Master of Science in Computer Science

• a recognised bachelor's degree in a computing discipline such as Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or equivalent; or
• a recognised bachelor's degree in a related discipline such as Electronic Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Manufacturing Engineering, Quantitative Analysis, or equivalent, together with applicable working experience in information technology.

English Proficiency Requirements

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is NOT English should fulfil the following minimum English proficiency requirement^:

• a score of 79 (for tests taken prior to 21 January 2026) or 4 (for tests taken from 21 January 2026 onwards) (Internet-based Test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)@#; or
• an overall band score of 6.0 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS) @#; or
• a score of 450 in the Chinese Mainland’s College English Test Band 6 (CET-6)

^Individual Colleges and Schools may stipulate a higher English proficiency requirement, or equivalent acceptable qualifications, as deemed appropriate for their disciplines.

@TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the start of the University's application period. All TOEFL results must be sent directly by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) using CityUHK’s institution code 3401, while IELTS results must be sent via the IELTS Results Service e-delivery to 'City University of Hong Kong - Graduate School'.

#Applicants with an IELTS overall band score of 6.0 or a TOEFL overall score of 4 will be required to pass an interview for English proficiency conducted by the concerned academic unit. Applicants with a comparable overall score of 79 or above shown on the TOEFL report may be exempt from the interview requirement. Interviews for other applicants may not be required.

Only the above English test are accepted for MSc Computer Science (P53) and the following English tests are NOT accepted:

• Duolingo
• GMAT
• GRE
• IELTS indicator
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• TOEIC
• Others

For more information of MSCS (Programme Code: P53), please visit: https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/programme/p53

Non-local Applicants & Local Applicants

Non-local Applicants
Persons holding the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) of the HKSAR are classified as non-local applicants:

• Student visa / entry permit; or
• Visa / entry permit under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG Visa); or
• Dependant visa / entry permit for applicants who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the IMMD

Due to immigration restrictions, nationals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea (DPRK), Nepal and Vietnam may not be able to obtain a student visa to study in Hong Kong. For details, please click here.

Local Applicants
Persons holding any of the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) are classified as local applicants:

• Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card
• Documents issued by the IMMD certifying the right of abode / right to land in Hong Kong
• One-way permit for entry to Hong Kong
• Dependant visa / entry permit for applicants who were below 18 years old when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the IMMD
• Full-time employment visa / work permit (for part-time study)
• Visa / entry permit for Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
• Visa / entry permit for Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
• Visa / Entry permit for Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
• Visa label for unconditional stay

If you need further advice on visa requirements, please contact IMMD.