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Program Specific Information

Academic Environment
On-site Support
Accommodation
Application Process
Resources & Contact Information
Program Dates

General Study Abroad Information

Program Costs, Financial Aid & Scholarships *Please note that program-specific costs are available through the “Budget Sheet” link at the top of this page
Health & Safety Information
Passport/Visa Information

Academic Environment
 

Where you will study

Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is one of the top universities in Hong Kong and has been ranked by US News as the #5 university in Asia. CUHK is located in Hong Kong's Shatin New Territories, on a rugged mountain-side overlooking one of Hong Kong's many waterways.
 
CUHK has all of the modern facilities that you would expect from an institution of its size. The library, computer facilities, sports facilities, health center etc. are excellent. The Office of Academic Links (OAL) is located in a newly renovated building. OAL has computer facilities, audio-visual equipment, and comfortable furniture for students to use. For more information, visit the OAL website. 

Student Life

 Many CUHK students live on campus, so there are ample chances for interaction with local students. Illinois students will likely live with someone from Hong Kong, providing an excellent opportunity for interaction. OAL also organizes several field trips, dinners and other activities for exchange students throughout the semester. 

Hong Kong is a large city, so there are many activities for students to pursue. Visitors to Hong Kong are encouraged to sample the local cuisine and go bargain shopping. Public transportation connects the university with the rest of Hong Kong; the bus/train station is within walking distance from anywhere on campus. From the CUHK campus, students can access the rest of Hong Kong where there is no shortage of things to do.

Courses

Semester/Academic Year Program:

CUHK has built up a strong international reputation in teaching and research. Undergraduate- and postgraduate-level courses are offered by 61 departments under the faculties of Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Science, and Social Science. CUHK is a bilingual university where English, Cantonese and Putonghua are used for instruction. Although Cantonese is the primary spoken language in Hong Kong, many courses at CUHK are conducted in English. CUHK offers courses in nearly every major area of study and offers a full curriculum, so students in nearly every discipline should find courses. For more information on courses, please visit CUHK's course website.

While students are able to enroll in Mandarin and Cantonese language courses through IASP, students also have the opportunity to take up to 6 credits worth of Mandarin (Putonghua) or Cantonese language at the New Asia Yale-in-China Chinese Language Centre (CLC). Students can enroll in more than 6 credits, but they will have to pay extra for each additional credit. For more details, please visit this website.

For a listing of courses offered that already have Illinois equivalencies, please click here.

Summer Program:

The CUHK International Summer School (ISS) provides you with an exceptional opportunity to combine high-quality learning with an unforgettable summer experience. While attending, students can learn and live alongside other academic achievers from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. International students can immerse themselves in a multicultural environment and gain insights into Asian cultures. The ISS runs three sessions from June to August, including a three-week June Session that focuses on business and China studies; a five-week July Session that offers courses in business, China/Chinese studies, Chinese language (Putonghua and Cantonese), engineering, environmental studies, humanities and social science; in addition to a three-week August Session that offers language training in Putonghua and English

For more details on the courses offered during the Summer Program, click here. 

Class size

Classes at CUHK are taught in a lecture or seminar structure with relatively smaller class sizes.

Language

Each course may be offered in one of three languages: English, Cantonese, or Mandarin. The decision as to which language will be used is often not made until the start of the academic year. The professor makes a decision based on his/her own abilities and on the interests of the students in the class. Fortunately, some professors will teach special tutorials for English-speaking students for classes taught in Mandarin or Cantonese. Courses offered through the International Asian Studies Programme (IASP) are guaranteed to be in English.

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On-site Support
 
International Student Office

Each university has its own on-site international student office to assist students with local issues (from classes to accommodation) and may host social gatherings throughout the semester. Find out more about CUHK’s International Student Office by clicking here.  

You can also contact the Regional Program Manager at the Office of Academic Links, Mr. Louis Wong.  He will be your main contact for all exchange program questions.  You can email him by clicking here.

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Accommodation
 
Housing is included in the price of the exchange, so participants are guaranteed housing at CUHK. Hostels, as they are known at CUHK, are located throughout campus, and students often live in the hostel closest to their classes. Exchange students usually share a room with another student, most likely one from Hong Kong. The rooms have Internet access as well as air conditioning. Each floor has a communal bathroom and kitchen. The dorms do not provide meal plans, so students usually eat at one of cafeterias on campus. Each faculty (academic college) has its own cafeteria. Thus, on-campus access to food is very convenient. If students get tired of cafeteria food, there are restaurants in the surrounding area as well.
 
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• Minimum 3.0 GPA recommended
• Completed at least one semester at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at the time of application
• Good academic standing

• Letter of recommendation - done electronically (must be an academic advisor, TA or professor)
• Personal essay questions
• Passport photocopy
• Official transcript (eSCRIP)
• Online questionnaires

•  If you are nominated by Illinois Abroad and Global Exchange based on your application in Step 1, you will then submit a host-university application to CUHK. Your study abroad advisor will provide you with additional information, and supplemental application instructions will follow.