Application

To apply for the exchange programme at HKU, students must meet the following entry requirements.

• Student must be successfully nominated by their home institution.
• Student must have completed at least one year of university-level study by the time they begin their exchange at HKU.
• Both native and non-native English speakers must provide valid and acceptable English Proficiency Proof.
• Students are expected to be in good academic standing at their home institution. Higher entry requirements must be met if applying for the following faculties:

Invitation to Online Application

Students will be invited via email to complete the Online Exchange Application once the application period begins.

They are advised to complete online application by the deadline. Late submissions will not be processed.

Start Online Application

Students can refer to the step-by-step Exchange Student Online Application User Manual.

Information on Proposed Study Plan at HKU

• The preliminary course plan is for host faculties to review the student's application; students are not yet enrolled in these courses.
• Enrolment in courses must be completed online during the Course Selection and/or Add/Drop Periods at the beginning of each semester. Course options can be found under Academic Information > Available Courses Offered by Faculties.
• If certain course codes are marked as invalid in the system, this indicates that they are currently unavailable or subject to change.

Requirements on Personal Statement

• Students are encouraged to explain their interest in the exchange programme and their reasons for choosing HKU as their host institution.
• There is no word limit for the Personal Statement.

Upload Supporting Documents

Application Processing Time

• After the application deadline, students’ applications will be reviewed by their proposed faculty.
• The processing of applications is conducted on a rolling basis and may take up to 1.5 months. Students can refer to the Exchange Application Schedule for details.
• Results announcements or Notice of Admission will be sent via email.
• Students are reminded to check their emails regularly during this period.

For exchange application enquiries, students may refer to our FAQ page for information.

Visa Application Paths

Please visit the HKU Student Visa page for instructions and application procedures.

Depending on the student’s nationality, the visa application will follow one of two different paths.

1. Applications from Mainland students (using an Exit-Entry Permit as a travel document and entering Hong Kong from Mainland China)
   • Online application system: https://studentvisa-mainland.hku.hk
2. Applications from international, Macao or Taiwan students (nationalities other than Chinese or, Chinese nationals with permanent residency overseas, entering Hong Kong from places other than Mainland China)
   • Online application system: https://studentvisa-overseas.hku.hk/

For enquiries regarding visa arrangements, please click here to contact the Admissions Office.

Points to Note for Visa Application

• Please register for a new account on the HKU Student Visa page to begin your visa application.
• After receiving the Notice of Admission, students must complete the online application and mail hard copies of the required documents as instructed by the Admissions Office.
• Please note that processing a student's visa application will take at least 10 weeks and the visa application fee is non-refundable.
• During the visa application process, students are required to upload the Notice of Admission to the visa application system, as the Hong Kong Immigration Department needs all necessary documents for approval assessment.

Please refer to the Accommodation Information provided by CEDARS Housing. Students should submit an online application through CEDARS using their 10-digit exchange application reference number by the accommodation application deadline.

Important Points to Note

• Due to a shortage of housing resources, students are advised to apply for accommodation as soon as possible. The allocation of housing is subject to availability.
• Students are permitted to apply for accommodation before receiving the Notice of Admission.
• Upon receiving the Notice of Admission, students should email a copy of the signed letter to CEDARS Housing for further processing of their application.
• Accommodation results will be announced via email. Students who receive an offer should send a confirmation email to the respective hall manager to accept the offer and indicate their check-in date. The offer will be withdrawn if no response is received.

For accommodation application enquiries, please refer to our FAQ or contact CEDARS Housing at cedars.housing@hku.hk.

After receiving the Notice of Admission, students are required to complete the following steps to accept the offer.

1. Sign and submit Notice of Admission
   • Students should check whether the information in the Notice of Admission is correct (e.g. name and period of registration)
   • Log in to the online application account to accept or decline the offer and upload the signed Notice of Admission
   • Send a copy of the signed Notice of Admission to the host faculty by email
2. Secure Visa Application
   • Upload a copy of the signed Notice of Admission to the student's online visa application
3. Secure Accommodation Application
   • Send a copy of the signed Notice of Admission to CEDARS Housing at cedars.housing@hku.hk to further process the accommodation application.
   • Students who receive an offer should send a confirmation email to the respective hall manager to accept the offer and indicate their check-in date. The offer will be withdrawn if no response is received.