Mainland Chinese families lose legal challenge over public university fees

A group of 87 Mainland Chinese families who came to Hong Kong under talent visa schemes has lost a legal bid to challenge the government’s policy changes that affected their children’s access to publicly funded university places as dependants.High Court Judge Russell Coleman on Friday ruled that there was no irrationality in the Education Bureau’s requirement that children of parents who arrived through the schemes must have lived in the city for at least two years before they can enjoy subsidised fees at the universities from 2028 onwards.The government, which announced the policy change in July 2025, said the eligibility would be gradually tightened, with a one-year residency requirement introduced for 2027-28 applications as a preparation.High Court Judge Russell Coleman noted that should he make any decision to quash government policies and refer them back to authorities, the result would likely be the ministers making the same decision again. Photo: Yik Yeung-manBut three months later, 87 families filed a judicial review against the new policy, including “one-year rule”.