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HKUST Summer Study Abroad (Outgoing Program)

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  • Program Terms: Summer
  • Restrictions: HKUST applicants only
Program Description:


HKUST Summer Study Abroad

HKUST has pleasure to offer HKUST undergraduate students a wide range of study abroad programs for Summer 2025. The programs take place between June and August, and span from 3 weeks to 10 weeks.

Participation in these programs requires HKUST nomination. HKUST students must apply through the HKUST Office of Global Learning. The host institutions do not accept applications directly from individual students.

 

Application Deadline

Round 1: 29 December 2024, 23:59 (Sunday) (Hong Kong Time)


In order to meet the nomination deadlines as set by certain host institutions, HKUST may process certain applications in sequence on a rolling basis. If quotas are filled in previous rounds, the program will not open for applications in subsequent rounds.
 

Eligibility

Students who have fulfilled the below requirements are eligible to apply for HKUST Summer Study Abroad:

  • HKUST full-time undergraduate students who have completed at least one year of study at HKUST by the start of the program are welcome to apply* unless specified. Students who have participated in summer programs offered by HKUST Office of Global Learning (OGL) or Schools before can also apply. Special consideration may be given; and
  • CGA 2.0 or above unless specified (Students with CGA below 2.0 may also apply. Offers may be given with special consideration.); and
  • Fulfil additional requirements set by the host institutions listed on individual program brochure pages (links provided under “Program List” section); and
  • The following students are required to attend the selection interview, and attendance is compulsory:
    1. Students have chosen any programs that requires interview
    2. Students with CGA below 2.0; and
  • Have not been disqualified by OGL from HKUST Summer Study Abroad; and
  • Have not withdrawn from any summer programs offered by OGL in the past.

*Students who are in the final year of the undergraduate program are welcome to apply if they fulfil the above requirements and NOT apply for graduation in Spring. 


Important Notes

  • A placement in a study abroad program is a valuable opportunity offered by HKUST for HKUST students. It is a valuable resource which must be used effectively without wastage. You are expected to think carefully about your participation in such programs before you submit your application. There should be thorough consideration to the financial and time commitment involved. All program choices you select in your application, irrespective of their rank order, are assumed to be programs that you are prepared to take up. If there are programs that you would not participate in, even if an offer is issued, then please do not select that in your application. It is fine not to fill up all program choices.
  • Students will only be offered one program out of the program choices that you have selected in your application.
  • If you withdraw from the program any time after you have committed to the offer, you will lose your eligibility to apply for HKUST Summer Study Abroad again in the future.
  • For Summer Sponsored programs, if students withdraw from the program after committing to the offer or fail to fulfill the reimbursement requirements, the sponsorship amount for the related fees will not be reimbursed.
  • Students must have active student status during the Summer Term:
    • Final year students are required NOT to apply for graduation in Spring
    • Students who are currently on study leave are required to shorten the period if necessary so that the study leave will NOT cover the Summer Term (i.e. end by Spring just before the summer program)
  • Final year students who participate in the HKUST Summer Study Abroad should apply for graduation in Summer Term. For details, please refer to ARO’s Application for Graduation website.
    • Award Certification Letter, a proof of completion of graduation requirements, will not be available until after mid-September. It may possible to apply for a provisional Award Certification Letter. While it does not delay the congregation, students are reminded to consider whether the delay in obtaining Award Certification Letter would post any impacts.
    • There will not be sufficient time for final year students to proceed with credit transfer applications for their summer programs. So, final year students need to ensure that they do not need the study abroad credits for meeting graduation requirements.
  • Students may apply for more than one summer programs (including summer exchange programs offered by the School of Science or the School of Engineering), please note:
    • You are eligible to submit applications via MyStudyAbroad system
    • Offers will be issued for any or all successful applications
    • You are restricted to commit to one offer only
    • Please note the penalty details of the School and OGL if you decide to decline an offer or withdraw from an offer after offer commitment
  • OGL will have the final judgement on the HKUST Summer Study Abroad Program, including but not limited to programs offering, selection procedures, nomination decisions and program completion.

 


Program List

There are three types of programs:

  • Summer Exchange: Tuition fee is waived by the host institution. Available quotas are relatively smaller.
  • Summer Partnership: HKUST partners with top tier institutions to offer HKUST students summer study abroad opportunities. Students may enjoy application fee waiver or tuition fee reductions and you may refer to the individual program brochures by clicking on the below program links. HKUST students must apply and be nominated by HKUST. Credits are transferrable.
  • Summer Sponsored: These are sponsored programs offered by HKUST Office of Global Learning with an aim to encourage study abroad in destinations that are less familiar to HKUST students, with the view to further broadening the global opportunities offered to HKUST students. Tuition, accommodation and cultural program costs will be covered by HKUST. Students will be allowed to participate in Summer Sponsored program (regardless of the mode of delivery) ONCE only during the undergraduate study.

