HKU International Affairs Office

The HKU Worldwide Undergraduate Student Exchange Programme (HKUWW) provides exchange places from partner institutions (or host institutions) of the University for one or two semester(s). Applications to HKUWW should be made via the International Affairs Office (IAO). After an HKUWW applicant has been offered a place at a particular host institution, the applicant will be nominated by IAO to the host institution and instructed to submit an application to the institution for admission to the exchange programme.

Application Details

List of Exchange Institutions - HKUWW 2023-24 (to be confirmed)
Online Application (to be confirmed)
Step-by-Step Guideline for Online Application
Students are advised to read the details carefully on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for background information

Eligibility Criteria

Non-final year students:
- those enrolling in the second-to-last or last semester in the current year are NOT allowed to apply; and
- Year 2 or above students will be given higher placement priority than Year 1 students
Not joined any previous semester exchange programmes or special visiting programmes organised by IAO, faculties or departments
Good academic standing:
- students with a CGPA of 3.0 or above have a relatively higher chance of getting a placement in the programme
- have at least a TOEFL (iBT) score of 80 or an IELTS (Academic) overall score of 6.5
Supported by the applicant’s faculty
Outgoing and eager to meet new challenges
Ready to be an ambassador of HKU
Willing to share exchange experiences after the study

Selection of Host Institutions

You are suggested to research the available host institutions and read through the institution details and fact sheets. You should consider the following criteria of respective host institutions for your application:

CGPA requirement
Restrictions on major and year of study
Courses offered – credit transfer subject to approval by your faculty
English language requirement – which could be higher than IAO’s requirements
Medium of instruction at the institution and language use in the country
Academic calendar – whether there will be any clash throughout the semester

Assessment Criteria

Applicants will be assessed based on the following:

Academic performance (CGPA as of Semester 1 in the year of application)
Personal statement
English language proficiency
Interview performance (if applicable) - applicants will receive an interview invitation if applicable

Personal Statement

It is important to state your reasons for why you would like to join this exchange programme, so we get to know more about you and whether you are fit and qualified for going to a specific country and institution. Please write 100 words by including the followings. It is expected that you are able to present your ideas and demonstrate your writing skills with condensed and precise vocabulary.

Reason(s) why you apply for this study abroad programme
Reason(s) why you put the preferred institution as your first choice
Reason(s) why you put the preferred country as your first choice
Reason(s) why you apply for full-year exchange (if applicable) – since the quota for full-year exchange is limited, you need to explain clearly why you should be considered

English Proficiency

You are required to upload valid English proficiency proof to the online application system on or before the deadline. Without the proper proof, you will not be eligible for being nominated to the institutions which require specific English proficiency test results.

IELTS – please submit a scanned copy of the IELTS test result
TOEFL – please submit a scanned copy of the TOEFL test result

The English proficiency proof should be valid until the host institution's application deadline.

If your existing proof is valid until the HKUWW application deadline, you may submit the proof as a supporting document. Please arrange to re-take the language test in due course for the host institution. In view of the limited available timeslots for IELTS or TOEFL tests, you should schedule to take/re-take the test as soon as possible.
English proficiency proof is required for all applications. If you graduated from an international school or overseas high school, you may submit IB / SAT / GCSE or other related international qualifications. Subject to the respective host institution's recognition, students may sometimes be required to submit IELTS / TOEFL results as the host institution's application.

Exchange Placement

All applications are reviewed carefully according to students' academic performance, personal statement, English proficiency level, major as well as the host institutions' requirements.

Student who receives an offer from HKU Worldwide Student Exchange Programme should indicate on the system whether he/she accepts or declines the exchange offer.
Student who receives an offer from the Faculty/Department should accept the offer through the respective Faculty/Department.

