Subsidised physiotherapy places slashed by third amid graduate job crunch

Hong Kong education authorities have cut the number of subsidised places for physiotherapy and occupational therapy programmes at three self-financing institutions by about a third for the 2027-28 school year amid a graduate job crunch.

A physiotherapy association backed the reduction to avoid worsening unemployment in the sector, saying any future increase would depend on the government budget.

The Education Bureau on Monday announced that its Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions or Sectors (SSSDP) would fund 4,711 places across 59 undergraduate programmes at eight self-financing institutions next year.

The overall number of subsidised places fell by 70 compared with the current year, a drop of about 1 per cent.