Skip to main content Start main content

About Summer Exchange?

The Summer Exchange Programme offers PolyU undergraduate students the opportunity to spend a summer at one of our partner institutions. Please click here to see a list of available destinations for Summer Exchange 2025.

 

Join us! GEO Information Session – Outbound Opportunities for Summer 2025 & Semester 1, 2025/26 and Funding Available for 2024/25
Date:   15 January 2025 (Wednesday)
Time:  15:30 – 16:30
Venue: FJ303, PolyU (face-to-face) & Zoom (online) 

For registration, please click here for face-to-face participation or here for online participation. Please feel free to download the PowerPoint slides (2024 Summer) here for reference.

 

Am I Eligible to Apply?

You are eligible to apply if:

- You are a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student (local or non-local) in a UGC-funded programme.

- You have completed at least one year of study before the proposed Global Exchange
(For Senior Intake students, please check with your Faculty/School/Department for eligibility).

- You fulfill the minimum requirement(s) for CGPA, English language, if any, set by your GEO and/or your preferred host institution(s).

When and How to Apply?

You are required to complete the Summer Exchange Online Application Form by 23:59 (Hong Kong Time), 20 January 2025. A 150-words personal statement is required, so please prepare in advance. Late/incomplete applications will not be processed.

You can select up to five preferred choices of exchange institutions/programmes and it is your responsibility to ensure that the chosen host institutions have the appropriate programmes and subjects to fulfil your degree requirements at PolyU. Please check with your academic department on credit transfer.

Applications will be reviewed by our selection committee based on the specified criteria. Please note that interviews may be conducted for selected students if deemed necessary. We will contact you directly if an interview is required; however, conducting an interview is not mandatory.

GEO will announce application results to students via email from late January 2025. Students should confirm their offer by the offer acceptance deadline. Upon students’ confirmation, GEO will send out a confirmation email and nominate you to the host institution. Once you have received your confirmation of nomination, you can start preparing for the application to your host institution. You must submit your application to the host institution by the application deadline. If the host institution requires you to submit your application via the home institution, you should consult GEO and send the full set of documents in required format at least two weeks (excluding public holidays) prior to the application deadline. Late submission will jeopardise your submission.


Credit Transfer Information

Successful credit transfer applications in the past five years are presented on the Credit Transfer Information (Outbound Activities) page here. It serves as a good reference point for your offshore learning planning. Please approach your programme offering departments directly to seek pre-approval and final endorsement upon the completion of your offshore learning activities.


Budgeting

As an exchange student, your summer tuition fee is waived. Keep the following costs in mind when budgeting for an exchange.

  • Round trip ticket from Hong Kong/home country to host country
  • Accommodation
  • VISA application fees
  • Insurance
  • Daily expenses (food, laundry, etc.)
  • Textbooks and stationery

The costs of the above may vary from country to country, so be sure that you check the host institutions’ website for more information.


Financial Support

Students participating in student exchange programme are supported by a range of financial assistance. Eligibility and exact amounts vary across destinations and durations. Details will be provided to successful participants during the Pre-departure Briefing and in a follow-up email from GEO. Online application for GEO funding by the specified deadlines is required. No late applications will be entertained. 

Your Faculty/School/Department may offer additional sponsorships and/or scholarships aim at covering expenses such as flights, accommodation or living costs. Check with your Faculty/School/Department and/or Student Affairs Office for further details.

The Scholarship/Funding provides financial assistance to students participating in student exchange programme at PolyU’s Student Exchange partner institutions with tuition fee waivers and earn credit(s) upon completion of the exchange. The exchange period is at least 4 weeks for Summer Exchange.

You are eligible for the Scholarship/Funding:

  • This is the first GEO outbound exchange activity involves physical travel during your entire undergraduate study;
  • If you are a full-time UGC-funded degree-seeking undergraduate student (local and non-local) participating in student exchange programme; and
  • If you have attended all briefing sessions as required by GEO before departure.
  • In cases where candidates have equal merits on other selection criteria, preference would be given to students with financial needs.
  • When a student withdraws from the exchange programme after accepting the offer from Faculty/School/Department/GEO, the student may no longer be eligible for the GEO Scholarship/Funding for Student Exchange for any future student exchange activities.

  • GEO Scholarship for Student Exchange:
  • Full-time UGC-funded degree-seeking undergraduate students have attained a minimum cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 3.0 at the below mentioned time frame.
  • The disciplinary record(s) of the student with PolyU will be taken into consideration.

    • GEO Funding for Student Exchange:
  • Full-time UGC-funded degree-seeking undergraduate students have attained below a cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 3.0 at the below mentioned time frame.

 Exchange Period CGPA by Semester 
 Summer Term Semester 1 of the current Academic Year

Note: application details will be announced in the Pre-departure Briefing.

Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government offers Means-tested and Non-means-tested Schemes in support of exchange activities. Read below for eligibility:

Means-tested Schemes

  • You are a local student with a Hong Kong Identity Card and enrolled in a full-time undergraduate programme.
  • You are a recipient of grant under the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme – Publicly-funded Programmes by Student Finance Office (SFO); OR your family member is a recipient of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA).

 i. Scheme for Subsidy on Exchange (SSE)

  • You participate in an exchange activity for at least 14 days (excluding travelling time).
  • You are eligible for SSE once only throughout your undergraduate studies.

ii. Scheme for Means-tested Subsidy on Exchange to "Belt and Road" Regions (Means-tested SSEBR)

  • You participate in an exchange activity in any "Belt and Road" regions (except Mainland China, Taiwan and Macao) at least 5 days (excluding travelling time).
  • You are eligible for Means-tested SSEBR twice at most at two different "Belt and Road" regions, subject to maximum amount of subsidy to be received, i.e. HKD60,000, discounted by your level of student finance approved by SFO.

