Choose Hong Kong!! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

School anywhere outside of where you're from is likely to be different, so as long as you go into an abroad program ready for change, then you'll be fine. I was not aware of this, so it was a bit of a shock to me. Most classes at CUHK (and I think in Asia in general) tend to have one or two tests a semester, along with maybe a paper or a big presentation. At my home university I'm used to having many assignments to keep my grade up, so the pressure to get really good grades was fairly high in this new setting. Having said that, classes weren't difficult at all. It was just the difference in how to handle the classwork that made things hard.

On-site administration of your program

Works a bit slow, but it wasn't a huge issue.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

This was my first experience living in the dorms, and I would say that it couldn't have been better, haha. I was placed in a normal student dorm and it was great. If you choose to live in the student dorms, pray that you will be placed in Daisy Li. It's a little out of the way, but hands down has the best view in the university and is the newest dorm out of the New Asia college dorms. The faculty of the dorm was a delightful married couple who were there to answer any question I had, and even went the extra mile to include me in dorm activities. I felt so welcomed in a very new and foreign setting (being in Hong Kong and being in a dorm setting for the first time), which is more comforting than words can express. The bathrooms were kept clean all the time (Staff clean them every morning), they were supplied with their own toilet paper (something some dorms do not do, unfortunately), and there was a good amount of shower/bathroom stalls! There is a canteen pretty close by, as well as vending machines everywhere, haha. The dorm staff was sooooooooooooo friendly, I can't stress that enough. Overall a great time was had at Daisy Li. Hopefully if you opt for the student dorms and not the international house, you are blessed with a spot in this dorm haha.

The canteens on campus are fine, but not great by any means. I went off campus for food pretty often-- almost every day, I'd say. If you are super into noodle soups, you'll be delighted to know that almost every canteen specializes in just that. If you're not, you'll be bummed to know that good foods are few and far between. Lots of experimenting is necessary in the canteens. But they are super convenient and not a bad in-between class option. Also very inexpensive, about $3-5 for a meal+drink. The most I ever spent was like $8 for a personal sized pizza, and that was the most expensive thing I saw in any of the canteens. Also... not good pizza, so don't splurge on that. But for dinner or on weekends, definitely go out into Hong Kong and check out the amazing food the city has to offer!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The local students are pretty nice if you're in a class with them, or living in the same dorm as them, but for the most part you won't meet many outside of these settings. They're polite, but distant. There are so many international/exchange students coming in and out of the university, so most local students don't see the point in making an effort to be friends if you are just going to leave soon. With that said, there are plenty of groups on campus for exchange students to mix 'n mingle with local students, if that's what you're looking to do. Also a few culture clubs on campus have trips around famous spots in Hong Kong, so if you are interested in getting a local perspective on Hong Kong, definitely go on one of these trips! Super interesting stuff.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got sick almost as soon as I arrived in Hong Kong and went to the health clinic to grab some meds. I was in and out within like fifteen minutes. Also everything was free, so my antibiotics and appointment were completely free of charge. It was insanely easy, much more efficient than my home university's healthcare system.

Most of Asia is actually really safe, so even in an insanely densely populated city like Hong Kong, I never felt in danger. I walked alone many times on campus late at night and never thought anything of it. Within Hong Kong (Mongkok, Central, etc.) I was out late at night a few times by myself and still didn't feel threatened. Be aware, of course, but HK really is much safer than most cities in the US.

CUHK was a beautiful university that I miss every day now that I'm back. It was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the huge city of Hong Kong that you could enjoy the lush scenery and beautiful landscapes, but still close enough that you could easily be in the city within 10-15 minutes. The students were friendly, food was cheap, and the administrators were some of the most enthusiastic I have ever studied under. Such a great experience, I would love to do it all over again.

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

Every month I would pull out about HK$2000 (about US$250) and that would last me the entire month for meals and transportation. Canteen meals are cheap, so if you have a tight budget, take advantage of that! If you have a bit more wiggle room, definitely go out in Hong Kong and splurge on some great food every once in a while. Also the night markets are great and very cheap, so try to include some extra money for shopping at a few of those spots! All in all, though, Hong Kong can be super affordable if you are not looking to spend a whole lot but still want an incredible abroad experience. :)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

You definitely don't need Cantonese, but it is so fun and rewarding if you do choose to learn it. Almost everyone on the CUHK campus can speak English, so I wouldn't say it was encouraged for me to use it, but there are a few people who do not speak English and it was super exciting to use my new language skills and be understood!

Select all that apply

• Dorm

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• International Students

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• International Students

• Being in Hong Kong
• The CUHK campus
• Meeting lots of people from all over the world

• Campus food :(
• Transportation up and down campus
• Integration into the local culture

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer