Steps

1. Wait for the Department to announce the opening of applications for exchange.
2. Identify a host university that fits your study plan.
3. Submit application form and supporting documents to Miss Brooky Chan (brooky.chan@polyu.edu.hk) at AG428.
4. Attend exchange interview.
5. Announcement of results:
   Applications will be processed by the Department concerned and successful applicants will be notified individually.

Steps

1. Identify a host university that fits your study plan from the GEO online list.
2. Obtain further information from the GEO website here.
3. Consult the programme leader and / or Departmental Student Exchange Programme Officer on the choice of subjects and credit transferability.
4. Submit application form and supporting documents to GEO.
5. If called for an interview by GEO, attend the interview.
6. Announcement of results:
   All applications will be processed by GEO, and successful applicants will be notified individually.

Ensure your travel documents are valid for at least 6 months after the end of your exchange period. Renew it immediately if necessary.

Check out the procedures and documents required from the Consulate General and proceed with your visa application immediately upon receipt of your acceptance letter.

Non-local students are advised to apply for their visas in Hong Kong instead of the Embassy / Consulate in their home country. This is to ensure immediate support from PolyU in case the Consulate requests any supplementary documents to justify the application.

If the Consulate requires a certificate of student status, please approach the Country Coordinator of the GEO at PolyU for assistance. 

Students should get their financial proof ready by the time they apply for a visa. Students have a high possibility of being rejected by the Consulate if they are unable to demonstrate they have sufficient funds in their bank account. The financial proof has to be in English. It is not a monthly statement but a bank document with evidence of a balance equivalent to the minimum amount required by the host country. It is best to present a bank document with the student’s name as the account holder.

You should also ensure that your student visa will be able to cover your entire exchange period.

Students should be fully aware of the fact that they will be withdrawn from the exchange programme if they fail to obtain a valid visa. Students are unlikely to be offered a second chance for exchange in other semesters.

Understand accommodation options offered by your host university. Apply as early as possible but do not pay for the accommodation until you have received the enrolment letter.

Make your flight reservation as soon as your travel dates are confirmed but beware that, if possible, payment should only be made AFTER you have obtained your student visa.

When you decide on your departure date to the host University, you should refer to its Academic Calendar and look for the start and end dates of the academic semester. Ensure your departure date will not clash with the exam period at PolyU. Arrive prior to the start of the semester, if necessary, to attend induction activities or pre-semester language subjects.

You will become familiar with the exchange funding that is applicable to you at the GEO briefing. You can apply for the funding by completing the online Application for Exchange Funding and Pre-departure Form received from GEO.

PolyU has arranged a Group Travel Insurance for staff and students on official activities outside of Hong Kong, international student exchange inclusive. Certain countries / host university may require exchange students to purchase health insurance for the duration of exchange. Carefully check the health insurance requirements of your host university and country as they may vary. PolyU Group Travel Insurance may not fulfil their requirements and you may need to arrange an alternative form of health insurance. Please refer to the GEO website for more information.

Students are responsible for selecting relevant subjects for pre-approval by Dr Rickey Lu (ENGL Student Exchange Officer). When consulting Dr Rickey Lu about your subject selection, bring with you the subject syllabuses. Also, be sure to come to the meeting with information about the number of credit hours that the host university considers to be a full course load for exchange students. This information can be provided in the form of printed official correspondence with the host university or a printed page from the host university’s international office that shows this information.

Students need to observe the number of content and proficiency subjects as stipulated in Q7 of FAQs on the departmental student exchange website. Students should note the policy of credit transfer. Please allow yourself sufficient time to look for classes and discuss them with the student exchange officers. It is a good idea to begin this discussion with the student exchange officers in mid-October.

• Form AR41a (download here)
• A copy of all the pre-selected subjects’ syllabi

• A copy of the official information about the number of credits the host university considers to be a full course load for its exchange students.

• A copy of the Acceptance Letter from the host university (For Departmental Exchange Student Only)

• A copy of the student’s passport and visa (For Departmental Exchange Student Only)

• A copy of the student’s flight itinerary and airfare receipt (For Departmental Exchange Student Only)

• A copy of Insurance receipt (For Departmental Exchange Student Only)

Students who wish to obtain one of the Student Exchange Officers’ signatures on exchange-related documents, please submit the forms to Miss Brooky Chan at AG428.

Students do NOT need to contact the Student Exchange Officer or BAEAL Programme leader individually for approval.

