 2012, after A-Levels): often compared to a U.S. bachelor's degree, because A-Level study added a year of advanced work.
• Master's degree: usually compared to a U.S. master's degree.
• Doctorate (PhD): usually compared to a U.S. doctoral degree.

Bachelor's Degree Programs

If you hold a three-year bachelor's degree from before the reform, include your A-Level results with your diploma and transcript. They show the admission level of your program, which is what evaluators look at when they compare a three-year degree to a U.S. four-year degree. Without them, the evaluator may not have enough evidence for the full equivalency. Order a diploma evaluation that documents the U.S. equivalent of a Hong Kong degree.

Associate Degrees and Higher Diplomas

Associate Degrees and Higher Diplomas grew quickly as alternatives to the limited number of publicly funded university places. Most are two-year programs, and many students use them to move into the later years of a bachelor's degree. Their evaluation depends on the length of the program, the credits and the QF level, so send the full transcript.

Law, Medicine and Other Professional Degrees

Hong Kong universities offer professional programs such as the Bachelor of Laws (LLB), the Juris Doctor (JD), the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) and the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Evaluators look at the length of each program and its admission requirements, so the results vary. An evaluation compares education only; lawyers and doctors still follow the licensing rules of the U.S. state or board where they want to work.

Hong Kong Transcripts, Grades and GPA

Many Hong Kong universities report a GPA on a 4.3 or 4.0 scale, and bachelor's degrees are often awarded with an honours classification: First Class Honours, Second Class Honours (Upper or Lower Division), Third Class Honours or Pass. U.S. institutions work with credits and a 4.0 GPA, so these results need to be converted.

Gen de kalite evalyasyon:

• General (document-by-document) evaluation: states the U.S. equivalent of each credential. USCIS and most employers accept it.
• Course-by-course evaluation: lists each course with U.S. credits and grades and calculates a GPA. Universities, licensing boards and credit transfer offices usually ask for it.

Check what the receiving institution asks for before you order. See how a transcript evaluation converts your Hong Kong grades into U.S. credits and a GPA. A general report does not include a GPA.

Documents You Need for a Hong Kong Credential Evaluation

Voye eskanè klè pou:

• Your degree certificate or diploma for every completed program
• Your official transcript with all courses, credits and grades
• Your HKDSE, HKALE or HKCEE certificates, especially for a three-year degree
• Tradiksyon sètifye an anglè pou nenpòt dokiman ki an Chinwa sèlman

English is an official language in Hong Kong, and most diplomas and transcripts are issued in English or in English and Chinese. In most cases you do not need a translation at all. If a document is only in Chinese, add a certified translation to your evaluation order at the quote stage, where our system detects non-English documents. See how we translate academic records such as transcripts and diplomas.

Tradiksyon Chinwa sètifye yo koute $36.50 pa paj, ak livrezon nan sèlman 12 èdtan epi notarizasyon dijital gratis.

Taiwan also issues many documents in Chinese, but its degrees follow their own structure. See how Taiwanese degrees compare to U.S. standards. Mainland China is different again, with its own rules for graduation and degree certificates.

If your education spans more than one system, for example a degree from a mainland university after secondary school in Hong Kong, each credential is evaluated under its own rules. See how Chinese degrees compare to U.S. standards. Send the documents from every institution in one order.

How MotaWord Evaluates Your Hong Kong Credentials

1. Upload: Our online ordering is available 24/7. Upload scans of your diploma, transcript and exam certificates, choose the evaluation type, and see your price and delivery date right away.
2. Document Check: Our team checks that the file is complete and readable and contacts you if anything is missing.
3. Evaluation: Our evaluators compare your Hong Kong credentials with the U.S. system and prepare the report.
4. Telechaje: Yon fwa ou fin kòmande, yon tablodbò kliyan MotaWord ap kreye otomatikman pou ou. Ou ka swiv kòmand ou a, telechaje evalyasyon ak fakti ou yo, epi pale avèk nou nenpòt ki lè atravè chat an dirèk.

Yon evalyasyon estanda koute $65 epi li delivre nan 72 èdtan. Livrezon menm jou a koute $115 lè ou kòmande anvan 3 PM ET nan yon jou lasemèn. Yon evalyasyon kou pa kou koute $120, oubyen $200 pou livrezon menm jou a. Chat an dirèk disponib 24 sou 24, 7 jou sou 7 pou sipò, kèlkeswa zòn tan ou. MotaWord sètifye SOC 2 Tip II.

Our evaluations follow the standard in the USCIS Policy Manual: a credible, logical and well-documented report. No evaluator controls an officer's decision, but a clear report with complete documents gives your case a strong footing.

Kesyon Moun Poze Souvan

What is the U.S. degree equivalency of a Hong Kong bachelor's degree?

A four-year Hong Kong bachelor's degree is usually evaluated as the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree. Three-year degrees from before 2012 are often evaluated the same way when they followed A-Level study, which is why your A-Level results matter.

Is the HKDSE equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma?

Evaluators usually compare the HKDSE to a U.S. high school diploma. Universities may also look at your subject levels for admission.

Is an Associate Degree from Hong Kong the same as a U.S. associate degree?

Often, yes. Two-year Associate Degrees and Higher Diplomas are usually compared to U.S. associate level study, but the result depends on the program's length and credits.

Do I need a translation of my Hong Kong diploma?

Usually not, because most Hong Kong diplomas and transcripts are issued in English or are bilingual. Documents only in Chinese need a certified English translation.

What do the UGC and HKCAAVQ do?

The UGC advises on and funds Hong Kong's public universities. The HKCAAVQ accredits programs from institutions that do not accredit themselves and assesses qualifications under the Qualifications Framework.

How long does a Hong Kong degree evaluation take?

A standard evaluation is delivered in 72 hours for $65. Same-day delivery costs $115 when you order before 3 PM ET on a weekday.

Get Your Hong Kong Credentials Evaluated

Whether you are filing with USCIS, applying for a job or starting a U.S. degree, your Hong Kong education should be presented clearly. Order your academic evaluation from MotaWord and get a report you can submit with confidence.

Mark Rogers - Espesyalis Evalyasyon nan MotaWord

Written and reviewed by Mark Rogers, Evaluation Specialist at MotaWord, drawing on the team's experience with evaluating Hong Kong degrees and academic records. MotaWord is SOC 2 Type II certified and a corporate member of the ATA and ITI, providing academic evaluations and certified translations in 120+ languages. See our academic evaluation for U.S. university admissions →