Semester Exchange | Global Engagement Office

About Semester Exchange

All semester exchange places are offered to you through nomination by your Faculty/School/Department/GEO. Student exchange should meet the following conditions:
1. It involves credit-bearing study activities covered by a formal Student Exchange Agreement with a non-local partner institution;
2. Students pay tuition fee to PolyU only; and
3. PolyU receives incoming exchange students from partner institution on a reciprocal basis.

Am I Eligible to Apply?

You are eligible to apply if:

You are a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student (local or non-local) enrolled in a UGC-funded programme.
You have completed at least one year of study before the proposed student exchange period
(Senior Intake students should check with your Faculty/School/Department for eligibility).
You fulfil the minimum requirement(s) on CGPA, English language, or any requirements, set by your Faculty/School/Department/GEO and/or your preferred host institution(s).

Students who have previously participated in a student exchange may also apply. However, funding support for a second student exchange may be limited.

How Do I Apply?

Select your preferred host institution(s) from the list of host institutions available to your Faculty/School/Department/GEO. Please note the application procedures and timelines may vary across these units. Carefully review and follow the specific process outlined by the relevant unit.

Choose your target host institution(s) based on your major/minor studies, subjects, credits required and budget. Make sure you fulfil the eligibility criteria and requirements set by host institutions, e.g. GPA, English proficiency and any restrictions. While CGPA of 2.75 is generally expected, some host institutions require higher GPA.

You may consider applying for the exchange programmes provided by your Faculty/School/Department or GEO.

1.1 Apply via your Faculty/School/Department

Below are the options available for the Academic Year 2026/27. Information for 2027/28 will be updated in due course.

Details on term dates, relevant links and any specific requirements set by the host institutions are provided. Research your preferred options to get familiar with them! Please note that all arrangements are subject to the latest announcements from the respective units.

1.2 Apply via GEO

The GEO Student Exchange offers one-semester credit-bearing exchange opportunities from host institutions around the globe. Applications should be made via GEO. Please refer to the GEO Student Exchange Guidelines for detailed information on application and the list of host institutions available for the GEO Student Exchange Programme.

Application Timeline:

October – November: Online application
Late December – Early January: Interview (if applicable)
Late January: Selected students to accept/decline first-round application result (if applicable)
Mid-February: Selected students to accept/decline second-round application result (if applicable)

Successful applicants will receive an exchange offer notification from the Faculty/School/Department/GEO. Once you have accepted the offer, GEO will nominate you to the host institution.

GEO must first nominate you to the host institution. If your nomination has been approved, the host institution will send the application information and relevant instructions to the nominated students.

Upon receiving application information from your host institution, you should complete and submit your application by said deadlines, which are usually around three to six months before the start of your exchange semester, after which, the host institution will review your application and inform you of your application result.

Please consult your programme offering department (e.g. programme leader, academic advisor, exchange officer) on subject selection to ensure credits earned at your host institution are recognised and transferable back to PolyU.

If your host institution requests your application documents to be submitted via GEO, either by email or post, you should consult GEO and send the full set of documents in the required format at least two weeks before the application deadline, excluding public holidays.

If your exchange application is successful, you will receive an enrolment/admission letter from your host institution. Be reminded to share a copy with GEO at outbound.exchange@polyu.edu.hk.

After accepting the nomination, you are required to attend the Pre-departure Briefing organised by GEO (held in November for coming Semester 2, and in May for coming Summer Term and the following Semester 1). The briefing will cover application procedures to your host institution, pre-departure preparations, exchange funding, and post-exchange follow-up arrangements.

Students taking up official/endorsed activities outside of Hong Kong are covered by PolyU Group Travel Insurance, such as exchange programmes. The Group Travel Insurance covers 365/366 days for exchange, starting from the date you leave Hong Kong to the date you return. For insurance coverage and claim procedure, please click here.

Check carefully the insurance requirements of your host institution/country/region according to your own needs. PolyU Group Travel Insurance may not fulfil the insurance requirements set by your host institution/country/region. You may need to arrange additional coverage. Some require the purchase of designated health insurance for your exchange study at that particular host institution/country/region.

Research well in advance if you need a visa for your exchange study. Understand the application procedure and timeline, and prepare supporting documents as per required.

Understand accommodation options available at or recommended by your host institution. Apply as early as possible but do not pay for the accommodation until you receive the enrolment/admission letter. You are recommended to apply for on-campus accommodation whenever available, followed by private housing and/or trustworthy housing agent recommended by your host institution. It is NOT recommended to source options from web on your own without credibility.

