Which Hong Kong programmes count as sub-degree or post-secondary in 2026?

No — a diploma or certificate course is not a sub-degree programme in Hong Kong. On the Immigration Department’s “Immigration Policy on Study” FAQ page, sub-degree programmes are defined as associate degree and higher diploma programmes only (as of the October 2026 official page). A diploma can still sit inside the wider “post-secondary” category, but only if it reaches Qualifications Framework (QF) Level 4 or above.

That distinction is not academic. It decides how long your stay can run, whether you can intern, and whether further study or a post-study work route opens up.

Is a diploma or certificate a sub-degree programme in Hong Kong?

No. The Immigration Department answers the question directly: sub-degree programmes consist of associate degree and higher diploma programmes only. Diploma and certificate courses fall outside that category, whatever a college calls them in its prospectus.

Two programme types carry the sub-degree label:

• Associate degree — the general-academic route, usually designed to articulate into the second or third year of a bachelor’s degree.
• Higher diploma — the more vocationally oriented route, also pitched at a level below a bachelor’s degree.

A “diploma” and a “higher diploma” are different products despite the shared word. Only the second one is sub-degree by name.

What counts as a post-secondary programme?

Post-secondary is the broader bucket. The Immigration Department, citing information provided by the Education Bureau, lists four groups that are in general classified as post-secondary:

1. Sub-degree programmes (associate degree and higher diploma);
2. Undergraduate programmes;
3. Postgraduate programmes;
4. Programmes classified as QF Level 4 or above by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ).

The first three are straightforward. The fourth is the one that catches people out, because it is decided by level rather than by title.

Where does QF Level 4 sit in this?

QF Level 4 is the line the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework uses, and the Immigration Department treats it as the entry point to “post-secondary” for courses that are not sub-degree, undergraduate or postgraduate by type.

So the outcome for a diploma depends on where it lands:

• Below QF Level 4 — the course is neither sub-degree nor post-secondary under this definition.
• QF Level 4 or above — the course is in general classified as post-secondary, even though it is not a sub-degree programme.

This is why the same word, “diploma”, can produce two different immigration outcomes. The programme title is not the test; the programme type and its QF level are.

Why does the classification change what your visa allows?

Because several rules are written against “post-secondary”, and several others are written against “sub-degree” specifically. Being in one category without the other has real consequences.

How long is the stay?

Non-local students on full-time locally-accredited local and non-local post-secondary programmes are generally granted a stay in line with the normal duration of the programme, subject to a maximum of six years upon entry and the validity of the travel document. Students on other courses are normally granted 12 months upon entry, or the duration of their studies, whichever is shorter.

Can you take an internship?

Sub-degree students have their own, narrower route. Non-local students in full-time locally-accredited sub-degree local programmes with a study period of not less than two academic years may take up a mandatory, study- or curriculum-related internship arranged or endorsed by their institution, for up to six months.

The six months is counted differently depending on the programme:

Programme	How the six months is counted
Full-time locally-accredited Higher Diploma	Cumulative 182 days, counted by calendar day
Other full-time locally-accredited sub-degree programmes	Cumulative 26 weeks, counted by calendar week

The cumulative period does not need to be continuous. Sub-degree students apply through their institution on form SF/IM/2258 after their programme has started, and receive a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) if approved.

The wider work permissions are aimed at undergraduate level and above: part-time on-campus employment of up to 20 hours per week, summer employment, and the temporary exemption from employment restrictions that took effect on 1 November 2024, which applies to non-local students (excluding exchange students) of full-time locally-accredited local programmes at undergraduate level or above whose study period is not less than one academic year. A sub-degree student does not fall within that exemption.

What happens after the programme?

Two later steps turn on the same categories. Students who have successfully completed a full-time post-secondary programme in Hong Kong will normally be allowed to extend their stay to pursue another locally accredited full-time programme at a higher level of study. The Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates covers people who have obtained an undergraduate or higher qualification in a full-time and locally accredited local programme — sub-level qualifications are not described as qualifying. Dependants are limited further: the FAQ describes the dependant arrangement for students admitted to full-time undergraduate or postgraduate programmes at local degree-awarding institutions.

Do registered non-local courses count?

A course on the register set up under the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (Cap. 493) can be acceptable even if it is not locally accredited, provided its mode of attendance is full-time. The FAQ states that this arrangement does not apply to Chinese residents of the Mainland and Taiwan, former Mainland Chinese residents settled in Macao who were not settled there by 14 January 1979, and nationals of Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of), Nepal and Vietnam.

How should you read a course title before applying?

Match the title against the two definitions rather than assuming. “Associate degree” and “higher diploma” are sub-degree. “Diploma” and “certificate” are not, but a diploma sitting at QF Level 4 or above is in general treated as post-secondary for immigration purposes.

Programme names, accreditation status and QF levels can change, and institutions differ in how they label similar courses, so treat this as general information only and not as advice on your own case; the classification that counts is the one recorded in the Immigration Department’s and HKCAAVQ’s current published information, and the latest official publication should always be taken as authoritative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a diploma a sub-degree in Hong Kong?

No. The Immigration Department defines sub-degree programmes as associate degree and higher diploma programmes only. A diploma or certificate course does not fall into the sub-degree category.

Can a diploma still count as post-secondary?

Yes, in general, if it is classified as QF Level 4 or above by HKCAAVQ. Citing Education Bureau information, the Immigration Department includes those programmes in its general classification of post-secondary programmes, alongside sub-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

What is the difference between a higher diploma and a diploma?

A higher diploma is one of the two programme types that make up the sub-degree category; a plain diploma is not. That difference changes which immigration rules apply to the student.

Can sub-degree students work part-time on campus?

The part-time on-campus employment of up to 20 hours per week, summer employment and the 1 November 2024 temporary exemption are described for full-time locally-accredited local programmes at undergraduate level or above. Sub-degree students have a separate route: a mandatory, curriculum-related internship of up to six months, applied for through the institution.

How is the six-month internship limit counted for sub-degree students?

For full-time locally-accredited Higher Diploma programmes it is a cumulative 182 days counted by calendar day. For other full-time locally-accredited sub-degree programmes it is a cumulative 26 weeks counted by calendar week. Neither period has to be continuous.

Does a sub-degree qualification lead to the non-local graduate work arrangement?

The FAQ describes that arrangement for people who have obtained an undergraduate or higher qualification in a full-time and locally accredited local programme. It does not extend it to sub-level qualifications.

Can a post-secondary student bring dependants?

The dependant arrangement described in the FAQ covers persons admitted to full-time undergraduate or postgraduate programmes at local degree-awarding institutions. Dependants of students are not allowed to take up employment in Hong Kong.

References

• Hong Kong Immigration Department — Immigration Policy on Study (FAQ)