Saint Francis University - Press Release - SFU Sees 10% Increase in Applications This Year Hotel and Tourism Management and AI Programmes Most Competitive 2026-06-30

Saint Francis University (SFU) has received a strong response to its programmes this year, with around 32,000 applications recorded by mid-June, representing a 10% increase over the same period last academic year. The University expects application numbers to continue rising after the release of the HKDSE results. Today, SFU announced its "Top 10 Most Popular Programmes" and "Top 10 Most Competitive Programmes" for the year. Nursing, Physiotherapy, Social Work, Hotel and Tourism Management, and Artificial Intelligence performed particularly well.

Nursing Tops Most Popular Programmes, Emerging Technology Subjects Also in High Demand
Among this year's top 10 most popular programmes, the Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) ranks first, followed by the Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) in Applied Hotel and Tourism Management and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physiotherapy. Emerging technology programmes such as the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Artificial Intelligence and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Entertainment Technology have also made it into the top 10, the number of enrolments has seen a significant increase.

SFU President Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung said, "The society is placing increasing emphasis on the development of universities of applied sciences (UAS), while also recognising the value of applied education that integrates theory with practice. The encouraging number of applications received by SFU this year reflects broad recognition of the University's positioning as a UAS. Programmes related to health sciences have long been one of SFU's strengths. We have also continued to develop other relevant academic areas and strengthen students' AI literacy, with a view to nurturing talent equipped with professional knowledge, practical competence and innovative thinking."

Top 10 Most Popular Programmes
1	Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)	8,656 applications
2	Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) in Applied Hotel and Tourism Management	3,984 applications
3	Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physiotherapy	3,803 applications
4	Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Artificial Intelligence	2,353 applications
5	Higher Diploma in Enrolled Nursing (General)	2,169 applications
6	Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Entertainment Technology	1,556 applications
7	Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours)	1,205 applications
8	Higher Diploma in Social Work	966 applications
9	Higher Diploma in Health Care	808 applications
10	Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Translation Technology	775 applications

Top 10 Most Competitive Programmes
1	Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) in Applied Hotel and Tourism Management
2	Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Artificial Intelligence
3	Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Digital Entertainment Technology
4	Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physiotherapy
5	Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Translation Technology
6	Higher Diploma in Enrolled Nursing (General)
7	Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours)
8	Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)
9	Higher Diploma in Social Work
10	Higher Diploma in Health Care

To support the growth in student numbers, SFU is actively advancing its new campus development project in Tai Wai, with a particular focus on further developing health sciences and AI disciplines. Professor Cheung said the project has entered its final stage and will soon proceed to tendering. Phase One is expected to come into operation in early 2028, while Phase Two is scheduled for completion in 2030, providing students and staff with an enhanced teaching and learning environment.

Young people in Hong Kong are facing challenges in four key areas: education, employment, entrepreneurship and home ownership. Dr Kat Leung Sze-ming, Secretary-General and Vice-President (Administration) of SFU, said, "SFU is committed to supporting youths' upward mobility. Through our flexible 2+2 academic pathway, internship opportunities, articulation to professional qualifications and entrepreneurship support, we help students plan their further studies and career development at their own pace. This aims to lay a strong foundation for students in the three aspects of academics, employment, and entrepreneurship."

Dr Anthony Wong Tik-tsuen, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of the Yam Pak Charitable Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at SFU, said, "With the rapid development of generative AI and big data technologies, industries across finance, healthcare and business services are in urgent need of cross-disciplinary talent with both technological knowledge and practical capabilities. Graduates may pursue careers as AI engineers, data analysts and business intelligence analysts. Recently, many AI companies have been actively expanding their teams and launching large-scale recruitment exercises, reflecting strong market demand for talent."

He added that the programme provides students with about 200 hours of internship experience and encourages them to learn at international tech companies, highlighting its applied nature and SFU's strengths in promoting industry-academia collaboration. Even applicants without a science background, or without prior study in mathematics or computer-related subjects, are welcome to apply. The programme starts with foundational knowledge and helps students gradually build core competencies in AI.

SFU offers a wide range of professionally accredited programmes, providing students with diverse development pathways. The average starting salary of SFU graduates is around HK$31,000, while the progression and employment rate reaches 90%, reflecting the strong academic and career prospects. Registrar of SFU Ms Janny Chan Wing-mei said, "As a UAS, many of SFU's programmes belong to people-oriented professional fields, such as Social work, Physiotherapy, Hotel and Tourism management, and Early childhood education. In addition to academic results, we also place considerable importance on applicants' interview performance. Interviews will mainly be conducted in the form of group sessions to assess applicants' interest in the programme, passion and future development direction."

She advised applicants to familiarise themselves with programme features, understand industry trends, and organise their thoughts on the programme and their personal development goals in advance, so that they can demonstrate genuine interest and curiosity during the interview and enhance their chances of admission. Applicants should also arrive on time and dress appropriately for the interview. SFU reminds applicants who have already submitted applications to pay attention to email and SMS notifications for their interview arrangements.

In addition, the University noted that parents wishing to secure an additional post-results study option for their children may submit an application through the SFU website on or before the deadline for the second round of admissions, which falls on 13 July. For applicants who complete their applications by the deadline, SFU will be able to receive their HKDSE results directly from the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) on the day of the results release. Applicants who meet the admission requirements may receive a formal offer on the same day, allowing students and parents to plan ahead for further study options.