Introduction
It would be difficult to think of a more vibrant, energetic city than Hong Kong. A true world city, Hong Kong is the gateway to Asia, and an international hub of banking and commerce. Hong Kong’s history as a former British colony is evident in many western traditions, but under the frenetic pace of this major business city lies a Chinese soul. Traditional values such as loyalty to friends and family and respect for elders remain. Evident in the atmosphere, architecture and daily life of Hong Kong is a mixture of East and West, modern and traditional. In 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong retains its autonomy in trade and business through the “one country two systems” policy of China.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a bilingual, bicultural university located between the Kowloon Peninsula and the PRC border in the New Territories. The university was formed with the merger of three colleges: New Asia College, Chung Chi College, and the United College of Hong Kong. A fourth, Shaw College, was added to complement the academic environment. Since its establishment in 1963, CUHK has encouraged bilingualism and biculturalism throughout its curriculum and student life. Courses are taught in Chinese or English, making CUHK a perfect environment to study in a Chinese context while taking courses in English. Students may study at the CUHK for either a semester or an academic year.
The Office of Academic Links at CUHK is very active and supportive. The staff assist you with dormitory check-in, orientation, and class registration. In addition, cultural programs are organized outside of class time to include field trips, dinners, movie nights and weekend teaching visits to southern China.
Disclaimer
Due to the continued impact of COVID-19, applicants should be aware that changes to academic calendars may occur with little or no notice. Students are encouraged to either wait to book travel or book travel that allows for changes with no financial penalty.
Applicants should also be aware that processing of visas may be impacted or halted by specific countries. Failure to secure the necessary visa may result in inability to participate in this program.
Participants on this program may be required to self-quarantine prior to the start of their program for a specified period of time. Students are responsible for arranging (logistics and financial) their travel appropriately to ensure self-quarantine is completed prior to the start of the program.
Academics
CUHK offers undergraduate and postgraduate level courses under the faculties of Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. Many of these courses are open to exchange and study-abroad students. Cantonese is the main spoken language in Hong Kong, but CUHK is a multilingual university, with English and Putonghua (Mandarin) used as the languages of instruction for many courses. Courses offered by the Faculty of Business Administration and the Faculty of Law are very popular. Consider second choices and make backup plans.
At CUHK, one unit or credit is roughly equivalent to one hour of instruction per week. Most three-unit courses feature either three hours of lectures or two hours of lectures and one hour of tutorials per week. Students receive credits for all courses successfully completed, according to the academic standards of the department. To get a sense of what semester subjects are typically offered, please use the teaching timetable instructions for CUHK. There are some course restrictions for exchange students at CUHK. That list can be found on the Office of Academic Links CUHK Website. Please keep in mind that these courses are listed for planning purposes and are subject to change.
Following, is a list of courses taken by past University of Miami students at Chinese University of Hong Kong. This list does not guarantee that a particular course will be offered during a student's study abroad semester, rather it should be used as a reference guide. List of Classes Take by Past UM Students at CUHK.
Academic Areas
Architecture
Asian Studies
Business
Chinese Languages
Communication
Computer Science
Cultural and Religious Studies
Education
Engineering
Fine or Applied Arts
Foreign Languages
Health Sciences
Humanities
Life Sciences
Mathematics
Physical Sciences
Social Sciences
Chinese Language Classes
Chinese language courses are also offered through the Yale–China Chinese Language Centre (CLC). Founded in 1963 under the joint auspices of New Asia College and the Yale-China Association, the CLC provides language training in Cantonese and Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese) to second/ foreign language learners and Chinese speakers with the aim of enhancing the Chinese language proficiency of students for communication in daily living and for professional purposes. It is recommended that students take a placement test during the orientation week to ensure that they are placed at the right level.
Program Dates
Specific program dates can be found on the CUHK Academic Calendar page. Typically, the Fall semester runs from early August to December. The Spring semester runs from January to May. University of Miami students may complete a full academic year at Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Grading Scale
| CUHK Grade |
A |
A- |
B |
C |
D |
F |
| UM Grade |
A |
A- |
B |
C |
D |
F |
Credit Equivalency
1 CUHK Credit = 1 UM Credit
Independent Studies/Group Research
Besides taking content courses, students may wish to undertake independent studies or group research in a topic of interest. Students interested in undertaking independent studies should identify a suitable supervisor and enroll in the course Independent Research on International Studies (Research Proposal Form / Supervisor Approval Form). Students interested in group research should join the course International Asian Studies Programme Senior Seminar course, which is offered in second term. Both independent studies and group research carries three credits.
