Exchange Report

University: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Country: China
Semester: WS 2025
Duration of stay: 4 months
Level: Bachelor level (undergraduate)
Degree program: Bachelor's Degree Program in Business, Economics and Social Sciences / BW

1. Preparation

When applying for an exchange semester I would suggest using all 7 preference spots for partner unis. I think for most students, getting at least into one should be possible. Regarding preparing the exchange itself I think the most important thing is checking for accommodation, because student halls have fixed application dates.

2. Accommodation

For me the search was pretty easy. I stayed in an "normal" apartment and found it via Facebook groups (like Hong Kong Apartments). Serviced private apartment Proximity in Hong Kong is never really a big issue as the public transportation is very good and the city is not to big. Safety is very good also for women. I would say the coolest destricts are the whole Hong Kong Island as well as south Tsim Sha Tsui, but I would still advise to choose based on the uni location or best case take the student doorms (cheapest and easiest to meet people)

3. Academic life at host university

I was at the PolyU Campus facilities are perfect and they have a really nice camous also with sporting facilities. Academic culture to me was a bit less exiting in my opinion compared to WU because I had the feeling that some professors (often the young ones especially) are not really into teaching and the whole academic thing and see it more as a job than plessure.

4. Cost of living in €

Please indicate the number of months you spent at the partner university, from the orientation session to your last exam.

Preparation (including insurance, vaccinations, visa, university fees)

Travel to and from your exchange semester destination

Accommodation

Everyday life (including groceries and public transport)

Total cost of living for complete stay in €

Monthly living costs (includes accommodation and everyday life expenses)

Monthly living costs in host country compared to those in Austria

Student received a mobility grant administered by WU (e.g. Erasmus+, WU Mobility Grant, CEEPUS)

Yes No

Grant type

Other grants received

5. Everyday life

Public transportation in Hong Kong is one of the best I have ever experienced. Really clean, safe, reliable and gets you everywhere. Safety is also very good in Hong Kong and to the extent I can say also for women (especially compared to other countries and Europe) Leisure time in Hong Kong is the best you can imagine. Insanely good food and cool activities like going to the beaches, the horse races, partying (very nice) and just strolling around the city. Sport options are mostly gyms, hiking, running and the beaches I would say. For us it was quite hard to play tennis regularly for example.

6. Exchange semester in a nutshell

Hong Kong is one of the most special cities in the world (really try to suck in the culture and how people live and you will fall in love with it). The whole experience was energetic, enriching, fun and adventurous opens your horizon so much because the contrast to european cities is big. To me, the food and the way of how people live there ist the thing I enjoyed the most during my stay and will be in my head for the longest.

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