Macao is highly ranked on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
There are two main kinds of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Macao:
1. Public HEIs: There are four Government funded Institutions of Higher Education in Macao. These include both Universities (e.g. the University of Macao, the highest ranked and best known HEI in the country) and professional schools (e.g. Macao Polytechnic University, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs with a high level of integration with the labor market, and impressive placement statistics). The other two public HEIs in Macao focus on the Tourism Industry and Security Forces, respectively.
2. Private HEIs: There are six private Institutions of Higher Education in the country. They include both Comprehensive HEIs (e.g. the City University of Macao), and HEIs with a clear subject focus (e.g. Macao University of Science and Technology, and the Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macao). The tuition fee at Private HEIs is usually slightly higher than that in Public HEIs in Macao.
There are three types of courses in Macau that are not part of the full time higher education system. These include certificate courses for professionals, short term language learning and virtual courses, and professional training qualifications. This is an important part of the continuing education initiative of the Government, which seeks to allow adults to return to complete qualifications missed earlier.
Undergraduate Bachelor's degree programs in Macao are taught in both Chinese and English. They normally take four years to complete, with an optional foundation year, if the student needs to learn the language or study bridge courses in the subject. Each Faculty in a Macao University normally offers multiple Bachelor's programs.
Each Department or Faculty normally offers multiple postgraduate Master's degree programs. For example, the Faculty of Science and Technology may have several Master's programs within Computer Science alone e.g. Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology. Students are given 2-3 years to complete the course of study, and must prove their ability by completing intensive assignments and regular practical and theoretical examination assessments.
The PhD degree is the apex qualification awarded by Universities in Macao. It is a bridge between academics and research. Designed to be completed in approximately four years, it has an initial phase of coursework and training. After a qualifying examination, they start guided research work under a faculty mentor. At the end of the course, they must defend their thesis successfully to be awarded the PhD degree.
The SAR has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in Macao are-
Chinese Medical Sciences | Collaborative Innovation | Materials Science |
Applied Physics | Business Administration | Arts and Humanities |
Microelectronics | Law | Social Studies |
Hospitality Management | International Finance | Accounting |
Artificial Intelligence | Luxury Brand Management | International Relations |
Here are some popular cities that have the most universities in Macao.
The name of the city | No. of Universities |
Macao | 10 |
The Tuition Fee in Macao Universities is much higher than in other Asian countries. For example, the total fee payable for undergraduate courses ranges from 95,200 to 557,000 USD (up to 5 million MOP), with the upper end of the scale corresponding to Medical Studies. Postgraduate degrees, being shorter, are associated with tuition fees up to 200,000 USD (1.6 million MOP).
Accommodation for students in Macao is easily available through University housing. The rent ranges from 12,000 to 30,000 MOP for a nine month (academic year) period, which is higher than in many other countries in Asia. Students must also budget a similar amount towards food, travel, recreation, and shopping for personal items.
Applicants for a long term Macao Student Visa must complete the steps listed below, and submit the following documents: