Hong Kong University VS Toronto University

Hello everyone,

I am currently studying in a BSc in Business Management at King's College London, and I would like to study abroad during my second year, ie next year.

I have the choice between Hong Kong University and Toronto University, but I REALLY do not know which one might be the best:

For me, both cities looks incredibly beautiful and amazing, but I cannot make a choice only on different pictures that I see on Internet, and on two or three rankings !!

I would really like to know if some of you already went there, and if it is the case, how did you like it ?

Moreover, I don't know which university is the best among the two mentionned above :/

Finally, what would you do if you were me ?

Thank you for your time and precious help

StudioBagel =)

Both universities are highly ranked, however as a Hong Kong resident and a future HKU applicant, I can say that you'll feel quite comfortable there as there are many international students in HKU. Furthermore, HKU is located in a very nice area within Hong Kong, however as people have mentioned, it is quite polluted in HK and housing is quite expensive here. Personally, I would say that you should consider HKU (obviously, I'd be biased here) but really, it's like a melting pot of many different cultures here and I can say that you'd really enjoy it. This is completely a pro-HKU post as I don't know a lot about UofT. :P Good luck, and I'm sure you'll have a great time at the uni you choose!

Thanks everyone for your help, I know a lot more things now than previously!!

I must admit that I am a little bit more attracted by Hong Kong (very slightly !!!!), but there are still three things that I would like to know:

People told me that the life in Hong Kong was super expensive, whereas some told me you could buy food for like 1p ... Don't understand that.

Secondly, which one would you choose if you were a 18-19 years old student (me) ? Seems like life in both cities is different whether you are 18 or 35.

Thirdly, what about the beauty of both cities ?

Thanks a lot for your help, all of you,

StudioBagel

To answer your first question, it really depends on what you are getting. You can get cheap food from street vendors which offer snacks like smelly tofu, curry fish balls, Chinese egg waffles (or egg puffs) to Western-influenced fusion HK cuisine such as baked rice, spaghetti with sliced ham in cream sauce, and HK-style French toast. There are varieties of food to choose from in HK, and the prices depends on which type of food you are looking for. Generally, street vendors are really cheap (you can get an afternoon tea combo for around HK $25-30; much cheaper than London's Chinatown in my opinion) and HK-style tea cafeterias are good for a quick and cheap eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are other alternatives to choose from, such as congee restaurants which sell noodles, rice, congee, dim sum restaurants, as well as all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurants (although they are pretty expensive), seafood restaurants (expensive, but an amazing experience if you are eating with a large group of friends), Indian and Pakistani restaurants (especially in Tsim Sha Tsui), as well as Western restaurants.



In response to your second question, I would say Hong Kong hands down. As a food junkie, I love the fact that you will be able to try a lot of different Chinese cuisine. Also, the city provides a lot of entertainment and stuff to do.



There is too much to talk about the two cities, so I am just going to sum up the major things that I like about HK and Toronto respectively.

The beauty of Hong Kong is that it has a very lively atmosphere and energetic feel and it offers a lot of cuisine and entertainment that you will not be able to experience in Canada. With its extensive transportation system and close proximity to subway stations and bus stops everywhere (and also taxis, don't forget), you will have easy access pretty much to anywhere within Hong Kong. Nightlife is also really great in HK. However, if you are really claustrophobic and hate being around a lot of people, then HK isn't the place for you. Note that the living space in Hong Kong is really small and you will not have a lot of personal space to yourself, so if you don't like being in such a high-density environment, then I do not recommend going to Hong Kong.

As for Toronto, I really love the multiculturalism of the city. You will meet many different people from different backgrounds and walks of life. You would also be able to try many ethnic cuisines in Toronto in different sections of the city and explore different parts of the city, given the ethnic diversity of the city. There are also a lot of museums, attractions, and galleries that you can visit within a short distance from U of T, since the transportation system is really good in downtown Toronto, with access to subways, streetcars, and buses. Note that your transportation costs for public transit are much lower than in HK (except for taxis), since it is a flat rate to go from your place of origin to your destination. You can also get day passes to explore around the city without having to spend more than your limit, unlike HK. It will also be a lot more spacious, considering that Toronto is a bigger city with less people. Note that most Canadians are really friendly and welcoming (at least more than HK in my opinion) and you will be able to have a better experience if you were to choose Toronto (but then, that depends on who you will encounter; this is just my experience).

Hi Zero Gravity,

Thank you very much for your very high quality answers, which are very useful to me. Now I know a lot more things about both places, and with what you said to me and with further research, I have to admit that I am highly tempted to go there!!

I still have to think about it, but for the moment, I would go for HK !!

I will tell you about my choice later Btw do you know stg about HK university or Toronto uni, or both ?

Thanks again,

Studio