Details will be provided during the Pre-departure Briefing and in a follow-up email from GEO. Online application for exchange funding by said deadlines is required. Late application will NOT be entertained.

Finalise your subject selection at host institution with your programme offering department (e.g. programme leader, academic advisor, exchange officer) and receive pre-approval for credit transfer (Form AR41a). Change your status at PolyU as “off campus” and release any pre-registered subjects at PolyU.

You are required to attend orientation and complete registration procedure at your host institution. Inform your PolyU department and family of your safe arrival. You are also suggested to register with the Consulate/Embassy in your host country.

A free copy of official transcript will be sent to GEO or directly to you. Request and pay for a copy from your host institution if they do not offer transcript for free.

Complete Form AR41c for your PolyU departmental endorsement on credit transfer as soon as possible. Successful credit transfer back to PolyU is a MUST, or the GEO exchange funding paid to you shall be clawed back.

As a PolyU 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 by said deadline.
Be a peer advisor at least twice at GEO events after returning from your exchange study, to provide advice and share your experience with future outbound students at PolyU.

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

Credit Transfer Information

Successful credit transfer applications can be found in the Credit Transfer Database (for Outbound Activities) here. It serves as a good reference for planning your offshore learning. Please contact your programme offering department directly to seek pre-approval before applying for your offshore learning activities, and final endorsement upon the completion of them.

Budgeting

You are paying PolyU tuition fee ONLY during your exchange study. 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 by country. Please check the host institution's website for more information.

Below is an estimated summary of living expenses per month.

Destination	Accommodation	Meals	Insurance	Daily Expenses	Flight	Visa
Destination	Per month (HK$)	Per month (HK$)	Per semester (HK$)	Per month (HK$)	(HK$)	(HKD)
Continental Europe	4,000 - 8,000	2,000 - 5,000	1,500 - 4,000	1,000 - 3,000	6,000 - 9,000	600 - 5,000
Eastern Europe	2,000 - 4,000	1,500 - 5,000	1,000 - 2,500	1,000 - 2,000	5,500 - 9,000	400 - 1,000
Nordic	2,000 - 7,000	3,000 - 5,000	2,000 - 3,000	500 - 1,500	6,000 - 8,000	1,000 - 5,000
Southeast Asia	2,000 - 4,500	1,500 - 5,000	500 - 3,000	500 - 1,000	2,000 - 7,000	200 - 1,500
East Asia	1,000 - 4,000	1,500 - 3,500	1,000 - 4,000	1,000 - 2,000	2,000 - 7,000	400 - 600
Oceania	3,500 - 10,000	1,500 - 5,500	1,000 - 4,000	1,000 - 1,500	5,000 - 9,000	8,000 - 10,000
North America	6,000 - 8,000	4,000 - 5,000	2,000 - 6,000	3,500 - 4,500	11,000 - 15,000	800 - 2,000
Chinese Mainland	200 - 700	600 - 2,000	1,100	100 - 500	1,000 - 4,000	0 - 400
Taiwan	500 - 1,500	700 - 2,500	1,100	60 - 250	1,800 - 3,000	0 - 150

^Note:

^{The above estimates are for reference only.}
^{The actual amount required will vary depending on individuals' lifestyles and preferences.}

Financial Support

Student exchange participations are supported by a range of financial assistance. Eligibility and exact amount vary across destinations and durations.

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

The Scholarship/Funding provides financial assistance to students participating in student exchange at PolyU’s student exchange partner institutions with tuition fee waivers and earn credit(s) upon completion of such exchange. The exchange period is one or two semesters, or at least 4 weeks for a clinical placement exchange.

You are eligible for the Scholarship/Funding:

This is the first GEO outbound exchange activity involving physical travel during your entire undergraduate study; and
If you are a full-time UGC-funded degree-seeking undergraduate student (local or non-local) participating in student exchange programmes; 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:

A full-time UGC-funded degree-seeking undergraduate students who has 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:

A full-time UGC-funded degree-seeking undergraduate students who has attained below a cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 3.0 at the below mentioned time frame.

Exchange Period	CGPA by Semester
Semester 1	Semester 2 of the previous Academic Year
Semester 2	Semester 1 of the current Academic Year
Summer Term	Semester 1 of the current Academic Year

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

*Not applicable to students admitted in the 2025/26 academic year or later who are entry scholarship awardees.

