The Chinese University of Hong Kong — General FAQ

This article answers the most common questions about CUHK (Sha Tin main campus only; CUHK, Shenzhen is excluded) in a Q&A format. All key figures are tagged with their time‑window and backed by official sources; “See also” entries link to the corresponding files within this volume. Date of compilation: 1 July 2026.

# Q1. When was CUHK founded?

1963. According to the CUHK website^※, the University was established in 1963 by amalgamating three existing colleges — New Asia College, Chung Chi College, and United College — with the formal inauguration taking place on 17 October 1963^※ at City Hall. It is Hong Kong’s second university (after HKU, founded in 1911). For the pre‑history and the merger of the three colleges, see also History and Development.

# Q2. Why is the institution called “The Chinese University”?

The name reflects the founding mission: in a Hong Kong that already had an English‑medium university (HKU), to establish a university that places primacy on Chinese, preserves and promotes Chinese culture, and brings together China and the West. The stated aim is “to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West” (Introducing CUHK^※). See also History and Development.

# Q3. Where is the campus, and how big is it?

It is located in Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong (Shatin, N.T.^※). The campus covers approximately 137.3 hectares^※ (another official page gives 138.4 hectares^※), set on a hillside overlooking the sea. It is the largest and greenest university campus in Hong Kong.

# Q4. How many students are there?

Counting only UGC‑funded programmes (as at 30 September 2024^※): undergraduates 18,438, postgraduates 4,650, total 23,088. This figure excludes the large number of self‑financed taught‑master’s students; the all‑inclusive headcount, including self‑financed programmes, is roughly 30,000. For details on the scope of the various headcount metrics, see also Key Figures Dashboard.

# Q5. How many staff are there?

According to CUHK Human Resources Office^※, there are 8,000‑plus full‑time staff. The University has not published a single “staff‑to‑student ratio” figure in recent years; do not cite any precise student‑staff ratio.

# Q6. Who leads the University? (titles and roles)

The three pillars of governance (Governance^※): the Chancellor is the Chief Executive of the HKSAR ex officio; the Council is the supreme governing body; the Senate is the highest academic authority. The chief executive officer is the Vice‑Chancellor and President — the incumbent is the ninth Vice‑Chancellor (inventor of non‑invasive prenatal testing, NIPT), who took office on 8 January 2025^※ on a five‑year term. For the full list of past incumbents, see also Governance and Past Vice‑Chancellors.

# Q7. How many Faculties and Colleges are there?

8 Faculties (Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, Social Science) plus 9 Colleges (New Asia, Chung Chi, United, Shaw, Morningside, S.H. Ho, C.W. Chu, Wu Yee Sun, Lee Woo Sing), according to F&F 2024/25^※. See also Key Figures Dashboard and The Eight Faculties at a Glance.

# Q8. What are the motto, emblem, and colours?

Motto: 博文約禮^※ (“Through learning and temperance to virtue,” from the Analects). Emblem: a mythical bird, the “fèng”, facing backwards (granted by the College of Arms in London in 1967^※). Colours: purple and gold^※ (purple = devotion, gold = perseverance). See also Symbols and Identity.

# Q9. What are its world rankings?

Latest rankings (as at June 2026): QS 2027: 18th globally^※ (first time inside the global top 20; highest ever); THE 2026: 41st globally^※; U.S. News 2026–2027: 28th globally^※ (highest ever); ARWU 2024: 3rd in Hong Kong. Rankings fluctuate year to year; see also Key Figures Dashboard and the rankings module.

# Q10. Has CUHK produced a Nobel laureate?

The third Vice‑Chancellor, Charles K. Kao (高錕), received the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics^※ (for his work on fibre‑optic communication). He had earlier founded the Department of Electronics at CUHK. In addition, the incumbent (ninth) Vice‑Chancellor is an internationally renowned scholar in the field of non‑invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). See also Firsts and Superlatives.

# Q11. Is CUHK, Shenzhen the same institution as the Sha Tin main campus?

No — they are separate legal entities. CUHK, Shenzhen was established in 2014^※ and operates as an independent institution. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all data in this volume refer to the Sha Tin main campus only. For the relationship between the two, see the internationalisation module.

# Q12. What has changed about the non‑local student intake cap?

The cap on non‑local students for UGC‑funded programmes was raised from 20% to 40% starting from the 2024/25 academic year^※, and was further raised to 50% from 2026/27^※. See also Key Figures Dashboard.

# Q13. How large are the library collections?

There are 7 libraries; the holdings comprise 2,592,841^※ print volumes and 6,168,047 e‑books (F&F 2024/25). See also Key Figures Dashboard.

# Q14. What is the calibre of admitted students?

2024 intake: 3,019^※ students admitted via JUPAS; over 99% were Band A applicants; among Hong Kong’s top 100 scorers in the HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education), CUHK took 50% — the highest share of any local institution. See also Key Figures Dashboard.