The Hong Kong Vacation Scheme Guide

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What is a vacation scheme?

A vacation scheme, often shortened to vac scheme, is a short paid placement at a law firm, usually two to four weeks over the summer. You sit with a practice group, take on real trainee work, join group exercises, and meet the people who decide who gets hired. It is part insight, part extended interview.

In Hong Kong this matters more than students expect. Trainee intakes are small and most firms make a large share of their training contract offers to the students who shine on the scheme. Get the vacation scheme right and you are most of the way to qualifying. That is why it is worth treating as the single most important stage of the whole process.

When to apply

The Hong Kong vacation scheme timeline

The cycle runs roughly a year ahead of the placement. Most firms open applications in the autumn and close them between January and March, then run assessment centres and interviews through the spring, with the schemes themselves taking place from June to August. Because many firms recruit on a rolling basis, places fill before the final deadline, so applying early is a real advantage.

The one rule that never changes: verify every date. Deadlines move year to year and firm to firm. We keep a live tracker of the current cycle so you are never working off a number that has quietly changed.

Who firms take

Who can apply, and what firms look for

The standard time to apply is your penultimate year of study, so a summer scheme leads into a training contract after you graduate. Final year students, postgraduates and career changers can apply too, since routes vary by firm. Beyond that, most international firms in Hong Kong share a rough profile:

• Strong academics, typically a high 2:1 or equivalent from a leading university.
• Fluent English, with Mandarin valued for PRC facing work. Cantonese is useful but rarely required.
• Genuine commercial awareness, meaning you can talk about business and the firm's clients, not just the law.
• A clear, specific reason for that firm, not a cover letter that would fit any of them.

Grades get you read. Everything after that is what actually earns the place. If you want the unwritten version of what partners weigh, read what firms really look for in vacation scheme students.

How to get one

The application journey, stage by stage

A Hong Kong vacation scheme application usually moves through the same stages. Each one screens people out, so each one is worth preparing for on its own.

• Application form, CV and cover letter. Concise, tailored, and specific to the firm. The most common mistakes are avoidable in an afternoon.
• Aptitude tests. Many firms use the Watson Glaser critical thinking test to cut the field before a human reads a word. Sit our free Watson Glaser practice test to see where you stand.
• Case study or written exercise. A commercial problem that tests how you think, not what you have memorised. Try our free case study exercise before you meet one for real.
• Interviews. Partner and trainee conversations about you, the firm and the market. Our interview guide covers what actually gets asked.

Researching the firm properly underpins all of it. Our Hong Kong firms directory covers what each office does, how its scheme works, and the deals worth knowing before you apply.

On the scheme

Turning a vacation scheme into a training contract

Landing the scheme is step one. The offer is decided by how you handle the weeks themselves: the quality of your work, how you take feedback, and whether people can picture you as a colleague. See what actually happens across those weeks and how to shine once you are in.

For the full walk through of the process end to end, our ultimate guide to applying for a Hong Kong vacation scheme goes deeper on every stage.

Common questions

Hong Kong vacation scheme FAQs

What is the difference between a vacation scheme and a training contract?

A vacation scheme is a short placement, usually over the summer, that gives you a taste of the firm and gives the firm a look at you. A training contract is the two year period of paid, supervised work you complete to qualify as a solicitor in Hong Kong. The vacation scheme is the audition; the training contract is the job.

When do Hong Kong vacation scheme applications open?

Most firms open applications in the autumn and close them between roughly January and March, with the schemes running over the summer. Many recruit on a rolling basis, so strong candidates get offers before the final deadline. Apply early, and confirm the exact date in our deadline tracker.

How long is a Hong Kong vacation scheme?

Most run for two to four weeks. In that time you sit with a practice group, take on real work such as research and drafting, join group exercises, and attend talks about the firm's practice areas.

Do you get paid on a Hong Kong vacation scheme?

Yes. Schemes at Hong Kong commercial firms are paid, usually as a weekly stipend or salary. The figure varies by firm, so check each firm's careers page.

Do I need to speak Chinese to get one?

Fluent English is essential everywhere. Many firms also value or require Mandarin for PRC facing work, and Cantonese is useful but rarely required. Expectations differ by firm, so read what each one asks for.

How hard is it to get a Hong Kong vacation scheme?

It is competitive. Trainee intakes are small and strong academics are only the entry ticket. Firms screen on commercial awareness, motivation for the specific firm, and how you perform in aptitude tests, case studies and interviews. Practising each stage is what separates the students who get offers from the ones who do not.