Studying in Hong Kong with low grades

[Lollylou]

Following on from a recent post, I was wondering if someone might help me out with the following.

My partner of 6 years is being transferred by the bank he works for from London to Hong Kong, commencing in June. I would love to go with him and am prepared to give up my job here to do so. However, having investigated working in HK myself, I realise that this is by no means easy. I would however, like to study. Am I right in thinking that to undertake a course at a university in HK, I will need to have certain grades to be accepted? I didn't particularly want to go into further education after I'd left school (16 years ago), so I don't have particularly good grades as a starting point. As we are unmarried, I believe only degree level courses are an option for me? At 32 years old, I will of course be considered a mature student - will this hinder me at all?

Many thanks
Louise

[Hugo85]

What have you done in those 16 years is probably what matters more at this point. Work experiences is what you will be judged on, not your grades in the early 90's, and is what you need the put emphasis on in your application.

Now, it also depends on what you want to do. If you want to do medicine or a PhD in nanotechnology you may find it hard to get in, if it's a bachelor in something with low to medium entrance difficulty it is very possible for you to get in.

So in conclusion, depends on your work experiences in the past 16 years and what you want to get in. Do look up the requirements, if there is a standard test to get in I suggest you spend a lot of time studying for it (GMAT, GRE, etc).

[apple&dog]

I think going to a culinary school will work or study any skills related.

[Lollylou]

Thank you both for your advice. Much appreciated.

a&d - Funnily enough, culinary school is the one thing I'd like to do more than anything else but I didn't dare mention it on here in case it was considered a ridiculous idea! To say cooking interests me is quite an understatement and can only imagine the opportunities in Hong Kong are fantastic.

But to apply for a culinary course would presumably not entitle me to a visa? I'd love you to tell me I'm wrong but I couldn't see any courses of an appropriate length of time, say 8 months to a year, which would warrant the ImmD granting me a visa to study. If you have any ideas of where else I might look, I'd love to hear them.

The sad thing for me is that Hong Kong is my favourite city in the world. My sister lived there for 3 years and I travel there for work regularly (I'm a flight attendant currently) so when my partners job offer came about, I was ecstatic. Like many others before me, further investigation reveals how difficult it is to start a new life in this fabulous place!

Louise

[Hugo85]

I would figure out what you want to do first, then inquire about visa options in the proper forum. Fully analyzing the best option to see if it is feasible might yield the sweetest fruits

[carang]

stupid question, but....

why dont' you just get married? then the visa sorts itself out! no one need know that you got hitched unless you want them to....

[Lollylou]

Carang - couldn't agree more. It's certainly the option I'd prefer to take, if mostly for convenience (although I do love him very much, just so you know!). It's not a route he wants to take, and yes, I realise that opens up a whole load of other issues but this isn't a relationship forum! The marriage thing would make my life so much easier and we have been together for 6 years but he just won't budge so c'est la vie and all that!

[carang]

a couple of things:

the extended visitor's visa is generally ONLY granted for those people who can PROVE that the intend to marry imminently. so, that might be a problem and not so easy to sort out.

something else to consider:
most people say, "2 year" contract is all they are going to stay in hk...10 years later they are still here....if this happens AND you are doing visa runs AND they decide to stop you from entering... what will you do? what will your man do?

[Lollylou]

Well yes, quite. And don't think I haven't thought of every scenario. We both love HK and could quite easily get caught up in staying so, knowing him the way I do, I know he'd give in to me and head down the marriage route. Some people are just very anti marriage and he's one of them but I do know he cares more about me than a job. One thing in my favour at least!

[er2]

Lollylou - afaik pretty much every course you take at a public university will get you the visa, although sometimes only on term basis (i.e. renewable every 5 month), which means no HKID and therefore free medical care for you.
If you plan to quit your current job I'd rather focus on something that is useful (unless culinary skills would convince your boyfriend to marry you...?!?). CUHK and some other schools offer excellent Cantonese and Puntonghua/Mandarin full time programs and while the degree (Advanced Diploma) does not entitle you to the IANG Visa scheme that allows you to stay in HK after graduation, I'd expect ImmD to be much more likely to grant you a work visa if you speak the local language.
You can also take degree courses at OpenU through evening classes. Although this sounds rather boring compared to other universities, I guess it would be the better choice. Getting into the other schools is rather tough and local students, while academically excellent, aren't necessarily the most mature bunch (I'm a TA at CUHK, usually you think you're in High School). Also, I guess you could combine this with occasionally working in your old job. That might be legally unsound, but not more so than coming here and looking for a job on a Tourist visa (which is what probably 50% of the people on this forum did). Since some of these courses are offered in cooperation with British universities, you should also be able to continue them if you decide to return to the UK.
I guess it depends mostly on how much time and money you're willing to devote, but if you need a starting point, go for the language classes. Costs are ~1500 pounds/term for the full time program (i.e. 4500 for the first year), it is a good way to meet people and a skill that'll help you in whatever job you might be looking for afterwards.