STEM Internship Scheme

We would like to solicit your support for the Scheme through offering I&T-related internship positions to our students. 

Internship Vacancy Posting

• Each employer may request for posting a maximum of five vacancies for each job position, and no more than five job positions from each employer on PolyU Job Board, and the maximum intake of student interns should be five. Please submit your request via the Job Posting Request Form.
• PolyU will verify each job description to ensure the job is I&T-related. Employer will be notified within five working days whether the vacancy is eligible for posting.
• After verification, the vacancy will be posted on PolyU Job Board. Interested students would follow the instructions and make their applications directly to the employer.
• The employer will contact the student applicant(s) and conduct own screening and selection.
• Please set an application deadline for each vacancy to at least three weeks before the start date of the internship to allow time for processing the verification of student’s eligibility and employment confirmation.

Student’s Eligibility Verification

• Upon offer confirmation, the employer has to inform PolyU via the Eligibility Verification Form for student’s eligibility verification and obtain confirmation from PolyU in relation to student’s eligibility/funding availability. PolyU will advise the employer regarding the eligibility of the proposed student intern (within five working days for local undergraduate students and within 14 days for non-local/postgraduate students) after receiving the student’s online application for the Scheme.
• Student applications have to go through PolyU for approval, which is subject to student eligibility, internship nature, and funding availability at students’ time of submission.
• The Scheme will be closed when the provision of funding is exhausted.

Allowance and Disbursement

• The allowance for the internship for each student intern is HK$11,190 per month (i.e. 30 days), capped at two months. The abovesaid allowance will be disbursed to student interns via PolyU.
• The employer can, at own discretion and expenses, extend the internship duration or offer additional allowance to the student intern(s), provided that the arrangements comply with the Employment Ordinance, the Minimum Wage Ordinance, the Mandatory Provident Fund Ordinance, and other related ordinances.
• Salary, wage and any expected allowance, including the allowance under the Scheme, should be clearly stated in the employment contract for the internship.
• The employer is expected to remind and support the student intern(s) to complete online application(s) upon offer confirmation, the required documents for disbursement after the internship, and communicate with PolyU as early as possible if any problem arises that would affect the disbursement of the allowance.

See Guidelines for Employers for more details.

Enquiries

Tel: 3400 2446
Email: stem.cps@polyu.edu.hk

Eligibility
As required by ITC, the Scheme is open to undergraduates and postgraduates who are:

• local or non-local students enrolling on one of the full-time STEM programmes (please refer to the “List of Eligible STEM Programmes” on this page) recognised by ITC to be eligible for the Scheme;
• from any year of studies; and
• legally employable in Hong Kong.

Internship Requirements

• Full-time placements in Hong Kong with duration of at least four consecutive weeks (i.e. 28 calendar days), allowance capped at two months.
• The duration of the internship is the number of calendar days in the contract period, and the start and end days of the internship should be working days. If the internship start/end days fall on Saturday, General Holiday or Statutory Holiday, they will be regarded as unpaid leave.
• I&T-related internship positions, i.e. actual work which contains sufficient I&T elements.
• The summer internship should commence no earlier than May 2024, with a duration of at least four consecutive weeks.
• The internship funded by the Scheme, as required by ITC, CANNOT be used to fulfil WIE requirements. However, the internship period IN ADDITION TO that required for WIE requirements could be funded by the Scheme. For students who are undertaking an internship period IN ADDITION TO that required by WIE requirements, please refer to Appendix 3 in the Guidelines for Students.
• Internship positions directly subsidised by the Government DO NOT fall under this Scheme (e.g. internship programmes of the HKSAR Government).

Application Procedures

1. Students can apply for STEM internship  through PolyU Job Board or Faculties/Schools/Departments, or source on their own.
2. Submit the followings to CPS, SAO AFTER confirming a STEM internship offer and by the application deadline:
   
   
• Online Application Form (for applicants undertaking an internship period in addition to their WIE requirements, click HERE)
• Copy of Employment Contract
• Signed Student Charter (for applicants undertaking an internship period in addition to their WIE requirements, click HERE)
• Copy of Student ID Card

• Copy of “No Objection Letter” (“NOL”) issued by the Immigration Department (for non-local students only)

• Home Faculty’s/School’s/Department’s approval for student’s internship participation (for research postgraduate students only)

3. Approval for student applications will be granted by CPS, SAO based on student eligibility, internship nature, and funding availability at students’ time of submission. The first batch of applications will receive priority consideration for approval. CPS, SAO may consider later batch(es) of applications subject to the funding availability.
4. The Scheme will be closed when the provision of funding is exhausted.
5. Successful applicants are required to attend a pre-internship training workshop organised by CPS, SAO.
6. Students should submit the following items to CPS, SAO within two weeks upon the completion of internship:
• Assessment/Evaluation Form (to be filled in by both employer and student intern)
• Timesheet (signed by work supervisor)
• Salary Statement (if applicable)
• Learning Journal and Photos
7. Submit bank account information to the Finance Office of PolyU (for undergraduates/taught postgraduates; for research postgraduates).

Allowance and Disbursement

• Allowance for summer internship for each student intern is HK$11,190 per month (i.e. 30 days), capped at two months. Student interns may receive the allowance under the Scheme for more than one internship place, PROVIDED THAT
• the participating employers are different and the internship periods do NOT overlap; and
• the maximum amount of allowance does NOT exceed three months in one academic year (i.e. current academic year is from 28 August 2023 to 1 September 2024).
• Only students who have successfully enrolled on the Scheme, completed the entire internship, and submitted post-internship documents are eligible to receive the allowance.
• Allowance will NOT be disbursed to students who fail to achieve 80% attendance rate or cannot complete the internship as planned.
• Unpaid leaves will NOT be taken into consideration in the calculation of allowance under the Scheme, and will be deducted from the calculation of internship duration.
• The employers may, at own discretion, offer additional allowance to student interns, which the arrangements should comply with the Employment Ordinance, the Minimum Wage Ordinance, the Mandatory Provident Fund Ordinance, and other related ordinances.
• Salary, wage and any expected allowance, including the allowance under the Scheme, should be clearly stated in the employment contract for the internship.
• Student interns who do NOT receive a minimum wage from employers for the internship under the Scheme should check their eligibility to work as “Work Experience Student” under the Minimum Wage Ordinance, and submit to employers the Confirmation of Student Status and the statutory declaration (Click HERE for details).
• Attendance of pre-internship training workshop is a mandatory requirement for the release of allowance.
• Students may expect to receive the allowance around three months after the post-internship submission.

 See Guidelines for Students for more details.

Enquiries

Tel: 3400 2446
Email: stem.stud@polyu.edu.hk

Approved by ITC

*Research postgraduate students who receive Research Scholarship are NOT permitted to take up any employment with the University or with any other employers unless special approval is granted by home Faculty/School/Department.
*Research postgraduate students who would like to participate in the Scheme must seek prior approval from their home Faculty/School/Department, and provide written proof to CPS, SAO during application.