You are eligible for the funding:

Once only during your entire undergraduate study;
You are participating in student exchange for a period of at least one regular semester;
You fulfil all the requirements for applying for GEO Scholarship for Student Exchange/GEO Funding for Student Exchange;
You are a local student with a Hong Kong Identity Card; and
You are a recipient of grant under the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme – Publicly-funded Programmes by the Student Finance Office.

You are eligible for the funding:

Once only during your entire undergraduate study; and
You are a non-local student and enrolled in a full-time undergraduate programme;
You fulfil all the requirements for applying for GEO Scholarship for Student Exchange/GEO Funding for Student Exchange;
You are participating in student exchange in one of the "Belt and Road" regions except the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan and Macao; and
You have never received GEO Funding for Student Exchange in Belt and Road Regions for Non-local UG Students during the entire undergraduate study.

Note: This funding is applicable to students participating in student exchange programmes from Academic Year 2025/26 onwards.

Exchange Scholarship for Academic Entry Scholarship Awardees

For students admitted in the 2025/26 academic year onwards, an additional HK$30,000 exchange scholarship will be offered to all undergraduate students who receive the Academic Entry Scholarship to support their participation in student exchange activities.

Education Bureau of the HKSAR Government offers Means-tested and Non-means-tested Schemes in support of student exchange. 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 (TSFS) – 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 student exchange for four weeks or more in Semester 1 and/or 2.

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 student exchange for four weeks or more in Semester 1 and/or 2.

You are eligible for Means-tested SSEBR twice at most at two different "Belt and Road" regions (except the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan and Macao) subject to maximum amount of subsidy to be received, discounted by your level of student finance approved by SFO.

Non-means-tested Scheme

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 student exchange in any "Belt and Road" regions except the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan and Macao.
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 student exchange in the Chinese Mainland.
You are eligible for Non-means-tested MES once only throughout your undergraduate studies.

GEO Scholarship for Student Exchange/GEO Funding for Student Exchange

Destination	GEO Scholarship for Student Exchange (GSSE) (Attained a minimum CGPA of 3.0)			GEO Funding for Student Exchange (GFSE) (Attained a CGPA below 3.0)
	4 weeks or above AND *less than 1 semester**	Semester-long	Year-long	4 weeks or above AND *less than 1 semester**	Semester-long	Year-long
	(HK$)
Africa, Americas, Australasia, Europe, Middle East	11,000	19,000	28,500	7,700	13,300	20,000
Japan, Korea, Singapore	10,000	18,000	27,000	7,000	12,600	19,000
Chinese Mainland (Guangdong Province)	4,100	8,300	12,500	2,900	5,800	8,700
Chinese Mainland (Outside Guangdong Province)	5,800	10,500	15,800	4,100	7,300	11,000
Taiwan	6,000	11,000	16,500	4,200	7,700	11,500
Other parts of Asia	8,000	15,000	22,500	5,600	10,500	16,000

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

GEO Exchange Grant

A fixed amount of HK$15,000 applied to all destinations for eligible students.

GEO Funding for Student Exchange in Belt and Road Regions for Non-local UG Students

Formula: (Destination + Duration)

Destination (HK$)

Duration (HK$)

Asia (Including 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

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 the Student Finance Office (SFO).

** Formula: (Destination + Duration) x %

Destination (HK$)

Duration (HK$)

**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

Over 180 days 45,000

** 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 Scheme

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

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

Formula: (Destination + Duration)

Destination (HK$)

Duration (HK$)

Asia (Including 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

Over 180 days 13,500

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 Exchange/Exchange Grant/Government Subsidy if you do not declare other funding received (whether it is received before or after the approval of your application).

You are required to fulfil the obligations as per stated in the “How do I apply?” section. If a student does not fulfil any of the obligations, PolyU reserves the right to claw back funding paid.

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/
Faculty of Construction and Environment:	https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/scholarships-and-awards/fce-global-learning-scheme/
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 Language Science and Technology and the Department of Chinese History and Culture only, by nomination. Please contact the Faculty of Humanities for details.) FH Non-Local Learning Activities Subsidy (FH Subsidy): https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fh/experience-and-opportunities/scholarships/for-undergraduate-degree-studies/
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/

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Enquiries

If you have a question that isn't answered above, talk to a student mobility advisor. Please state clearly your name, PolyU student ID number, exchange period and destination in your enquiry, whether it is by email or on telephone; or you can even book-in for a private session, email 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, PolyU