 Non-means-tested Schemes

i. Scheme for Non-means-tested Subsidy on Exchange to "Belt and "Road" Regions (Non-means-tested SSEBR)

  • You are a local student with a Hong Kong Identity Card and enrolled in a full-time undergraduate programme.
  • You participate in an exchange activity in any "Belt and Road" regions (except Mainland China, Taiwan and Macao) for at least 5 days (excluding travelling time).
  • You are eligible for Non-means-tested SSEBR once only throughout your undergraduate studies.

  ii. Non-means-tested Mainland Experience Scheme (Non-means-tested MES)

  • You are a local or non-local student and enrolled in a full-time undergraduate programme.
  • You participate in an exchange activity in Mainland China.
  • You are eligible for Non-means-tested MES once only throughout your undergraduate studies.
GEO Scholarship for Student Exchange / GEO Funding for Student Exchange for Summer semester (4 weeks or above AND less than 1 semester*)
Destinations GEO Subsidy for Global Exchange (GSSE)
(Attained a minimum CGPA of 3.0)
GEO Funding for Student Exchange (GFSE) 
(Attained a CGPA of 3.0 or below) 
Africa, Americas, Australia, Europe, Middle East HKD11,000   HKD7,700
Japan, Korea, Singapore HKD10,000  HKD7,000

 Chinese Mainland
(Guangdong Province)

HKD4,100    HKD2,900
 Chinese Mainland 
(Outside Guangdong Province)
HKD5,800    HKD4,100
 Taiwan HKD6,000    HKD4,200
Other parts of Asia

HKD8,000

  HKD5,600

 *Semester refers to the study period in the host institution. 

HKSAR Government Subsidy

Means-tested Schemes

i. Scheme for Subsidy on Exchange (SSE)

ii. Scheme for Means-tested Subsidy on Exchange to "Belt and Road" Regions (Means-tested SSEBR)

The amount of Government Subsidy is calculated by applying the approved level of student finance to the maximum level of subsidy based on the latest available application result from Student Finance Office (SFO).

 

** Formula: (Destination + Duration) x %

Destination (HKD)

+

Duration (HKD)

x

**Proportion of Grant (%) approved

as advised by The Student Finance

Office (SFO)

Asia (Inc Middle East)  3,000

Africa                              7,000

Oceania & Europe         8,000

North America               9,000

Central & South America & Caribbean 15,000

14-28 days   6,000

29-90 days  10,000

91-180 days  25,000

** The amount of financial level will be adjusted upward to 50% if the level of student finance approved by SFO is lower than 50%.

 

Non-means-tested Schemes

** Formula: (Destination + Duration)

Destination (HKD)

+

Duration (HKD)

Asia (Inc Middle East)   900

   Africa                         2,100

Oceania & Europe       2,400

Central & South America & Caribbean 4,500

14-28 days 1,800

29-90 days 3,000

91-180 days 7,500

 

You must declare to GEO if you receive sponsorship(s) and/or scholarship(s) from other source(s). You are required to provide relevant document(s) of such funding you receive.

PolyU reserves the right to withhold the payment of GEO Scholarship/Funding for Student Exchang/Government Subsidy if you do not declare other funding received (whether it is received before or after the approval of your application).

As a PolyU Global Exchange student, you are obliged to:

  • Be a PolyU ambassador and help to promote exchange opportunities at PolyU to fellow students at your host institution; 
  • Submit post-exchange report within one month of the completion of your exchange period; and
  • Be a peer advisor at least twice after your return from the exchange study to provide advice and share your experience to future outbound students at PolyU

If a student does not fulfill the above obligations, PolyU reserves the right to claw back paid any exchange funding provided.


Financial Support from Faculty/School/Department

In addition to the funding support managed by GEO, your Faculty/School/Department may also provide additional funding to support your exchange journey. The information below is subject to change without notice and is not exhaustive. Please contact your Faculty/School/Department directly for funding availability.

 

Faculty of Business https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fb/experience-opportunities/student-exchange/financial-assistance/
Faculty of Construction and Environment:  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/scholarships-and-awards/scholarships-for-outbound-exchange-students/
Faculty of Engineering:  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/feng/experience-and-opportunities/scholarships-and-awards/scholarships/
Faculty of Humanities:  Sin Wai Kin Chinese Humanities Exchange Scholarship (For students of the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies and the Department of Chinese History and Culture only, by nomination. Please contact the Faculty of Humanities for details.)
School of Design:  https://www2.polyu.edu.hk/sd/SD_all/student_website/outboundexchange.php
School of Hotel and Tourism Management:  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/shtm/experience-and-opportunities/student-exchange-programme/outbound-student-exchange/
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering:  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/ise/experience-and-opportunities/student-exchange-programmes/
School of Optometry:  https://www.polyu.edu.hk/so/study/undergraduate-programme/bachelor-of-science-honours-in-optometry/scholarships-and-financial-aids/

Enquiries

If you have a question that hasn’t been answered above, please contact a student mobility advisor. When making your inquiry, whenever by email or on phone, be sure to state clearly your name, PolyU student ID number, exchange period and destination. You can also schedule for a private session by emaiingl us the date and time at least 2 working days in advance.

Email: outbound.exchange@polyu.edu.hk

Tel: 2766 5116

Walk-in enquiry hours: Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays): 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Address: Global Engagement Office, ST305, 3/F, Ng Wing Hong Building

 

 

Your browser is not the latest version. If you continue to browse our website, Some pages may not function properly.

You are recommended to upgrade to a newer version or switch to a different browser. A list of the web browsers that we support can be found here