How to Accept the Exchange Offer

Step 1 - Pay HK$2,000 Deposit

Follow Deposit Payment Instructions to pay the HK$2,000 deposit

Remember to save the payment proof
Bank drafts or personal cheques are not acceptable

The deposit is refundable if all the followings are fulfilled:

Successfully admitted to the host institution
Successfully registered to the host institution
Completion of the programme in accordance with all the conditions listed on the Letter of Acceptance
Submission of Exchange Report

No refund can be arranged if students withdraw from the programme after the acceptance

Step 2 - Read the Letter of Acceptance and Fill in Reply Slip

Read the Letter of Acceptance carefully
Complete Reply Slip (Page 4)

Check and make sure all personal information is submitted accurately
Type-written electronic signature is acceptable

Insert deposit payment proof to the designated area (Page 5)
Save and convert the Letter of Acceptance into one PDF file

Step 3 – Accept Offer through the Application System

Login to the Outgoing Application System and choose the correct application
Upload the PDF file (Letter of Acceptance) to the system
On the system, click “Accept” the green button to accept the offer
Click "OK" to confirm the offer

How to Decline the Exchange Offer

Login to the Outgoing Application System and choose the correct application
On the system, click “Decline” the red button to decline the offer
A student who declines the exchange offer in the main round may enter the late-round applications

Important Notes

Late submission will not be considered
Acceptance without deposit payment will not be accepted
If you receive an offer from your faculty or department, please accept the offer through the respective Faculty/Department.

What’s Next

A student who has accepted an exchange offer is deemed to be a nominee meaning that he/she will be nominated by HKU to the specified host institution. The final decision of admission will be at the discretion of the host institution.
For the nominees of 2022/23 Semester 1 or Full Year, IAO's exchange coordinator will contact you directly regarding the nomination and application procedure. The schedule is tight and please make sure you follow the instructions thoroughly.
For the nominees of 2022/23 Semester 2. Please be expected that IAO's exchange coordinator will contact you at a later time. Please refer to the application timeline for more information.
Nominees are not advised to make contact with the assigned host institution until the nomination has been confirmed.
Application procedures may vary from institution to institution. In general, the application can be completed through a paper form or online platform. Nominees should refer to the host institution's factsheet and application details.
Nominees should prepare all or parts of the followings depending on each institution's requirements:

HKU Official Transcript [Login HKU Portal > Enterprise > SIS > Online Application > Apply for Transcript]
English Proficiency Proof
Copy of Passport Particulars Page
Personal Statement
Curriculum Vitae
Financial Proof
Passport Size Photo
Proposed Study Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read through the page Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more details and advice on the application.

Further Questions

Please include your UID and name when you send an enquiry to goabroad@hku.hk.

Application Timeline

Year	Date	Activity	Details
HKUWW Main Round Application (Application for 2023/24 – Full Year, Semester 1, and Semester 2)
2022	Oct 10 (Mon)	Application	Online application
	Dec 16 (Fri)	Deadline	Online application – Deadline
	Late Dec	Interview	Selected candidates invited for interview (only if applicable)
2023	Mid Jan	Interview	Interview (only if applicable)
	Feb 3 (Tue)	Results Release	Release of placement results
	Feb 10 (Fri)	Acceptance	Acceptance and deposit payment - Deadline
HKUWW Late Round Application (Application for 2023/24 – Semester 1 and Semester 2)
	Mar 3 (Fri)	Information	Institution list to be released on the website
	Mar 10 (Fri)	Application	Online application
	Mar 17 (Fri)	Deadline	Online application – Deadline
	Mar 31 (Fri)	Results Release	Release of placement results
	Apr 7 (Fri)	Acceptance	Acceptance and deposit payment - Deadline
HKUWW 2nd Late Round Application (Application for 2023/24 – Semester 2 only)
	Apr 21 (Fri)	Information	Institution list to be released on the website
	Apr 28 (Fri)	Application	Online application
	May 6 (Fri)	Deadline	Online application – Deadline
	May 19 (Fri)	Results Release	Release of placement results
	May 26 (Fri)	Acceptance	Acceptance and deposit payment - Deadline

Nomination and Application to Host Institution (2022/23)

Year	Date	Activity	Details
For Semester 1 and Full Year
2022	Feb to May	Nomination	Students being nominated to the host institution
	Feb to May	Application	Exchange application to the host institution
	May to Aug	Admission	Admission letter issued by the host institution
For Semester 2
2022	Jun to Oct	Nomination	Students being nominated to the host institution
	Jul to Nov	Application	Exchange application to the host institution
	Oct to Dec	Admission	Admission letter issued by the host institution