 

Host Institution Duration Program Category Selection Interview
Austria      
MCI Management Center Innsbruck 4 weeks Exchange Required
University of Vienna - European Studies 4 weeks Sponsored Required
University of Vienna - Summer Intensive German Course 4 weeks Sponsored Required
Canada      
The University of British Columbia 4 weeks Partnership Not required
Czechia      
Charles University 4-7 weeks Sponsored Required
Masaryk University 3 weeks Sponsored Required
Denmark      
Aarhus University 5 weeks Partnership Not required
Estonia      
Tallinn University 3 weeks Sponsored Required
Germany      
Freie Universitaet Berlin 5-6 weeks Partnership Not required
RWTH Aachen University 3 weeks Partnership Required
Norway      
BI Norwegian Business School 3 weeks Partnership Not required
Poland      
Jagiellonian University 4-6 weeks Sponsored Required
Singapore      
Singapore Management University 4 weeks Exchange; Partnership Required
South Korea      
Ewha Womans University 4 weeks Partnership Not required
Hanyang University 4 weeks Exchange; Partnership Required
Korea University 4-6 weeks Exchange; Partnership Required
Seoul National University 5 weeks Partnership Not required
Yonsei University 4-6 weeks Partnership Not required
Spain      
ESADE 4-6 weeks Partnership Required
Taiwan      
National Chengchi University 6 weeks Exchange; Partnership Required
The Netherlands      
Utrecht University 4-6 weeks Exchange; Partnership Required
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 4 weeks Partnership Not required
United Kingdom      
Imperial College London 3 weeks Partnership Required
King's College London 4 weeks Partnership Not required
The London School of Economics and Political Science 3-9 weeks Partnership Not required
The University of Warwick 3 weeks Partnership Not required
University College London 3-6 weeks Partnership Not required
University of Bristol 3 weeks Partnership Not required
University of Cambridge - Girton College 4 weeks Partnership Required
University of Cambridge - Pembroke College 4-6 weeks Partnership Required
University of Glasgow 4 weeks Partnership Not required
University of Leeds 4 weeks Partnership Not required
University of Oxford - Exeter College 6 weeks Partnership Required
University of Oxford - Lady Margaret Hall 3 weeks Partnership Required
University of the Arts London 3 weeks Partnership Not required
United States      
Boston University 6 weeks Partnership Not required
Columbia University 6 weeks Partnership Not required
Harvard University 3-7 weeks Partnership Required
San Francisco State University 5-10 weeks Partnership Not required
Stanford University 8 weeks Partnership Required
University of California, Berkeley 3-10 weeks Partnership Not required
Yale University 5 weeks Partnership Required
Notes:
  • Students are expected to take courses offered in face-to-face mode only even the program has an option of online mode of delivery. Taking online classes and examinations would affect the credit transfer results.
  • Depending on the development of the pandemic or any other concerns HKUST or the host institutions may have, it is possible for HKUST or the host institutions to suspend all in-person programs any time. It will not be possible to arrange alternative placements.
  • Any costs related to program participation incurred are not refundable by HKUST or the host university should a program be cancelled or should circumstances render your inability to proceed with the program.
  • Programs offered in different rounds may be different depending on when the information from partner institutions are available.


Application Procedures

  • Check the list of available programs.
  • Click the "Apply Now" button on this page to complete HKUST application forms and submit supplementary documents. Please refer to section “Required documents/materials” below for details.
  • Make sure you click the "Submit Application" button to submit your application before the deadline. No late applications will be accepted unless specified.
  • Once your application is submitted, you are not allowed to make any changes to your program choices.
  • [For students who have chosen any programs that requires interview OR with their CGA below 2.0] Students MUST attend a Zoom interview arranged on 2-3 Jan 2025 (Thu-Fri). Interviews will be conducted via Zoom. Detailed instructions will be provided in the application. Students who did not attend the interview will not be further considered and will be disqualified from HKUST Summer Study Abroad 2025. 
  • [For students who have NOT chosen any programs that requires interview] Students are required to submit the questionnaire "(Outgoing) Motivation for applying HKUST Summer Study Abroad Program - OGL Summer". 
  • Where possible, decisions will be made after the CGA of the previous term is available.
  • In order to meet the nomination deadlines set by different host institutions, HKUST may process certain applications in sequence.


Required Documents/ Materials

Please prepare the documents listed below and upload on MyStudyAbroad System by the application deadline. It is not necessary to submit hard copies.

  • Resume
  • Personal statement
  • English proficiency score report^ (e.g. TOEFL / IELTS) for programs which have English language proficiency requirement. Please refer to the individual program page and host institution's website for details. Students applying for programs with specific English Language proficiency requirements will not be considered if you cannot provide the proof by the HKUST application deadline.

