Dongguan – September 07, 2026 -- The City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) held its opening ceremony for the 2026 academic year on September 2, 2026, welcoming more than 1,300 students in its third student cohort since the university's official founding in 2024.
The campus awarded its first master's degrees just months earlier
The September ceremony came only months after CityUHK (Dongguan) conferred master's degrees on its first graduating class in June 2026, marking a rapid academic build-out for the young campus in China's Greater Bay Area.
Bachelor's applicants now include national science olympiad winners
Admissions standards for the 2026 bachelor's cohort rose again, with the university drawing high-performing applicants from across mainland China, including winners of national science olympiads. CityUHK (Dongguan) also expanded recruitment of bachelor's students from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan while admitting a more diverse group of international students.
Master's applicants arrive from Peking, Tsinghua and Fudan universities
The university's master's programs drew applications from graduates of Peking University, Tsinghua University and Fudan University in 2026, alongside candidates from the University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London, Nanyang Technological University, UC Berkeley and the University of Melbourne.
More than 40 global partner institutions now back the Dongguan campus
CityUHK, regularly ranked by Times Higher Education as the world's most international university, has built partnerships with more than 40 leading institutions for its Dongguan campus, including the University of Cambridge, University College London, UC Berkeley and Utrecht University.
New students from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan describe an inclusive campus
Meerim, a new student from Kyrgyzstan, said she chose CityUHK (Dongguan) for its academic reputation and international community. "The campus is very vibrant and welcoming,