Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA)

Overview

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) is a publicly funded conservatory established by ordinance in 1984. It has been ranked first in Asia for Performing Arts in the QS World University Rankings every year since 2019. The School of Film and Television has been housed at the Bethanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam since 2006. Local undergraduate tuition costs HK$47,000 per year (approximately $6,000 USD).

The Hollywood Reporter has ranked the School of Film and Television among the top 15 international film schools. The school is an AVID Learning Partner, and instructors hold AVID professional certifications, giving students a path to AVID-certified professional qualifications in post-production.

HKAPA's interdisciplinary structure places film students in the same institution as dance, drama, music, Chinese opera, and theatre technical arts students. This cross-departmental access means film students can cast actors, commission original scores, and collaborate with theatre designers without leaving the campus.

The BFA program requires a mandatory internship in the third year, placing students at film companies or television stations in Hong Kong.

History

The Hong Kong government established HKAPA by ordinance in 1984 as a publicly funded conservatory for the performing arts. The School of Film and Television was part of the founding structure, offering film and television training alongside dance, drama, music, and Chinese opera.

Key milestones include the 2006 relocation of the School of Film and Television to the Bethanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, the school's consistent first-place ranking in QS World University Rankings for Performing Arts since 2019, and The Hollywood Reporter's inclusion of the film school among the top 15 international film schools. In 2023, HKAPA film graduates won multiple Hong Kong Film Awards for A Guilty Conscience and The Sparring Partner.

Programs Offered

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Film and Television - 4 years, full-time. Students study fundamental major courses in year 1, then select one major:

- Creative Producing

- Screenwriting

- Directing

- Cinematography

- Editing

- Sound Recording and Design

- Digital Screen Design

• Master of Fine Arts in Cinema Production - 2 years full-time or 3 to 4 years part-time. 60 credit requirement. Interview-based admission.
• Professional Diploma programmes - 2-year specialist tracks for high-level practitioners.

Directing and Cinematography rank as the most competitive majors, drawing the highest number of applicants per available seat.

Notable Alumni and What They've Made

• Alan Mak - Co-director of Infernal Affairs (2002), which was remade by Martin Scorsese as The Departed (2006). Infernal Affairs launched a blockbuster franchise and revitalized Hong Kong cinema's 21st-century industry.
• Anthony Wong - Actor, two-time Hong Kong Film Award winner for Best Actor.
• Ng Wai-lun Jack - Director and screenwriter of A Guilty Conscience (2023). Won at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards. The film was a major commercial success in Hong Kong.
• Ho Cheuk-tin - Director of The Sparring Partner (2022). Won at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards. Based on a sensational real-life Hong Kong crime case.
• Dr. Lam Kwan-shing Terry - Screenwriter of A Guilty Conscience (2023). HKAPA School of Film and Television graduate.

HKAPA alumni work across the Hong Kong and Chinese film and television industries, with graduates in directing, producing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing, and sound design roles.

Acceptance Rate

HKAPA does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Admission to the BFA program requires:

• Meeting the General Admission Requirement for Bachelor Honours Degree Programmes or having relevant experience in film, television, or related fields
• Submitting no more than 3 pieces of original creative work (at least one must be a screen work, maximum 5 minutes per piece)
• Demonstrating comprehension and communication ability in English, Chinese, and Cantonese
• Attending an audition/interview (shortlisted applicants only)

The MFA in Cinema Production requires postgraduate qualifications and an interview covering the applicant's focus area, motivation, and understanding of cinema production. Small cohorts ensure close mentorship and significant production resources per student.

Standout Faculty

HKAPA's faculty includes active industry professionals with commercial film credits:

• Faculty associated with *A Guilty Conscience* (2023) - A school dean co-wrote this commercially successful Hong Kong film, which won at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards.
• Faculty associated with *The Sparring Partner* (2022) - HKAPA graduates and faculty contributed to this critically acclaimed Hong Kong crime drama.

The school's instructors hold AVID professional certifications, giving students a path to AVID-certified professional qualifications in post-production. Faculty members include screenwriters and directors of commercially successful Hong Kong films, ensuring students learn from professionals actively producing cinema.

Tuition / Aid Reality

Undergraduate programmes (2026/27):

• Local students: HK$47,000 per year (approximately $6,000 USD)
• Non-local students: HK$63,000 per year (approximately $8,100 USD)

MFA in Cinema Production:

• Full-time: HK$129,000 per year (approximately $16,500 USD)
• Part-time: HK$86,000 per year (approximately $11,000 USD)

Tuition is payable in two equal installments before each semester. Fees are non-refundable. The Hong Kong government subsidizes local student tuition significantly.

HKAPA does not participate in US federal loan programs. Local students may access government financial assistance schemes. Hong Kong's cost of living is among the highest in the world, comparable to London or New York. Budget approximately HK$10,000 to HK$15,000 per month for rent, food, and transport.

Facilities and Equipment

The School of Film and Television operates from the Bethanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam:

• SPaRC Studio - Production and research studio space
• Video Control Room - Multi-camera production control
• ARRI A35 - Professional digital cinema camera
• Canon C500 - 4K digital cinema camera
• Digital Sound Suite 2 - Equipped with Protools ICON for audio post-production
• Post-production facilities - AVID-certified editing workflows

Students have access to professional-level digital cinema cameras, lighting systems, and multi-camera setups for television production.

Student Film Examples

HKAPA student films screen at festivals and serve as launching pads for professional careers. The school's annual showcase screens student work to the public and industry professionals.

The BFA program's third-year internship places students directly at film companies and television stations, giving them production experience on professional sets before graduation. Many student thesis projects have led to industry connections and professional development deals.

What Filmmakers Should Know

HKAPA's interdisciplinary structure gives film students access to actors, musicians, and theatre designers within the same institution. Film students can cast actors, commission original scores, and collaborate with theatre designers without leaving campus. This cross-departmental access is a significant advantage over standalone film schools.

The BFA program's mandatory third-year internship places students at film companies and television stations in Hong Kong. Graduates are qualified for roles as producers, production managers, screenwriters, directors, camerapersons, editors, and sound recordists/designers.

Hong Kong's film industry has shifted toward co-productions with mainland China and the broader Asian market. HKAPA graduates are positioned to navigate this landscape, with alumni networks extending across Hong Kong, Chinese, and international entertainment industries.

The key trade-off: applicants must demonstrate comprehension and communication ability in English, Chinese, and Cantonese. This language requirement limits accessibility for international students who do not speak Cantonese. Hong Kong's high cost of living also poses a financial challenge, though government-subsidized tuition for local students keeps academic costs low.

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See Also

For comparing film school ROI against self-taught paths, see Film School vs Self-Taught. To estimate total education costs including living expenses, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For industry placement rates at top film schools, see Best Industry Placement Rates.