Drexel in Hong Kong: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Lying at the heart of Asia and the southern tip of China, Hong Kong is not only one of the world's major business and financial centers, but a unique place where ancient Chinese traditions are interwoven with a fast-paced and cosmopolitan lifestyle that incorporates the latest technological and trend-setting advances. Within the Chinese empire for more than 2,000 years and with 150 years of British colonial influence, the city offers rich heritage and diversity. Hong Kong is home to over 6.9 million people. Located on the southeastern coast of China and bordering Guangdong Province in the North, it is one of the most densely populated cities in the world today.
Most of Hong Kong's ethnic Chinese residents speak the Cantonese dialect. English also is widely used, as Hong Kong was a British Colony from 1842 - 1997.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is coeducational, with a total enrollment of approximately 9,100 students. It is located a half hour by public transit from Hong Kong island and sits along the coast. Despite its short history, HKUST has been consistently ranked among the top 25 technology universities in the world by the UK Times Higher Education Supplement every year ever since the survey was first done in 2004.
For more information visit HKUST's engineering or business exchange student page.
Please note: The Exchange program with HKUST is often limited in spots, and is very popular. Students applying to this program are strongly encouraged to have an alternate program as a second choice.
- 3.0 minimum GPA
- College of Engineering students or Lebow College of Business students for the fall and spring terms
- All majors in the summer term
- No language requirement
Course Availability
Use the
Course Catalog to search coursework offered at HKUST. Although all coursework is offered in English at HKUST, Drexel students are encouraged to take Chin 101 in order to get a sense of Chinese culture as well as Mandarin, the official language of mainland China.
Course Equivalencies
This
spreadsheet is a historical list of pre-approved courses Drexel students have taken at HKUST before. Students can choose to take courses from this list, but there is no guarantee that these courses will be offered in the future.
Students will need to get courses approved by the appropriate department for each course they plan to take at HKUST if the course is not on the course equivalency spreadsheet (linked above). For example, if you want to take a marketing course at HKUST for Drexel credit, its equivalent must be approved by the Marketing Department at Drexel.
Grading
Students are taught and graded by Hong Kong faculty at HKUST. Grades are noted as "CR/NCR" on their transcript and will NOT affect their GPA. In order to receive CR, students must earn a "C" or above at the host institution. Students must be a full-time student at the host institution while also taking the equivalent of a full-time load at Drexel.
To attend HKUST during the summer term, you must be scheduled for summer classes.
This opportunity is open to all majors.
2016 Program Dates: June 20 - August 13
Students take 3 courses at HKUST during their summer term. In order to maintain a full time summer course load, students must take a minimum of 12 Drexel credits. Students may choose to supplement HKUST course offerings with an Independent Study or Online Course to meet this requirement. The list of courses for summer is much more limited than the courses for fall and spring terms. This course list will become available during the winter term.
Summer students will live in on-campus dormitories and will take classes alongside other international students. To learn more, visit
HKUST's summer program website.
HKUST operates on a semester calendar. Click here for the
academic calendar. Drexel students will need to work closely with the Study Abroad Office, their academic advisor and the co-op office to determine how best plan their study abroad experience. The Study Abroad Office urges you to begin planning 12-18 months in advance.
Fall Term Dates and Itinerary
| Program Start Date |
Late August/
Early September |
| Program End Date |
Late December |
Students must leave spring/summer co-op a few weeks early.
Spring Term Dates and Itinerary
| Program Start Date |
Late January/
Early February |
| Program End Date |
End May |
Students must leave fall/winter co-op early about 2 months early.
Summer Program Dates and Itinerary
| Program Start Date |
Late June |
| Program End Date |
Mid August |
Read the summer section above for more details.
Exchange students can be accommodated on-campus in double occupancy rooms. More information about HKUST Student Housing can be found on the
Student Housing & Residential Life website.
Anyone without the right of abode in Hong Kong must obtain a student visa to study in Hong Kong. The most efficient way to apply to the Hong Kong Immigration Department for a visa is via HKUST. HKUST will send a visa application form to each student with the admission package. After receiving the completed application form from the student, HKUST will process the application on the student's behalf.
Program Costs
This is a Drexel sponsored program, thus all of your Drexel tuition and financial aid remain the same during your term abroad. For additional program costs, such as housing, visa, and other expenses, please consult the budget sheet.
Scholarships
If you receive Federal Work Study, consider applying for the Study Abroad Online Journalist work study position. The application is available to students after acceptance into the program.
To seek additional funding, review the Scholarship & Funding Opportunities. Remember that scholarship deadlines may be much earlier than study abroad deadlines, so plan accordingly. Students may also want to submit a revised budget to the Financial Aid Office to see if additional funding may be available.
- Students who receive Federal Pell Grant should apply for the Gilman Scholarship. Awards up to $3,000 for U.S. citizen undergraduate students that receive the Federal Pell Grant.
- Students going on this program are eligible to apply for the PaCIE and The Asia Institute’s joint scholarship. Awards up to $1,000 to support students seeking to participate in global learning experiences in Asia.
- Students going on this program in the fall or spring terms are eligible to apply for the Freeman-Asia scholarships. Awards up to $5,000 for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
