Details

• China
• MAMark-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

In terms of applying for HKUST, there were no special requisites for me in terms of language certificates etc. The selection process was fully dependent on WU's criteria. Once I got accepted, I received an email from HKUST's International Office explaining all the next steps. The team is really organized, so everything went smoothly and you always knew what you needed to do next. They also help you when it comes to your visa application for Hong Kong (they even provide a checklist). Please be aware that you are not eligible for housing at HKUST and, thus, living can get quite costly. I would recommend searching for students (e.g through the outgoing students list) that would be open to search for an Airbnb together asap, as it can save you a lot of money (serviced apartments are often a lot more expensive compared to shared flats).

2. Accommodation

I shared an Airbnb with two other exchange students, as we were not eligible for housing on campus. The MBA weekday campus is located in the city, while the main campus (for weekend classes) is in Clearwater Bay (around 45mins outside of the city centre). I had a friend that previously studied at HKUST and she advised me to move into the city, as otherwise you are always quite far off from the bustling city life you get to experience in Hong Kong. Depending on your budget, I would advise to either move to Kowloon (Mong Kok, Prince Edward) or the Island (Wan Chai, Sheung Wan, North Point), with the Island being a bit more expensive. Our Airbnb was located in Mong Kok and I really liked it and can recommend it :)) It allowed me to save some money for travelling each month as Kowloon is cheaper in terms of living expenses and at the same time I got to experience a very local side of Hong Kong which I loved (a lot of local food stalls and restaurants). If you prefer to live alone, most exchange students opted for a serviced apartment (company: Weave Studios) and were quite happy with it. Hong Kong in general is really really safe, so you do not need to worry about your location in terms of safety. Everywhere is perfectly fine! However, I would strongly advise to move near the red, green or dark blue line, as Hong Kong is quite big and all of the three lines allow you to reach your destination (and especially uni) quite fast. We started looking for accommodation in April and ended up booking our apartment in May and there were still some good options available (do not wait too long, cheaper flats in good locations get booked early).

3. Academic life at host university

The facilities at HKUST are amazing and they really have everything you would need. The main campus offers a gym, a track and field facility, an indoor and outdoor pool and also sailing, SUP, kayaking courses you can book multiple times a semester. Except for the courses all facilities can be used free of charge (you enter with your student ID). In terms of academics, teaching styles and culture can very quite a lot from WU. As you will be enrolled in an MBA program quite a lot of students bring many years of work experience into the classroom and classes are, thus, often based on quite a lot of discussions (your participation is closely monitored). Additionally, HKUST uses a curve-grading system. In my opinion, for the courses I took the work load was fine and comparable to WU/sometimes lower. However, the grading was sometimes quite intransparent. HKUST does not disclose the curve system for your specific courses and sometimes a few points lost for participation can make up a whole grade. With that being said, do not worry about this too much, while the curve is different from the grading system at WU, compared to other unis that employ such a system, HKUST grading is not that harsh and you will be able to achieve good graded with a reasonable/sometimes even low workload.

5. Every day life in the host country

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: The public transport system in Hong Kong is great. You can use it by simply tapping your credit card in and out when using the MTR or getting an Octopus card (I would recommend getting one at the very beginning as it is almost more popular than using credit cards in Hong Kong. You can use it to pay for public transport, restaurants, grocery stores or when shopping in general). The public transport includes the MTR, buses, minibuses, the tram and even the ferry (which you can use to reach one of the many islands surrounding Hong Kong). SAFETY: Hong Kong is really safe and there is rarely any crimes. In my time living there I have never even experienced pickpockets. In general, I would say you can leave your stuff anywhere and leave and it would still be there when you come back. The city is also really safe at night. SOCIAL/LEISURE/EVENTS/SPORTS: Hong Kong has a LOT to offer for every type of person. The city has incredible nature which I would really recommend you to explore. I personally really liked going to one of the many beaches for the day and do a bbq with friends there in the evening (the city provides many bbq spots for free and some of the public beaches and it is a very popular activity for Hong Kongers to spend time there with friends). You can also try out one of the many hikes or take the ferry to one of the fisher islands nearby. In terms of going out, the island offers quite a variety of nice restaurants and bars popular with locals. LKF is a very popular spot to meet up among students (all clubs and many bars are located there) & Peel Street is great for barhopping. In addition, the city hosts quite a lot of events each month (you can follow one of the many Hong Kong themed instagram pages to stay up to date with them e.g explore_hongkong). If you enjoy trying out sports you can make use of the many sport amenities on campus, engage in water activities at one of the beaches or make use of the free trail offered through classpass. ALSO Hong Kong is a great travel hub to explore Asia! So definitely try to visit other countries as well while you are there.

6. Testimonial

Living in Hong Kong was one of the most memorable and exciting chapters of my life. Even though the city can get expensive, I would spend the money again in a heartbeat to relive this experience. Choosing Hong Kong as my exchange destination was one of the best decisions I ever made, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. Over the past few months, I have gotten to know a completely different culture, made incredible lifelong friends, and grown in ways I never expected. Hong Kong truly became a home for me (or as the locals would say: It became Home Kong <3). I will miss the little routines that shaped my weeks: going to the horse races on Wednesdays, spending all day at the beach on Thursdays, escaping to the islands on Fridays, and meeting my friends in LKF on Saturdays. These moments made my everyday life in Hong Kong so special and I will never be able to fully get used to how much the city offers and how diverse it can be. There is a saying that you can leave Hong Kong, but Home Kong will never leave you, and I think that sums it up perfectly. No matter where I go next, this city and everything it has given me will always stay with me.