Higher Diploma in Biomedical Science | IVE Health & Life Science

Programme Aims

The programme aims to equip students with wide range of knowledge, skills and techniques in biomedical science including biomedical analysis and medical testing.

The programme is designed with an emphasis on generic and language training, whole-person development and workplace experience to better prepare students for further studies and employment after graduation.

The programme is linked to the “Earn and Learn” scheme. Upon completion of the full-time first year of this programme², the student may choose to study in the “Earn and Learn” scheme. Under the “Earn and Learn” scheme, students can enroll in the seventh semester of the “Earn and Learn” Part-Time (Day) mode. Students will be employed by the participating companies as registered apprentice for three years in the “Earn and Learn”. During the three-year training period, there will be salary, government allowance and additional subsidy. For the first two years of “Earn and Learn” scheme, the employer will sponsor the apprentice to study the Higher Diploma (HD) programme at IVE for one to two day per week³.

For details, please refer to the “Earn and Learn” scheme website.

The tuition fee for the full-time Higher Diploma is paid by the student.
Employers will sponsor the tuition fees for these two years.

Professional Recognition

Graduates are eligible to apply for Intermediate membership of Australian Institute of Medical Scientists.

Career Prospects

Graduates may be employed as medical laboratory assistants, research assistants, technicians in quality control and product development, product specialists.

Information

Duration of Study	2 Years
Mode of Study	Full-time
Offering Campus(es) / Venue(s)	IVE (Sha Tin)
Entrance Requirements	VTC Diploma of Foundation Studies; OR VTC Diploma of Vocational Education / VTC Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate; OR Diploma Yi Jin / Diploma of Applied Education; OR Relevant and substantial work experience and/or prior qualification(s) obtained in or outside Hong Kong (e.g. assessed through recognition of prior learning and credit accumulation and transfer), with demonstrated ability to undertake sub-degree education; OR Equivalent Remarks : Applicants can use HKDSE Applied Learning (ApL) subjects (except ApL Chinese) for admission purpose. An "Attained", "Attained with Distinction (I)" and "Attained with Distinction (II)" in an ApL subject (Category B subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2", "Level 3" and "Level 4" respectively for admission purpose. For 2024 HKDSE and before, a "Grade D or E" and a "Grade C or above" in an HKDSE Other Language subject (Category C subjects) are regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" and "Level 3" respectively; From 2025 HKDSE onwards, Language Proficiency Level A2 or above in French / German / Spanish, N3 or above in Japanese and TOPIK II: Grade 3 or above in Korean are also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement (Subject to approval by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ)). One Other Language subject can be counted for admission purpose. An "Attained" in HKDSE Citizenship and Social Development is regarded as equivalent to an HKDSE subject at "Level 2" for admission purpose. If one of the five HKDSE subjects is Citizenship and Social Development, the general entrance requirement would become "Attained" for Citizenship and Social Development and Level 2 or above in four other HKDSE subjects including Chinese Language and English Language. Besides, Level 2 or above in Mathematics Extended Part (Module 1 or Module 2) is also recognised as one of the five HKDSE subjects in fulfilling the general entrance requirement. If applicants have taken both Module 1 and Module 2, either one of the modules (with a higher level) will be counted for admission purpose. Applicable to holders of Diploma in Vocational Education / Diploma of Vocational Education (DVE) (students admitted to DVE in AY2017/18 or before are required to complete prescribed further studies modules). Upon completion of the Diploma of Vocational Baccalaureate (DVB) programmes, students can progress to Higher Diploma programmes in VTC, subject to their BTEC and IGCSE results. Applications with work experience and/or prior qualification(s) submitted will be assessed individually by the departments concerned.
Articulation	Graduates can apply for further study in local or overseas universities and other Bachelor degrees listed below : Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biomedical Science offered by Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Human Biology offered by Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science offered by the Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biomedical Science offered by the University of Ulster, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biomedical Science offered by the Edinburgh Napier University, United Kingdom; Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biological Science offered by the Edinburgh Napier University, United Kingdom; and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Applied Microbiology offered by the Edinburgh Napier University, United Kingdom. ^# It is a matter of discretion for individual employers to recognize any qualification to which this course may lead. Please refer to the corresponding programme page in the website of SHAPE.
Notes	Students may be required to attend classes on other VTC campuses. VTC reserves the right to cancel any programme, revise programme content or change the offering institute(s) / campus(es) / class venue(s) if circumstances so warrant. The study duration of Higher Diploma programmes is normally 2 years. The tuition fee is payable in two installments each year. In addition to tuition fees, students will be required to pay other fees, such as caution money and students’ union annual fees. Students of Higher Diploma programmes will be required to pay the study package fees for Chinese & Putonghua modules. Some students may be required to study bridging modules or enhancement programmes to support their study; or to attend additional training, industrial attachments, public examinations for which separate fees will be charged. Tuition fees are subject to annual review. The tuition fee levels for 2nd Year will be reviewed subject to inflationary adjustments and other relevant factors. The information listed above is only applicable to local students.