HKUST is a beautiful and amazing university! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Great university! Challenging but not too rigorous coursework. Lots of resources and help available to students.

On-site administration of your program

There are many administrators and offices to help you on campus. Most of the office workers speak English but if not they will have someone there who does. The foreign student office of your college can help you if you have any issues.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

While you are applying you get to choose whether you want your roommate to be another foreign student or a local one, but you don't really get to choose which hall to live in. I lived in the Hall VI dormitory. We had a fan and an A/C unit, but you have to pay for A/C on an hourly basis. They A/C rate is cheap but it gets very hot and humid at HKUST so you will probably be using it a lot. Each room has a sink but you have to use the common bathrooms for showering and using the toilet. Only four showers per floor and there was always at least one that was broken or faulty. It is also very easy to leave your shampoo and soap in the shower and it will disappear very quickly so be careful. The workers for the hall speak little to no English but there are a few who can help you.

There are two large cafeterias, a Starbucks, a McDonald's, and a few cafes on campus so there is plenty to choose from. Going off campus is a bit of a journey so having good on-campus food is really nice. The food is not gourmet but most people find some good things and then stick with those dishes. The western style food can be a bit weird but I rarely ended up disliking the dishes I got. Breakfast is really good on campus and McDonald's can be a good place when you are just craving a burger or something.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

This really depends on you. Pretty much everyone is really friendly, but the local students usually won't approach you unless you make an effort. You will have many other foreign friends but if you really want to get to know more Hong Kong local students you have to go to events and join clubs. Many people will be excited to talk to a foreign student, but some people might not be comfortable with their English speaking so try not to speak too fast and be patient.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues while I was in Hong Kong, but my home university and HKUST made sure that everyone knew who to contact and where to go if there was a medical issue. Some other foreign students had fairly bad colds but I never got sick once while I was there. I don't remember there being any specific vaccinations needed but your doctor might recommend some, especially if you plan on visiting other parts of Asia while you are abroad.

I felt very safe on campus and in the city. The campus has little to no crime, and the only deaths, that I knew of, that had occurred since the university was founded were from individuals taking there own lives. I felt safer in Hong Kong than I do in Texas.

The campus was beautiful, the people were friendly, and I had so much fun!

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

On-campus food was very cheap there is a grocery store on campus which can be even cheaper. You will need more money if you go to the city a lot, especially if you go downtown, but transportation is very cheap and easy.

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• Dorm

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• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The campus was beautiful!
• The city was fun and impressive!
• The transportation was so convenient!

• The campus is a little far from the city.
• Make sure the students have multiple ways to get money just in case.
• More information about travel during your time abroad.

The Avid Adventurer