The Direct Answer

Whether a qualification from an overseas branch campus can be used for a Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) application does not depend on the parent university’s ranking on the Eligible Universities List, but on who awards the degree and whether the awarding institution is an independent entry on that list. The official rules of the Immigration Department are clear: qualifications obtained from schools of continuing and professional education, branch campuses, extension colleges or affiliated colleges established by eligible universities are not accepted. In other words, a parent university being on the list does not mean a degree from its branch campus qualifies.

Data Basis

The criteria for classifying institution types cited in this article are based on the current consolidated Eligible Universities List and accompanying guidance published by the Hong Kong Immigration Department. The four categories of non-accepted awarding institutions (schools of continuing and professional education, branch campuses, extension colleges, and affiliated colleges) come from the official wording of the Immigration Department. The identification of the degree-awarding institution is determined by comparing the formal name shown on the degree certificate and transcript, character by character, against the entries on the Eligible Universities List, and does not refer to third-party rankings, school branding, or agency descriptions.

Can overseas branch campus qualifications be used for the Top Talent Pass Scheme: parent university ranking, awarding institution and types of institutions not accepted

Core Principle of Assessment: the Awarding Institution Replaces the Parent University Ranking

The Eligible Universities List for Category B and Category C of the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) refers to the specific institution that awards the degree, not the education group, university brand, or subject ranking. When assessing academic qualifications, the Immigration Department looks at the full name of the awarding institution printed on the degree certificate and transcript, not the name of the parent university as written by the applicant in the application materials or CV.

For example: a British university may rank in the top 100 of the four major rankings and appear on the Eligible Universities List, but a degree awarded by its branch campus in Malaysia, mainland China or the Middle East will not qualify if the awarding institution named on the degree certificate is the university’s overseas branch rather than its main campus in Britain, and that overseas branch, as an independent legal entity, is not on the Eligible Universities List.

Conversely, if the degree from an overseas branch campus is awarded directly by the main campus, and the awarding institution named on the degree certificate matches the name on the Eligible Universities List, it may be accepted. The key is the certificate itself, not the geographic location.

Can overseas branch campus qualifications be used for the Top Talent Pass Scheme: parent university ranking, awarding institution and types of institutions not accepted

Four Categories of Institutions Explicitly Not Accepted

The Immigration Department has identified four categories of awarding institutions that are not accepted:

First, schools of continuing and professional education. These colleges are usually affiliated with a university and focus on part-time study, short courses or professional diplomas. Even where the qualification carries the university’s name, it is still not treated as an eligible university degree.

Second, branch campuses. An overseas branch campus that operates independently of the main campus and awards degrees in its own name is not accepted, even if the main campus is on the Eligible Universities List.

Third, extension colleges. These are extension teaching bodies established by universities to expand adult education or community education; the qualifications they issue are not recognised.

Fourth, affiliated colleges. Colleges operating independently under the name of a university affiliate are generally not independent entries on the Eligible Universities List and are not accepted.

The defining feature of these four types of institutions is that none of them is an independent entry on the Eligible Universities List; rather, they are teaching entities that exist under the parent university’s brand or as an affiliate.

The Boundaries of Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programmes

The assessment of Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programmes (such as dual-degree or joint-degree programmes jointly run by mainland Chinese universities and overseas universities) is more complex. If the degree the applicant ultimately receives is awarded directly by an eligible university, and the degree certificate clearly names that university as the awarding institution, it may be accepted. However, the following situations are very likely not accepted:

First, where the degree is awarded solely by the Chinese institution, with the overseas university only providing courses or teaching staff and not appearing on the certificate as the awarding institution.

Second, where the awarding institution named on the degree certificate is the name of the cooperative programme rather than the full name of an eligible university.

Third, where all study is completed full-time within mainland China, but the awarding institution of the degree obtained is a non-local institution. Such cases may also require checking against the dual standards of the qualification verification by the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) of the Ministry of Education and the Hong Kong Immigration Department.

It is recommended that graduates of Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programmes enquire with the Immigration Department or submit a case-by-case assessment before applying, and not assume the degree qualifies before receiving a response.

Applicant Self-Check List

Before preparing an application, it is advisable to check the following items one by one:

First, download the latest consolidated Eligible Universities List from the Immigration Department website and confirm whether the full name of the awarding institution appears on it. This is not the school brand name, nor the name used in rankings, but the formal full name shown on the degree certificate.

Second, check the degree certificate and transcript. The awarding institution must match the entry on the list exactly; the degree level must be a bachelor’s degree, as master’s or doctoral degrees do not apply to Category B and Category C.

Third, rule out the four categories of institutions not accepted. If the degree is awarded by a school of continuing education, a branch campus, an extension college or an affiliated college, it does not qualify even if the main campus is on the list.

Fourth, if in doubt, it is advisable to enquire directly with the Immigration Department before applying and obtain a written reply before investing time and application fees. An agency’s verbal assurances or information from third-party websites cannot replace the Immigration Department’s formal assessment.

Common Cases of Misjudged Branch Campuses and Colleges

Some world-renowned universities have branch campuses in different countries bearing the parent university’s brand in their names, which easily leads applicants to assume the qualification automatically qualifies. For campuses such as New York University Abu Dhabi, the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, and Monash University Malaysia Campus, if the awarding institution on the degree certificate is the branch campus name rather than the main campus name, each must be checked individually against the Immigration Department’s Eligible Universities List.

Degrees issued by the continuing education divisions of Hong Kong’s local universities are likewise not applicable to the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS). Taking the HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong School of Professional and Continuing Education (CUSCS) as examples, bachelor’s degrees they issue are generally not recognised by the Eligible Universities List, and even where the awarding institution’s name contains the university brand, this cannot bypass the Immigration Department’s rules.

For Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education Programmes jointly run by mainland Chinese institutions and overseas universities, a common misjudgement is to equate the overseas partner of a cooperative programme (such as a certain QS top-100 university) with the degree-awarding institution. In reality, many such programmes award degrees solely or jointly through the Chinese institution, so it is necessary to check the full name of the awarding party recorded on the degree certificate. For Sino-Foreign cooperative universities with independent legal status, such as Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) and the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), whether they appear as independent entries on the Eligible Universities List must also be checked school by school.

The Relationship Between Qualification Verification and Immigration Assessment

Some applicants mistakenly believe that holding a qualification verification certificate from the China Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) of the Ministry of Education automatically satisfies the academic requirement of the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS); this is wrong. CSCSE verification addresses the authenticity and equivalency of the qualification, certifying the level to which the degree corresponds within mainland China’s education system. The TTPS, by contrast, makes its own independent judgement according to the Immigration Department’s own Eligible Universities List, and does not use a foreign qualification verification body or China’s CSCSE verification as a substitute standard.

The two systems are entirely independent. An applicant may hold an overseas qualification that has passed verification, yet the awarding institution is not on the Eligible Universities List; or the awarding institution may be on the list, but the degree type is not a bachelor’s degree. Both gates must be passed when applying, and one gate cannot be used to prove the other.

Frequently Asked Questions

If the parent university ranks in the QS top 100 but the degree is awarded by a branch campus, can I apply for the TTPS?

No, the ranking of the parent university alone is not enough to decide. The Immigration Department assesses the name of the awarding institution on the degree certificate. If that branch campus appears as an independent entry on the consolidated Eligible Universities List, it is acceptable; otherwise it is not accepted.

Do degrees from 2+2 or 3+1 cooperative education programmes count?

It depends on the institution that ultimately awards the degree. If the degree is awarded directly by an eligible university and the degree certificate clearly names that university as the awarding institution, it may be accepted. If the degree is mainly issued by the Chinese institution, with the overseas university only providing teaching support, it is generally not accepted.

Is there a difference between a bachelor’s degree from a school of continuing education and one from the main campus?

There is an essential difference. Qualifications issued by a school of continuing and professional education are not accepted under the TTPS regardless of whether they are called bachelor’s degrees. The Immigration Department distinguishes by the type of awarding institution, not by the course name.

Can I use documents other than the degree certificate to prove the school’s affiliation when applying?

The Immigration Department’s assessment is based on the awarding institution named on the degree certificate and transcript. An affiliation statement, cooperation memorandum or university registration document is usually insufficient to change the determination. It is recommended to first check the full name of the awarding institution against the Eligible Universities List before applying.

If my degree does not qualify, are there other routes?

You may consider the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS). The QMAS assessment of academic qualifications is not entirely the same as the way the TTPS uses the university list, and the QMAS accepts master’s and doctoral degrees as academic assessment items. The QMAS eligible university list also provides expanded scope for the top 10 MBA institutions. In addition, if you have already been hired by a Hong Kong employer, the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP) does not set a university list threshold.

Sources of Information

  • Official Top Talent Pass Scheme page of the Hong Kong Immigration Department
  • Consolidated Eligible Universities List of the Hong Kong Labour and Welfare Bureau
  • Explanation of the assessment mechanism for the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme of the Hong Kong Immigration Department

The information in this article is current as of 17 July 2026. The Eligible Universities List, institution type determination and case-by-case assessment criteria may change with announcements by the Immigration Department; before making a formal application you should log on to the Hong Kong Immigration Department website to check the latest list and rules. This page provides a compilation of policy information and does not constitute a promise that any individual case will be approved.

Further Reading