Global higher education analysis firm Quacquarelli Symonds recently released the 2027 QS Asia University Rankings. The top ten in Asia remained largely unchanged, but the internal pecking order was reshuffled—Hong Kong institutions emerged as the biggest winners this round, while Singapore’s two leading universities both dropped out of the top five.

01 List of Top 100 Universities in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao

The University of Hong Kong retained its top ranking, Peking University remained in second place, and Tsinghua University moved up to third. For the first time since 2023, two mainland Chinese universities have ranked among the top three in Asia.

Note: 9th place (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) and 93rd place (Renmin University of China, Southern University of Science and Technology) are tied.

This year’s ranking covers 26 higher education systems and 1,722 universities, 188 more than last year, including 195 institutions making their debut on the list.

But the most talked-about statement isn’t in the data: among Asia’s top ten, Hong Kong accounts for half.

The University of Hong Kong ranked first in Asia for the second consecutive year; City University of Hong Kong It rose to 4th place, with the Chinese University of Hong Kong at 5th; the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology tied at 9th.

So a more accurate way to put it is not that “five Hong Kong institutions squeezed into Asia’s top 100”—all five actually made Asia’s top 10. Adding Baptist University, Education University, Lingnan University, City University, and Hang Seng University, none of the 11 Hong Kong institutions on the list fell out of Asia’s top 500; eight improved their rankings, and one remained unchanged.

In a ranking cycle where most mature higher‑education systems in Asia have seen more declines than gains, this marks a rare collective upward move.

02 Shanggang School: No Need to Obsess Over the Gaokao

As soon as the 2027 QS Asia University Rankings were released, the University of Hong Kong, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology all ranked in the top ten across Asia. The prestige of Hong Kong universities continues to rise, yet many parents are still unaware of this — At Shanghai Port High School, there’s no need to squeeze through the most crowded path—the college entrance exam route.

DSE

DSE This is the first pathway. One transcript opens three parallel tracks: Hong Kong students can apply through JUPAS, competing for one of the 15,000 government-funded places at Hong Kong’s eight universities, with more favorable admission requirements and tuition fees; eligible candidates (with permanent residency and a Home Return Permit) can use the Diploma Programme Admissions Scheme to apply directly to 165 mainland Chinese universities, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University; and over 2,100 overseas institutions recognize DSE results, allowing applications to universities in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand with ease.

A-Level

A-Level is the second path. It’s a globally recognized gold-standard curriculum; applying to Hong Kong universities is routine, and applying to the UK, Singapore, or Australia can all be handled with a single set of results—no need to switch tracks.

No need to squeeze through the narrow bottleneck of the Gaokao. The DSE and A-Level are simply two different keys. But when it comes to your own child, you still need to first clarify three things: How are the DSE and A-Level exams taken? Are their scores high enough to aim for… Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ？

The Zhuhai Yinghua International Education Open Day is on Saturday, November 14, offering you a comprehensive overview of the entire DSE pathway and live Q&A!