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HKPU - HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY Program Level: Undergraduate Number of Weeks/Term: 19 |
- Background
- Location Information
- Program Dates
- Host Institution
- Academic Information
- Academic Disciplines
- Credit Transfer Information
- Eligibility Requirements
- Program Costs
- Housing and Meals
- Insurance
- Extracurricular Activities
- Climate
- VISA & Passport Information
- Your Next Steps
- Experiences of Former Students
- Contact Details
BACKGROUND
Georgia Tech (GT) has developed a number of overseas programs around the globe. These programs provide students with the opportunity to complete a portion of their academic programs in top-notch foreign universities that are partnered with GT. As a result of immersion in a foreign academic and cultural environment, students have the maximum opportunity to learn to operate effectively in an atmosphere that is wholly different from that of GT and the U.S.
LOCATION INFORMATION
China
With its entrance to the WTO, hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and hosting of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China is becoming an increasingly attractive place for citizens from all countries. With 1.3 billion people, China is the most populous country in the world, and its role in world affairs has become increasingly important. The Chinese economy continues to grow at a robust pace, and China is now considered a "must play" for multinational companies.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong was a British colony for 156 years before it was returned to China on July 1,1997. Hong Kong is now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and remains one of the worlds fastest growing cities in the realms of technology, industry, and communications. The official languages are Chinese and English.
The island of Hong Kong is actually several islands and the main territory is divided into four sections: Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories, and the Outlying Islands. Kowloon, where the University is located, is a peninsula on the north side of the harbor. It was named after a series of hills, the "nine dragons," that separate it from the New Territories. The sights included on this small part of Hong Kong are:
Of course, you have to see the world's largest escalator, officially called 'Hillside Escalator Link,' which was built to alleviate traffic in the city centre. The walk isn't that far, but the slope is steep, hence the escalator. The city of Hong Kong, with its lights as dazzling as Times Square, is a crazy juxtaposition of old and new in the sense of both architecture and ideology. It is the home of the deep-seeded tradition as well as constant innovation and technology. Top
PROGRAM DATES
Spring Term: mid January - early June
Academic Year: early September - early June
NOTE: Students may participate in this program for the spring term or for a full academic year.
YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
2007
HOST INSTITUTION ACADEMIC INFORMATION
PolyU has a proud history dating back to 1937. HKPU has about 29,000 full-time and part-time students, the largest student community among publicly-funded universities in Hong Kong, and over 1,500 teaching staff. Their mission is to provide high quality education of an applied nature which meets the changing requirements of the world. They also aim to prepare students for the challenges they will meet in their future careers. Since its establishment, it has groomed nearly 250,000 graduates who have made their mark as leaders in a number of professional fields such as health, fashion, design, business and engineering.
The OIE advisor for this program visited the campus in March 2008. To see pictures of campus and to learn more about this school and surrounding areas, please view the following slideshow click here
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
Subject Areas Available:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Building Construction
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Language Information
All of the GT approved courses at HKPU are taught in English.
Course Information
For detailed course information: click here.
Summer Program
HKPU offers a 4-5 week summer program on Chinese Language & Culture. For more information, click here. Please contact the advisor for this program if you are interesting in attending.
Short-Term Internship Opportunity
HKPU offers a program called "PolyU International Internship Program" to students of their exchange partners. It is a 4-week program starting in June, so you may complete this after participating in their spring term or before participating in their summer program. Internships will be offered at local and foreign enterprises according to students' areas of study and interest. These positions are NOT paid or credit-bearing. Interested students should contact the Work Abroad Program workabroad@dopp.gatech.edu - for more details and for orientation information. Applications are due by April 1.
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CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of exchange programs is received by transferring the credits back to Georgia Tech. Since it's important for you to know what kind of credit you'll get as soon as possible, you'll be able to have courses pre-approved to transfer. Since our exchange with HKPU is for Building Construction students only, a list of pre-approved courses has been determined.
Credit for courses taken as part of exchange programs is received by transferring the credits back to Georgia Tech. Since it's important for you to know what kind of credit you'll get as soon as possible, you'll be able to have courses pre-approved to transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, you'll take course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit here at GT to request approval. For example, if you are taking Math classes, then you'll go to the School of Mathematics here at GT and ask if the courses can be transferred to GT. The School of Mathematics will sign the form showing how the courses will transfer so that you'll know up front what kind of credit you can expect to receive.
For detailed credit transfer instructions click here
For the Foreign Credit Approval Form click here
Standing Transfer Credit Approvals Available on OSCAR
Certain courses from this school have been given standing approval on the Transfer Equivalency Table found on OSCAR. If a course you would like to take is listed on this table, you do not need to seek additional approval. If a course you would like to take is not listed on this table, you need to seek approval for the course via the Foreign Credit Approval form.
CREDIT TRANSFER SYSTEM
This information is intended for undergraduates students only. Graduate students must speak with their academic unit to to determine the acceptance of transfer credits.
HKPU uses the following credit transfer system:
1 HKPU credit = 1.12 GT credit
GRADING SYSTEM
HKPU uses the following grading system listed below:
HKPU Grade = US Grade
A+, A = A
B+, B = B
C+, C = C
D+, D = D
F = F
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:
PROGRAM COSTS
The same matriculation, tuition and other mandatory fees (including transportation, technology, activity, health, and athletic) apply to a term abroad as would normally at Georgia Tech. Exchange students must pay tuition and fees to the GT Bursar for each semester they are abroad. No other expenses associated with this program are paid to GT; instead, these expenses are paid on site.
Keep in mind the costs of books, health insurance, food, living expenses, and travel money, as well as pre-departure costs like your passport and visa. Compared to GT, the cost of living and eating on campus is much less expensive than at GT. However, Hong Kong is generally more expensive than most areas of the United States. The cost of imported goods is especially high.
