APRU Virtual Student Exchange Program

HKUST students are eligible to participate in the Virtual Student Exchange Program organized by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) in Spring 2025.

Courses and Participating Universities

• Courses will be added on a rolling basis. Click here to access the list of participating universities and course offerings in Spring 2025. 
• Please read through the course information carefully. Pay attention to the course start and end date, the language of instruction, number of credit(s), course prerequisite(s) and enrollment restriction(s) of the courses offered.

Course Load

• HKUST students can enroll in 1-2 courses from the APRU VSE course catalog.
• Students are required to discuss and obtain endorsement from your major department for enrolling in these courses.

Credit Transfer

• The listed courses are NOT pre-mapped to HKUST course(s) and/or credit(s). Previously approved mappings and the credit conversion, if any, are published on the ARO Credit Transfer Database.
• If students plan to transfer credit from the course taken during this program to HKUST and/or to use these credits for fulfilling major (and minor, if applicable) program(s) requirement, students should consult their major (and minor, if applicable) departments on the feasibility of such plans.
• Students are responsible to check with the course offering institution on the course/program completion requirement to be awarded the credits.
• For application procedures of credit transfer, please visit ARO website for more details.

Fees

• When you enroll in Academic Courses with the endorsement from HKUST, you are not required to pay tuition fee to the host institution. You continue to be a registered HKUST student. If a course has additional fees required for items such as textbooks, these will be detailed in the course outline from the host institution. 
• Tuition fees with discounted rate may charged for enrollment in Language Courses. Related information will be detailed in the course outline from the host institution.

Application Deadline

• Application deadlines might vary by participating universities. Click here to find the application deadlines of each participating university.
• To obtain HKUST endorsement, you must submit a completed application on this system by the application deadline of the course offering university.

Eligibility
The program is open to HKUST full-time undergraduate students who are:

• Not in their first term nor final term at HKUST when the course is in session; and
• Have obtained endorsement from the major department for enrolling in the desired course(s).
• This is not open to inbound exchange students or HKUST students on outbound exchange program or study leave in the term when the course is in session.
• Students must maintain active student status during the course is in session. If you apply for leave from study or extension of study leave any time after application has been endorsed, you will lose your eligibility to participate in the APRU Virtual Student Exchange Program and the endorsement will be rescinded.

The University has sole discretion over the eligibility.

To Apply
Application procedures at APRU VSE Central Office 
Step 1: Click here to complete the online application at APRU VSE Central Office. Please follow the instructions listed on the website.
 
Application procedures at HKUST
Step 2: Complete the endorsement form, discuss with your major department and obtain their signed endorsement. Please allow sufficient time for your major department to review your endorsement form. Blank form and incomplete form will not be accepted.

Step 3: Click the “Apply Now” button on this page to complete HKUST internal application. You are required to upload the signed endorsement form to the system.
 
Step 4: It will usually take at least one week for HKUST to review your submission, and you should submit your application with a valid signed endorsement form to MyStudyAbroad system no later than the deadline stipulated by the host institution. After reviewing your application, HKUST will endorse your application and notify the APRU VSE Central Office directly.

Enrollment procedures at the Host Institution
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will be notified of the result through email from APRU VSE Central office, and provided with details to submit a formal application to the host institution.

Step 6: After you have received the offer from the host institution, please email the admission letter/email to study.abroad@ust.hk for processing.

Last update: 13 January 2025