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HKPU - HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY Program Level: Undergraduate Number of Weeks/Term: 19 View the Program Dates |
- 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
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
This university is located in Hong Kong, China. To learn more about this city and country, please visit:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_4965.html
http://www.iiepassport.org/pages/sitecontent/country.aspx
http://www.iiepassport.org/pages/sitecontent/cities.aspx
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destination
PROGRAM DATES
Fall Term: early September - late December
Spring Term: mid January - mid May
Academic Year: early September - mid May
NOTE: Students may participate in this program for the fall, spring, or for a full academic year.
YEAR PROGRAM STARTED:
2007
HOST INSTITUTION
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 INFORMATION
Subject Areas Available:
- Accounting
- Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Building Construction
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Industrial Design
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Modern Languages
- Physics
- Public Policy
Language Information
Most courses at HKPU are taught in English. HKPU offers all levels of Mandarin, which you can take as part of your course load.
Course Information
For a list of courses open to exchange students, click here.
For details on all HKPU courses, click here.
More detailed course information may be available on the individual academic department's website. To see a list of academic departments, click here.
Summer Program
HKPU offers a 4 week (June/July) summer program on Chinese Language & Culture. For more information, click here. Please contact the OIE advisor for this program if you are interesting in attending.
Short-Term Internship Opportunity
HKPU offers 4-week internships to students of their exchange partners. Internships will be offered in Beijing and Shanghai. Students work in multi-disciplinary groups on consulting projects. For more information, click here. 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.
CREDIT TRANSFER INFORMATION
Credit for courses taken as part of GT exchange programs is added as transfer credit on the GT transcript. Since it is important to know which kind of credit students will earn abroad as soon as possible, GT requires that courses be pre-approved for transfer. With a Foreign Credit Approval Form (available from OIE) in hand, and the credit transfer system information (listed below), students should submit course descriptions to the appropriate academic unit to request their approval. If taking Math classes, for example, then the student should go to the GT School of Mathematics to get permission for the courses to transfer to GT. If approved, the GT School of Mathematics signs the Foreign Credit Approval Form showing how the courses will transfer so that students will know which type of credit they should 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, including details about the Coca-Cola Foundation Scholarship: 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 $3,641 Out of State Tuition $3,891 GT Mandatory Fees $1,185 Books and Supplies $250 Administrative and/or Application fees $0 Miscellaneous (includes passport/visa fees, required field trips, local transportation and incidentals) $1,360 Roundtrip Airfare $1,500 Room and Board $2,500 Additional Language Instruction $0 Mandatory Insurance $280 Total $10,716 (in state) $10,966(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 for more details.
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. The residence a 15-minute walk from campus. Housing fees for the whole term should be paid upon arrival. Students may check in to the residence 1 week before classes start at no extra cost.
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. PolyU helps exchange students obtain their visas. Please click here for more information.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
To begin the process of participating in this exchange, please do the following:
EXPERIENCES OF FORMER STUDENTS
click here
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
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