By June 2019, a total of 15,700 Hong Kong students had studied in over 300 mainland universities and research institutes, Chinanews.com reported on September 2, quoting sources from Ta Kung Pao.

As the new semester approaches, nearly 8,000 Hong Kong students are returning to school or starting their college life in 54 universities and colleges in Guangdong, according to official data.

Wong is one such student coming to the mainland to study traditional Chinese medicine. She is a new student at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine.

The train is extremely quick, taking about three hours from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, said Wong.

Different from Hong Kong, online food delivery and mobile payment have been standard in mainland, bringing convenience to people’s daily life, which is a brand new experience for Hong Kong students, Chinanews.com reported.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area provides favorable policies for Hong Kong students, Wong said, adding that she hopes she can contribute to the area’s development after graduation by operating traditional Chinese medicine clinics in both Guangdong province and Hong Kong.

An official from the Education Department of Guangdong province said that Guangdong attracts the largest number of Hong Kong students in the Chinese mainland.

Aside from the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, the majority of students from Hong Kong study at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), South China University of Technology, and Jinan University.