^English proficiency score report 

  • You will only need to submit the English Language proficiency proof if you are applying for programs which have English Language proficiency requirement. 
  • Generally speaking, students are expected to submit the English Language proficiency proof in the summer study abroad program application by the application deadline.
  • If you have taken any of the English Language proficiency tests but you have not received your result by the application deadline, please indicate you will be taking the test in the future. Nevertheless, you are required to send the test report to the HKUST Office of Global Learning (study.abroad@ust.hk) through email by 5 January 2025, 23:59 (Hong Kong time) the latest. English proficiency score report submitted after the above deadline will NOT be considered. 
  • Students will be asked to submit a valid English Language proficiency proof upon submitting your application to the host institution. Generally speaking, TOEFL/IELTS test results are valid within 2 years, and DuoLingo test result is valid within 1 year. 


Note: Since the application deadlines set by the host institutions may be soon after HKUST's offer release, OGL would advise students to check for the supporting document requirements as requested by the host institutions and start preparing for them well in advance. In particular, students applying for programs which require academic reference letters should prepare for these as soon as possible.


Selection Criteria

[For students who have chosen any programs that requires interview OR students with CGA below 2.0]
Selection is made taking into account the following factors:

  • Academic standing (CGA); and
  • Information provided in your Personal Statement and Resume; and
  • Interview performance*

*Interview performance is crucial for the application. If our selection panel finds the performance unsatisfactory, NO offer will be given to the student regardless of the student's academic performance and other information submitted in the application.

[For students who have NOT chosen any programs that requires interview]
Selection is made taking into account the following factors:

  • Academic standing (CGA); and
  • Information provided in your questionnaire "(Outgoing) Motivation for applying HKUST Summer Study Abroad Program - OGL Summer", Personal Statement and Resume.

Priority will be given to students who have not participated in exchange or study abroad programs organized by HKUST before.


Application Results

The results will be announced via MyStudyAbroad (with email notification sent to your HKUST email account) on a rolling basis. You are advised to check email regularly (including your junk folder). The offer is a confirmation of HKUST’s nomination only. Students will also be required to complete another set of application forms to the host institution. There could be cases that you may need to submit your application to the host institution very shortly after you receive OGL’s offer. The final admission decision rests with the host institution.

You will not be guaranteed to be enrolled into any specific courses, as course registration is, in most cases, a separate process. If you decide to take this offer and confirm your participation in this program, you must be prepared to be flexible with the follow-up arrangements, including, but not limited to, course selection.


Accepting the offer

Each student is restricted to commit to one offer only within the same term. To commit to the offer, you must:

  • Follow the instructions in the MyStudyAbroad system to commit to the offer. This may require the signing off some forms in the system.
  • You are required to submit a deposit of HK$2,000 by the deadline stated on your offer letter. This deposit will be returned to you (i) upon submission of the official transcript issued by the host institution, and (ii) OGL's review of your study abroad report submitted by the deadline. If you subsequently withdraw or fail to complete the program, the deposit will not be returned.

 

Declining the offer

  • If you do not commit to the offer by the deadline stated on your offer letter, we assume that you decline the offer.
  • If you choose to decline the offer given by OGL, you may still apply for subsequent rounds but you will be put in a lower priority during selection. You will not be given the programs offered from the same institution that you have declined even if you have included the program again in your choice.


Withdrawal and Penalty

  • Students who decide to withdraw from the HKUST Summer Study Abroad any time after committing to the offer for any reasons MUST inform OGL immediately via email at study.abroad@ust.hk.
  • Students who withdraw from the program any time after committing to the offer will lose the eligibility to apply for HKUST Summer Study Abroad again in the future, and the deposit of HK$2,000 will not be returned.
  • Students who fail to inform OGL of the withdrawal will not be allowed to apply for any programs offered by OGL again in the future.


HKUST Study Abroad Funding Support

HKUST provides funding support to students to support the study abroad participation. More details can be found at HKUST Study Abroad website.


Study Plan & Credit Transfer

  • The Academic Registry is the office in HKUST which handles credit transfer applications.
  • Students are responsible to check with the host institution on the course/program completion requirements to be awarded the credits.
  • Students are expected to take courses offered in face-to-face mode only even the program has an option of online mode of delivery. Taking online classes and examinations would affect the credit transfer results.
  • There is no guarantee of enrolment into any course at the host institution, and students must be prepared to be flexible with course selection.  


Visa Information

You will be responsible to ensure that you have the appropriate visa and documents for studying in the destination. Please refer to the individual program brochure page for more information.


Health Insurance

Health insurance is mandatory for some institutions. Please refer to the individual program brochure page for details.

HKUST students who take part in study abroad programs organized by the University will be covered by the University's Travel Insurance Plan. Please CLICK HERE for details.


Accommodation

Some programs will provide on or off-campus accommodation. Separate application may be required. For details, please refer to the individual program brochure page.


Last update: 6 Dec 2024