The currency in Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Dollar. Please click here for current exchange rates.
DON"T FORGET TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!! See the OIE web site for more info: click here
Following are cost estimates for one semester at HKPU that may help you prepare for your term(s) abroad. All costs are in USD.
In State Tuition $3,035 Out of State Tuition $3,285 GT Mandatory Fees $818 Books and Supplies $200 Administrative and/or Application fees $0 Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals) $1,250 Roundtrip Airfare $1,450 Room and Board $1,600 Additional Language Instruction $0 Mandatory Insurance $150 Total $8,503 (in state) $8,753(out of state)
*Out-of-state students pay in state tuition, plus $250 for this exchange program.
*Costs in the preceding chart are estimates for undergraduates based on tuition rates posted by the GT Bursar for "continuing students." Guaranteed tuition rates, graduate tuition rates, and MBA tuition rates vary. Please check the GT Bursar's web site click here to confirm actual tuition rates based on degree, term, or level of study. Actual costs may be higher or lower than those listed above, depending on the exchange rate and personal spending habits/needs.
HOUSING AND MEALS
Housing
At HKPU, you will live in the PolyU Student Halls of Residence. A hall booking form must be submitted as soon as the student is admitted to HKPU. See the housing website at click here
The Student Halls of Residence, build in 2002, hold approximately 3,000 students and are located near campus. Each room is double occupancy and is fully furnished with a mini fridge, air conditioning, IP phone, and unlimited access to the Internet. Bathrooms (toilet and shower) are shared between two rooms. The Halls also feature a computer room, fitness room, game room, karaoke room, and reading room. Other facilities include a dining hall, laundry room, and swimming pool. Each hall sponsors workshops such as yoga and photography throughout the semester. Each hall has a pantry with pots and pans. A canteen is located in the building and serves lunch and dinner.
Meals
There is no meal plan available at PolyU and each meal is separately purchased. There are currently many choices of dining facilities on campus as well as at the Hall, ranging from quick/simple meal facilities to full multi-course provision of both Chinese and Western styles. Also, PolyU is located at the centre of the city, where you can have a wide variety of cuisines you would like to. Top
INSURANCE
Students participating in this program will be assessed $150 per semester for mandatory insurance coverage. You will be covered by T.W. Lord and Associates. For detailed information about this insurance plan, click here. This cost is included in the above cost estimates for the program.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
HKPU offers a variety of extracurricular activities such as cultural events, lunch talks, leadership development programs, and complementary studies. Moreover, the Students' Union organizes a wide range of activities every year for its members. These include sports, recreational, academic and cultural functions, such as aquatic and athletic meets students' festivals, and orientations and open days for the public.
For social and cultural activities on campus, click here.
For facilities & services managed by the Student Affairs Office, click here.
CLIMATE
Hong Kong is on almost exactly the same latitude as Hawaii and has a similar subtropical climate. In the summer, the seasonal wind called the "Monsoon" brings hot wind from the south. Average summer temperatures range from 82ºF to 95ºF. It stays relatively hot and sunny through most of December until the cold front movies in for January and February. Temperatures do drop, but snow and frost are rare. Average winter temperatures range from 40ºF to 59ºF. Beware of showers in the winter; they're usually chilly. Also, be prepared to witness typhoons if you happen to be there in September. Our advice to you is to take a sturdy umbrella, temperate weather clothes, and a "Monsoon" breaker.
VISA AND PASSPORT INFORMATION
Complete information about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport is available from the GT Office of International Education or online: click here
As a PolyU Inbound Exchange Student, you will need a valid passport and visa. For information regarding visas, see click here. This site includes detailed instructions on how to obtain a visa.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:
EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
click here
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Jennifer Evanuik, Study Abroad Advisor (Exchange Programs)
GT Office of International Education
631 Cherry Street
Savant Building, Suite 211
Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
Phone: (404)894-7475 Fax: (404)894-9682
E-mail: jennifer.evanuik@oie.gatech.edu
OIE web site: click here
Host/Program Web Site: click here
Hong Kong
China
Asia
Semester
19
12
English
For more info, contact OIE.
Can I go abroad while pursuing a GT degree?
GT students have many opportunities to participate in semester/exchange and study abroad programs. In a semester program, you actually take classes with the host universitys students and faculty. (In some cases, this means that you must have excellent knowledge of the local language to participate). Semester program participants usually pay normal GT tuition and fees for each term abroad. Credits can be pre-approved to transfer back to GT so that you do not get behind in your studies. The application deadline for fall and academic year programs is in early February; for spring programs the deadline is in September/October.
In a study abroad program, the courses are taught by GT faculty and you register for regular GT courses. Residents pay normal matriculation fees, but do not pay ancillary fees (athletic, health, etc.). Non-residents only pay resident matriculation plus $250 ($1500 for GTL Summer/$2000 for GTL Spring/Fall) . This is a savings of over $6,000 for out-of-state students who participate in GT study abroad programs as full-time students! Deadlines for summer study abroad programs vary from early January to mid-February.
In most cases, if you are eligible for financial aid or scholarships, you can apply your grants, scholarships, and/or loans toward the expenses associated with participating in all GT programs.
GTs International Plan: More than just study abroad
Your major is participating in this new initiative!
The International Plan is an intensive, degree-long program designed to prepare GT graduates professionally and personally for successful lives in the 21st century. Requirements of the program include international coursework, two terms abroad (any combination of study, research or internship abroad), proficiency in a second language, and a culminating course. Students who complete the program will have a designation on their diploma indicating completion of the degree with global competence: for example, BS in Mechanical Engineering: International Plan. For more information or an application, contact your major advisor or OIE and visit the website: click here