Columbia University Expands Joint Bachelor's Degree Program with City University of Hong Kong

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia University and City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) announced Thursday that they will be expanding their partnership for their Joint Bachelor's Degree Program to allow students graduating from high school to apply directly to the program for the first time starting in Fall 2025.

The partnership between Columbia and CityUHK dates back to 2012 and has been recruiting talented students from four of CityUHK's colleges in twelve eligible majors for over a decade. The Joint Bachelor's Degree Program transcends traditional study abroad opportunities by providing the opportunity to pursue a rigorous undergraduate liberal arts education spanning two continents. Upon completion of the four-year program, graduates earn two bachelor's degrees, one from each institution.

By opening a first-year entry option, the Program joins the Columbia University School of General Studies' current portfolio of highly-regarded international undergraduate dual and joint degree programs with Sciences Po, Trinity College Dublin, and Tel Aviv University. These international dual degree programs were inspired by and modeled on the School's Joint Program with List College of the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS), which was created in 1954.

"As an alumna of the School's first joint program, I am delighted that we are expanding our partnership with City University of Hong Kong, which is consistently ranked among the best academic institutions worldwide. By taking advantage of the opportunity to study full time at a top-tier university in Asia before coming to study in the Ivy League, these students not only benefit from being immersed in a wide range of cultures and experiences, but also make an immense contribution to the Columbia undergraduate classroom," said Lisa Rosen-Metsch, Dean of the School of General Studies.

Students spend their first two years at City University of Hong Kong, the Most International University in the World 2025 by Times Higher Education, studying within one of twelve academic programs, after which they matriculate at Columbia to complete a major and the University's famed Core Curriculum in years three and four. Dedicated Dual Degree Program advisors from both CityUHK and Columbia are assigned to students as soon as they enroll, providing guidance and support on academics and student life.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the brightest students from Hong Kong and around the world to earn a transformational double degree, enabling them to secure international exposure early on as this program is highly recognized in local, regional, and global job markets," said Professor Alan Wan Tze-kin, Associate Provost (Academic Affairs) at CityUHK.

He added that students holding this joint degree will benefit from being immersed in a wide range of cultures and experiences, greatly benefiting their future growth.

This multidisciplinary educational experience, focused across the humanities, natural, and social sciences, provides students with a strong liberal arts education while empowering them to succeed in an increasingly complex and fast-changing world.

The Joint Bachelor's Degree Program combines the breadth of the Columbia Undergraduate Core Curriculum and the rigor of majors approved for Joint Degree Program Students with CityUHK's Discovery Enhanced Curriculum, welcoming students from diverse academic backgrounds. The program creates unique opportunities for those pursuing studies in Business, Science, Technology and Social Sciences majors to engage in a rigorous, globally-focused education across two leading institutions. There are currently 54 Joint Bachelor's Degree Program students enrolled at GS.

About City University of Hong Kong
CityUHK is an innovative hub for world-class research and education with 11 Colleges and Schools: Biomedicine, Business, Computing, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Science, Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences, Creative Media, Energy and Environment, Law, and Graduate Studies, together with 29 academic units. CityUHK is the most International University in the world for two consecutive years in 2024 and 2025, ranked in the top 100 globally, and top 10 in Asia.

About Columbia University
Among the world's leading research universities, Columbia University in the City of New York continuously seeks to advance the frontiers of scholarship and foster a campus community deeply engaged in the complex issues of our time through teaching, research, patient care, and public service. The University comprises 17 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, four affiliated colleges and seminaries in Manhattan, and a wide array of research institutes and global centers around the world. More than 40,000 students, award-winning faculty, and professional staff define the University's underlying values and commitment to pursuing new knowledge and educating informed, engaged citizens. Founded in 1754 as King's College, Columbia is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

About Columbia University School of General Studies
The Columbia University School of General Studies (GS) is the premier liberal arts college in the United States for students pursuing a nontraditional path to a rigorous, traditional, Ivy League undergraduate education. GS students take the same courses, study with the same faculty, and earn the same degree as all other undergraduates at Columbia University.

SOURCE Columbia University