Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Undergraduate Exchange

The Office of International Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences is inviting College undergraduate students to apply for the Fall 2017 semester or 2017-2018 Academic Year exchange at HKUST. Students may enroll in either the School of Science or the School of Humanities and Social Science at HKUST.

HKUST is a well-regarded university that offers excellent support for visiting exchange students. Courses are taught in English. Since this is an IU exchange, students the College nominates pay their regular IU tuition and fees. In addition, nominated students may apply for funds from the College to support their travel.

ELIGIBILITY:

In order to be eligible students must:

•         Be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.

•         Have completed a minimum of one year at IU prior to enrolling at HKUST.

•         Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

•         Complete an essay and provide two letters of recommendation.

•         Have a passport by the time applications are due to HKUST (end of March).

DEADLINE:

Student applications must be received by 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2017. Applications will be reviewed by The College and then nominated to HKUST. Accepted students will be notified to complete an online application through HKUST by the end of March.

PROCEDURES:

Students interested in the program should do the following:

• Carefully read this blog post and the referenced websites/attachments before submitting an application.  Students should NOT contact HKUST directly until after they are nominated by the College.
• Arrange for two (2) letters of recommendation from professors or others who can speak to the student’s academic qualifications, as well as any other qualities or information regarding the student’s preparedness and interest in the HKUST program. Recommendation letters should be sent directly from the recommender to the College Office of International Affairs, collOIA@indiana.edu by 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2017.
• Complete the College’s Application for the HKUST exchange. The application form is attached, or students may obtain one by contacting the College Office of International Affairs, collOIA@indiana.edu.
• Write an essay that is no longer than two pages explaining why they would like to take part in the exchange at HKUST. The essay should include information about academic studies thus far at IU and what they plan to study at HKUST. The essay should also address why they would like to study in Hong Kong, such as any interest in the language, culture, or other opportunities there.  Students should be sure their names are at the top of their essays.
• Send the completed application and essay (in PDF or Word format) by email attachment to the College Office of International Affairs, collOIA@indiana.edu by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, February 22, 2017, with the words “Secure Message” or “Confidential” in the subject line.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

§  Students are encouraged to submit application materials before the deadline if at all possible.  The deadline is firm.

§  The College will convene a committee to review applications, assessing each one on the academic suitability for the program as well as an indicated ability to adapt to living and studying abroad. To promote opportunities for cross-cultural experiences, preference will be extended to those students who are not Chinese nationals or have not previously spent a significant amount of time in China.

§  Students who are nominated will be instructed to consult with the Office of Overseas Study and their Academic Advisor(s) to make further program arrangements.

§  There are several students who have previously participated in the exchange with the HKUST School of Science, and we can put students in contact with them, if requested.

§  Students selected for the exchange will pay their regular IU tuition and fees, and will be given information about estimated costs for housing, meals, and other expenses in Hong Kong.

§  Students that the College nominates will be eligible to apply for travel support to help offset the cost of the airfare.

§  To learn more about HKUST’s courses, students are referred to the Course Catalog at http://prog-crs.ust.hk/ .

o   Division of Humanities course offerings with syllabi for Fall 2016: http://www.huma.ust.hk/teaching_learning/courses_ug2016fall_offering.html

o   Division of Social Science course offerings with syllabi for Fall 2016: http://www.sosc.ust.hk/teaching_learning/courses_ug.html

§  To learn more about HKUST’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences, see http://www.shss.ust.hk/global_experience/exchange_in_overview/

§  To learn more about HKUST’s School of Science, see:
http://science.ust.hk/

§  Because this is a relatively new exchange, we do not have a database of IU equivalent courses.  Students will have to have their HKUST transcripts and syllabi evaluated by IU faculty in order for IU equivalencies to be processed.

§  Students will be expected to arrive in Hong Kong in late August to attend orientation, and begin classes on September 1, 2017.  Classes for the fall semester will conclude in mid-December.

If you have any questions, please contact the College’s Office of International Affairs at collOIA@indiana.edu.