As member university of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), HKUST offers quality virtual courses for students from participating member universities of the Virtual Student Exchange Program (VSE).
Applicants whose first language is not English and/or studying in institutions where the primary medium of instruction is not English are required to possess proficiency equivalent to one of the following English language requirements. Applicants are required to upload the relevant test results into their HKUST application.
For applicants who do not possess these test results, they should seek endorsement from their home institution to confirm their English language proficiency using the endorsement form. Applicant should upload the signed form to their HKUST application.
Interested students from participating universities can apply by following the steps below.
Step 1: Complete application at ARPU VSE Central Office
Click here for details of the application procedures at APRU VSE Central Office.
Step 2: Complete HKUST application
After receiving the confirmation email from APRU VSE Central Office, click here to provide your basic information to HKUST. HKUST will review your submission and contact you shortly for the login details to complete application on HKUST system (i.e. MyStudyAbroad System). Detailed instruction on the HKUST application can be downloaded here.
After you submitted the application on HKUST MyStudyAbroad system, HKUST will review it, and may contact you if more information is required. If you are admitted to the program, you will receive a decision email from HKUST.
Based on the choice of course, admitted students will be pre-enrolled into the course given there are seats remaining. The course enrollment result will be announced one week before the term starts.
If students wish to drop the course, ‘drop’ request should be submitted to study.abroad@ust.hk before the drop deadline aforementioned. Drop requests received after the drop deadline will be recorded as a “Withdrawal without Penalty (W)” grade on your HKUST transcript.
Virtual study abroad students are not required to be physically present at HKUST to complete the coursework and examination requirements. Online exams and alternative assessments will be arranged.
For courses that require exams, the exam times might be standardized for all enrolled students to ensure equity although they could be located in different time zones. As such, students need to be prepared that the exam times may not be what you are accustomed to normally at your home institution.
HKUST will issue transcripts detailing the courses taken and the grades obtained. The transcripts will be mailed to your home institution.
HKUST uses a 4.3 grading scale, with letter grades, with Grade D being a marginal pass. Please visit here for details.
Credit transfers are approved by students’ home institutions. You should check with your home institution on its policy regarding the transfer of grades and credits.
Office of Global Learning
Email: study.abroad@ust.hk