Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best semester of my life Past Review

By (Biology, General., Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/05/2012 to 05/31/2012 with

Chinese University of Hong Kong: Hong Kong - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was absolutely worthwhile. HK is such a convenient location because it's close to all these other interesting countries and I got to travel and see places that I had previously only dreamed of going to. I also loved getting to meet other international students from very diverse backgrounds and speaking to them about their lives at home. Getting to experience all these different cultures was really eye opening.

Review Photos

Direct Enrollment: Hong Kong - Chinese University of Hong Kong Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes were interesting and the professors definitely seemed to be enthusiastic about the material. The library is has many resources: books, online journals, etc., and there is also a interlibrary consortium between all the colleges in Hong Kong that will have anything else you can't find. Most local students claimed that it was very competitive and difficult to do well, but I felt that the workload was manageable and not as intense as it can be at colleges in the States.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The IASP program advisors made themselves pretty accessible, and were there for us if we had any questions. The office itself was in a rather obscure location though.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing on campus was OK. Facilities were cleaned every weekday, and the rooms were a good size. The campus is HUGE and very hilly, so there are shuttle buses that you can take to get from one end of campus to the other. CUHK also has it's own train station.

* Food:

Food in HK is cheap and delicious! Food on campus isn't as good as it is off campus but it's still decent. HK style food is sometimes a weird mix of Western and Chinese food, but it's interesting.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Being Chinese myself and being able to speak the language pretty well, I definitely felt that it was easy to integrate into the culture. It was also interesting to see the differences between social interactions and campus life of HK students versus American students.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health care issues during the duration of my program.

* Safety:

Hong Kong felt like a pretty safe city, but there are a lot of people living in a very small area, so it's very crowded all the time. Just be smart and have some common sense and it'll be fine.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I also had a study abroad scholarship, so my budget was probably a bit higher than most people's will be. Food and clothing seems to be significantly cheaper in HK because the currency exchange rate is in our favor. Though I didn't spend too much money in a general weekly basis, I did spend a lot of money traveling. (See below.)

* Was housing included in your program cost? No
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $75
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Apply for study abroad scholarships, and if you plan on traveling to other places, make a budget. I didn't do that and ended up spending a lot more money than was really necessary. Don't be fooled by the exchange rate.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Hong Kong is a beautiful and interesting city.
  • Food and clothing is really cheap!
  • Getting to meet other international students.
* What could be improved?
  • The application process was a bit complicated/held up by some red tape.
  • Wifi access on campus is spotty.
  • Campus shuttle buses don't run as frequently as they should, and the schedule is a little confusing.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Again, do not be fooled by the exchange rate! I spent way more money than I thought I would traveling, and while I don't regret it exactly, I wished I had budgeted my money a little more carefully. Regarding the living situation on campus, I also wish I had had more information when picking dorms. Most international students pick I-House but it's the furthest away from the train station (about a 30 minute walk) and doesn't have a shuttle bus station. Morningside and SH Ho are the newest dorms on campus and are a walkable distance from the train station, so if you get back late, you don't have to get a taxi to drive you all the way back up the hill.