Housing
CUHK accommodations are available to exchange students. There are several dormitories with double or triple occupancy rooms, shared bathrooms and shared kitchens. Exchange students
will share a room with one or two CUHK students who have expressed an interest in a non-CUHK roommate. Single rooms are not available for undergraduate exchange and study-abroad students. With over 30 canteens and eateries on campus, you may have a hard time deciding on which one to choose. Most restaurants on campus serve a mix of Chinese, Asian and western dishes, ranging from coffee, sandwiches, salads, noodles, rice bowls, burgers to desserts – there is even a full-fledged Chinese restaurant which serves dim sum lunch. Vegetarian options are available at every restaurant and a vegetarian-only restaurant in central campus. Halal food can be found at the Kabab restaurant in the Li Wai Chun Building.
For hostel fee at CUHK, details can be referred to fees table. Prospective undergraduate exchange and study abroad students should indicate accommodation preference by completing section 10 in the online application form. If you do not complete this section, you are considered as having no accommodation preference. Assignment of undergraduate hostels will be made randomly. For a complete list of on-campus housing option please visit the CUHK website here.
Life at CUHK
While academics is the major aspect of university life, exchange students are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities to broaden their experience in Hong Kong. CUHK boasts a variety of student organizations, from Chinese martial arts to photography, drama and debating. Those within academic departments and colleges are often the most active. Most activities are conducted in Cantonese but international students can still participate with rewarding results.
- Explore the hidden beauty of Hong Kong, including its mountains, villages and markets though a number of excursions organized for exchange students.
- Gain community service experience at local primary schools by helping children learn English or Putonghua, and join cultural activities organized by the schools.
- Teaching-in-China Program: These weekend visits will give you the opportunity to interact with local students in southern China through English-language activities.
- College Activities: CUHK is the only tertiary institution in Hong Kong with a collegiate system. The nine Colleges of CUHK are the centers of non-formal education. They provide scholastic and cultural activities to complement academic learning. Colleges organize cultural activities including singing contests, drama competitions, festival celebrations and language-enhancement programs. Each college has its own sports teams, which compete in inter-college competitions. All undergraduate students, including exchange students are affiliated with one of the colleges. Exchange and study-abroad students can also meet local students and learn Chinese through activities organized by the dormitories’ residents’ associations.
- CUHK runs intramural competitions in swimming, basketball, badminton and football. You are encouraged to join sports teams to meet local students and take part in some friendly competitions. For more details, visit the Physical Education Unit website.
- Buddy Program-The buddy program is designed to help exchange and study-abroad students familiarize themselves with living in Hong Kong.
Health Insurance
Students should arrange accident and sickness insurance that includes emergency-evacuation and repatriation expenses for their duration of their stay in Hong Kong at their own cost. If students plan to travel outside Hong Kong, they should ensure their insurance policy covers the place they are visiting. Before arranging their own insurance, students should check with parents if they are covered by any health insurance policies they have. Students should bring a copy of any insurance policies they have to Hong Kong; when first reporting to the Office of Academic Links students will be asked for insurance copies in case of an emergency.
Admission
Serious applicants should plan to submit a complete, well-thought out, and comprehensive application. Students who submit a complete application?will be granted an interview. Qualified candidates will be nominated to CUHK, who will require that students complete a separate application. CUHK will make the final admission decision. Late applications will not be considered. Admitted students will receive an acceptance email and admission package from CUHK.
Student Visa
Before traveling to Hong Kong students will apply for a student visa from the Hong Kong Immigration Department through the CUHK Office of Academic Links (OAL). It usually takes five to seven weeks for the Immigration Department to process a student visa or entry-permit application; therefore, students should submit their visa application to the OAL at least two months before the commencement of the orientation week.
Additional Resources