After you have arrived at the host university, if there is any change in the pre-approved subjects, you MUST immediately consult Dr Rickey Lu for advice by email. Include, in your email, the list of subjects originally approved followed by the subjects you are considering adding/dropping after you arrival at the host institution, including the syllabi for each of the added subjects. Any subsequent change in subject selection MUST be approved by Dr Rickey Lu; otherwise, you run the risk of not having your credits transferred upon your return. It is important to keep a copy of the approval email because presentation of the approval for subject change during exchange will be required upon return to Hong Kong. It is students’ responsibility to choose subjects and to seek subject approval from the Student Exchange Officer before and during exchange. Be sure to allow sufficient time for any subject approval that is sought while on exchange. The Department reserves the right not to recognise any subjects that have not been approved by the Student Exchange Officer.

After you return to Hong Kong and receive the Official Transcript issued by your host university, you are required to submit online Form AR41c (Application for Credit Transfer) and upload the following documents as soon as possible:

• A copy of the Official Transcript issued by the host university
• Updated subject syllabi as handed out to students during exchange
• The approval email from Dr Rickey Lu for subject changes (if any)

An email notification will be issued to you via PolyU email if your credit transfer application is successful. GEO will confirm with department your credit transfer status at the end of the following semester 1. If students fail to gain approved credit transfer, GEO will demand return of their exchange sponsorship.

In addition, please be aware that it is necessary for students to pass all of their courses while on exchange. Failure in any single course will result in the deduction of the number of credits to be transferred upon return. This rule applies equally to students who are enrolled in minors and those who are single-discipline ENGL students.

1. Block credit transfer rather than subject-to-subject mapping is usually adopted for subjects transferred to the BAEAL Major and Minor in European Studies. "Block credit transfer" means that the credits are earned through subjects related to the programme but not necessarily compatible to individual BAEAL subjects, in order to help students to get enough credits for the degree. Granting a block credit transfer takes into consideration the relevance of the pre-approved subjects taken at the host university to the intended learning outcomes of the BAEAL programme.

2. To be entitled for a 15-credit block transfer, normally 5 subjects should be taken. Out of the 5 subjects, a minimum of three should be content subjects. In the case of the host university allowing only 4 subjects, 3 out of 4 should be content subjects. Any number fewer than the pre-approved credit number will lead to a deduction of credits, on a basis of 3 credits per subject. It is entirely students’ responsibility to choose relevant subjects and keep the content/proficiency subject ratio in balance.

3. Students who go on exchange are expected to take the recommended workload set by the host university, observing the prerequisite of individual courses offered by the host university.

4. The medium of instruction of your chosen subjects must be English. An Exception applies to foreign language proficiency subjects. Students who wish to seek credit validation for a Japanese or Korean minor from the CBS Department upon return, should seek advice and pre-approval from the CBS Departmental Exchange Officer before departure.

5. Students will have to obtain at least a pass in all the subjects taken overseas in order to be granted credit transfer. All the subjects must have been formally assessed. Grades/marks obtained at the host university will not be counted towards your PolyU GPA.

Content subjects refer to those introducing particular theoretical knowledge. They are different from proficiency subjects, which aim to improve language skills (speaking, listening, reading and / or writing). ‘English Semantics’, for example, is a content subject while ‘Intermediate Spanish’ is a proficiency subject.

BAEAL students need to complete at least 21 credits from Level-4 BAEAL subjects, namely three core major subjects, the Capstone Project, and two Level-4 elective subjects, before graduation. In order to graduate on time, please take note of the semesters in which core and Level-4 BAEAL subjects are offered.

