Offshore WIE Sponsorship (OWS)
To encourage students to take on a meaningful non-local WIE placement, the following Offshore WIE Sponsorship (OWS) and incentives are offered:
It helps to support part of the costs incurred based on the principle of shared responsibility.
Different levels of sponsorship may be granted based on internship location and duration. See the OWS Guidelines 2025 for details.
It is a learning incentive which may be awarded to students who have demonstrated positive learning outcomes through clear articulation of the learning gains, and achievement of the WIE requirements as specified by their department.
In 2024/25, the WIE Learning Incentive is HK$2,300.
It may be provided to students with proven financial difficulties with the endorsement from their department.
WIE Handbook
OWS Checklist
1. All Applicants
2. GEO Mainland WIE Applicants
Pre-placement Submission
1. OWS & HA Student Charter
2. Submission of Bank Account information to FO
Post-placement Submission
1. Student Feedback on WIE Learning Experience
3. Declaration by Employer
4. Employer Feedback Form
5. Rental Invoice Template
6. Learning Journal Writing Guidelines
7. Video Guidelines
Students who joined an International WIE programme coordinated by GEO commenced before 28 August 2025, or took on a non-local internship which was sourced via their department or by themselves are required to submit the placement details to their department at the earliest possible stage to obtain prior endorsement.
For those who joined a Mainland WIE programme coordinated by GEO need not apply for OWS because there will be group arrangement for their passage, accommodation, and travel insurance.
If the non-local placements arranged by departments incur pre-paid expenses, GEO will work with the departments on the arrangements for payment transfer.
If the actual expenses pre-paid by departments exceed the maximum entitlement of the Basic Sponsorship for each student, the departments may use WIE Learning Incentives to offset the variance.
Taking into consideration that non-local placements may incur some pre-paid expenses (e.g. passage and accommodation charges), GEO may release an Advance OWS (a portion of the Basic Sponsorship) to students who have submitted the full set of required documents to their departments.
For details including a checklist of required documents, calculations, and administrative procedures, please refer to the OWS Guidelines 2025.
The remaining balance of the approved Basic Sponsorship will be released to students after their successful completion of placements.
Applications for OWS will be processed only when all necessary documents mentioned below are submitted to GEO via POSS within two weeks upon the completion of placements:
- Declaration by Employer which is completed by the placement organisation, and endorsed with the supervisor’s signature and company chop
- Official receipts of passage (boarding passes must also be attached) and accommodation expenses
- Declaration by Student for Offshore WIE Sponsorship via POSS
- A completed Student Feedback on WIE Learning Experience online form
Failing to do so will automatically lead to the cancellation of the OWS application and the withdrawal of the “conditional approval”. The Advance OWS released is therefore required to be repaid.
WIE Learning Incentive is not open for application.
Faculties/departments have full discretion over granting the incentive based on their WIE requirements. They may consider the following conditions:
- A high quality reflective learning journal, with clear articulation of learning gains
- Satisfactory feedback on the student’s performance from the employer or hosting organisation, and/or evidence of responsible behaviours during the placement (e.g. record of attendance, reference letter(s), and employer feedback survey)
- Participation in sharing, mentorship, or learning enhancement activities
- Other forms of commendation deemed appropriate by the faculties/departments
After receiving the faculty's/department's confirmation, it normally takes around four weeks for the learning incentive to be transferred into the student’s bank account.
Advance OWS recipients whose WIE performance is considered unsatisfactory by their departments must return the full amount granted by GEO.
To be eligible for this allowance, applicants must provide official documents to justify their needs for financial assistance, which include:
- a letter of approval from the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme;
- a letter which indicates the approved grant and loan amounts from the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme – Publicly-funded Programmes (Government Grant and Loan) in 2024/25;
- a letter/email notification of approval from the PolyU Financial Assistance Scheme in 2024/25; and
- other documents issued or endorsed by the agencies or departments of the HKSAR government which can act as proof of the applicant’s financial needs.
For more details (including the application procedure), please see the Guidelines on Hardship Allowance 2024/25.
Other Sponsorships
The Jessie & George Ho Charitable Foundation set up the Commercial Radio 50th Anniversary Scholarship Fund and allocated 30 scholarships of HK$3,000 each per academic year from 2010/11 onwards to full-time undergraduate students pursuing non-local WIE placements.