1. Select, from the website of your host university, the subjects offered during your exchange period. The ENGL exchange website also has a subject list for your reference. When consulting Dr Rickey Lu about your subject selection, bring with you the subject syllabuses. Students need to observe the number of content and proficiency subjects as stipulated above. Please allow yourself sufficient time to design the plan.
2. Before leaving PolyU, fill in the Form AR41a, and submit it together with subject syllabus and other required documents to Miss Brooky Chan at AG428. Students do NOT need to contact the Student Exchange Officer or BAEAL Programme leader individually for approval.
3. After you have arrived at the host university, if there is any change in the pre-approved subjects, you MUST immediately consult Dr Rickey Lu for advice by email. Include, in your email, the list of subjects originally approved followed by the subjects add/dropped after you arrival at the host institution, including the syllabus for the added subjects. Any subsequent change in subject selection MUST be approved by Dr Rickey Lu. It is important to keep a copy of the approval email because presentation of the approval for subject change during exchange will be required upon return to Hong Kong. It is students’ responsibility to choose subjects and to seek subject approval from the Student Exchange Officer before and during exchange. The Department reserves the right not to recognize any subjects that have not been approved by the Student Exchange Officer.
4. Get your transcript from the host university after the semester.
5. After you return to Hong Kong and receive the Official Transcript issued by your host university, you are required to submit online Form AR41c (Application for Credit Transfer) and upload the following documents as soon as possible:
   1. a copy of the Official Transcript issued by the host university
   2. updated subject syllabi as handed out to students during exchange
   3. the approval email from Dr Rickey Lu for subject changes (if any)

Year Two BAEAL students with a Sem 1 of Year 2 GPA above 2.7 are qualified to apply. The selection will be based on the accumulated GPA of Year One and Year Two, extra-curricular activities, and performance at a selection interview.

BAEAL students are recommended to go on exchange in semester 2 of Year 3 so that they do not miss the core subject ENGL3002 Research Methods for Language Studies, which is only open in semester 1.

Since BAEAL students under the 4-year curriculum have to finish the compulsory Level-4 BAESP subjects and the Capstone Project in Year 4 (Final Year), they are usually not allowed to go on exchange in their Final Year. Exceptions may be made for high-achieving students with exceptional circumstances.

Yes, you can. The main requirement is that the summer exchange programme runs for at least six weeks to be eligible for credit transfer. Subject suitability shall be discussed with the Student Exchange Officer prior to departure. Otherwise, it might not be possible to transfer your credits to PolyU upon your return.

Students who wish to study in Spain or Japan must take one Spanish or Japanese subject in Sem 1 Year 3 and obtain at least a Pass. The offer will be withdrawn if a candidate fails the subject.

Students whose first language is not Korean and wish to take regular courses taught in Korean at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies are required to provide evidence of Korean language proficiency, which include a. Over the 3rd grade of TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) or 350 of KLPT; b. Over the 3^rd level certificate of HUFS Center for Korean Language & Culture; c. Official transcript proving you have earned at least 15 total credits from Korean Language related courses. Please refer here for the most updated details.

Student can find the language requirements for each University here. While content of the above link are correct at the time of compiling, for the latest and most accurate information please refer to websites / information provided by the partner institutions.

The application for departmental exchange closes between February and March each year. Details regarding application deadlines will be sent to students through PolyU email accounts.

Please refer to GEO for their exchange programme application deadline.

Content subjects refer to those introducing particular theoretical knowledge. They are different from proficiency subjects, which aim to improve language skills (speaking, listening, reading and/or writing). ‘English Semantics’, for example, is a content subject while ‘Intermediate Spanish’ is a proficiency subject.

Grades / marks obtained at the host university will not be counted towards your PolyU GPA. However, at least a pass in the subjects taken overseas is necessary in order to be granted credit transfer. All the subjects must have been formally assessed.

Non-ENGL students can validate a maximum of 9 credits for either free electives or a minor programme in the Department of English and Communication. A block credit transfer system may be adopted for credit validation towards a minor in ENGL, while observing the limit of up to 9 credits. To be entitled for a block credit transfer, a minimum of two-thirds of the chosen subjects should be content subjects. For example, out of three subjects, two should be content subjects (see Q7 below about ‘content’ subjects).

Credit validation may also be granted on a subject-to-subject basis; that is, students can validate up to 3 subjects (up to 9 credits) with reference to the ENGL curriculum, for non-compulsory, non-Level-4 subjects.

Please note that the medium of instruction of your chosen subjects must be English. Students need to contact the ENGL Student Exchange Officer to seek advice on the selection of subjects and to obtain subject endorsement before departure. It is entirely students’ responsibility to choose relevant subjects and keep the content/proficiency subject ratio in balance. The student will have to obtain at least a pass in the subjects taken overseas for credit validation.

If non-ENGL students have already sought approval for the subject(s) for credit transfer in their home department, the Department of English and Communication cannot double count subjects. Students need to decide from which department, their home department or Department of English and Communication, they are going to validate credits for the subjects taken at the host university.

Non-ENGL students should seek advice from their Departmental Exchange Officer for other subjects relevant to their major pathway before going on exchange, observing each department’s own policy.